I am an ENT surgeon and a medical teacher.Dedicated to this profession for the last 17 years.
I have no intention of ever leaving it.
I also moonlight as an author, writer, blogger, creative content planner and social media manager.
Moonlight is a good word because my sunlight is dedicated to working at the hospital and the medical college and the evenings are spent writing, editing, promoting planning etc.
Career choices and one profession may be passe!It may be a time for mindfulness, but it is also a time for being a specialized generalist.
What I must tell you about choosing a career in India
Learn something.A skill which will make people want to pay you money .Once your bread and butter is settled, the sky is the limit.I honestly believe there’s no age for education or learning new things.Anyone can learn to grow and make a viable career out of new knowledge.
How to choose a career which is right for you?
- You are so good at something that you are financially independent of your parents.
- You are happy doing that thing.
Now while the first thing is what conventional career advisors have always said, the second loses steam when it comes to India’s happiness quotient.
What’s happiness?Why is it important?
If you are not happy doing what you love, then you will never he best at it
So you have to find one thing which ticks both boxes or find several things which together make you happy.
When you choose a course a vocation after your boards focus on these three at the least?
- How far your parents will be supporting your education?
- Do you plan to make a career out of this education?
- What are the prospects for studying this particular course?
- Are you ready for the bottom up learning needed in that particular field of study?
Whom should you talk to?
- Before signing up for any course, talk to the people associated with that branch who have at least five years experience after passing out.
- How are they making their living?
- Senior people in the industry will give you a bird’s eye view of the timeline needed for self-sufficiency.
Does this course give you a chance to have your own setup? Ever?
I strongly believe entrepreneurship, emotional health, and money sense should be a part of course curriculum in at least from middle school.
Keeping aside wishy-washy talks you wouldn’t want to not have a stable income.That doesn’t let you plan the life you want.
Say for example the following are branches of studies associated with the Healthcare industry which are Important in a hospital(Both Government and Private)
Have opportunities for government jobs both temporary and permanent.
Have distinct opportunities for financial independence.
Technical assistance is needed in many branches of medicine and good training and experience are highly valued.
Branches of Healthcare Industry which is much in demand
- Microbiologist
- Pathologist
- Forensic medicine
- OT technician
- ICU technician
- Audiometry
- Speech pathologist
- Pharmacologist
- Optometrist
- Physiotherapist
- Psychologist
- Blood bank technician
- ECG technician and some more .
- Nursing BSc, MSc,
- Midwifery
But for these to work for you, you will need to study hard
Work hard.Gain experience and have a plan to set up your own setup if you want to .
In West Bengal, both Government and Private healthcare institutes are offering recognizer courses on the above at affordable rates.
Often the internship options are paid for, unlike many other branches.
I will be updating resources about allied branches, in mainstream options so that you know about your choices.
Check out these resource:
http://www.iahs.co.in/courses.php
Education in India: Part 1 Unpleasant Truths
Link up your week 5 posts by clicking the blue button below.(Linky opens on 16th 00.00 hours)
You will find the prompt ideas for this week and the weeks ahead here(Scroll to the bottom).
It was a question when I was in 12th and it is still a question for any teenager. Nice comprehensive post.
Wonderful post detailing about all the relevant information for students. Must read for every parent and the students taking 12th exams.
Good detailed advise for students . I agree that both ticks are important and secondly skill development is the need of the hour
While making a career one should always ask the experienced one so as to how are they making their living? Choosing a career shapes your life ahead.
This is such an informative article, I love the lines “There is no age for education..” i also believe in the same principle, in fact learning new things should be a part of your daily life. your article has provided really valuable sources that will help a lot to 12th grade students and their parents. will bookmark it for future as a reference. thanks!
Interesting post. Especially for the students currently appearing in class 12 boards.