A back-up plan
You’ve set your eyes on a seat in medical or dental school. You eat, sleep and dream MBBS or BDS. But do you have a back-up, just in case you don’t get through? If not, here are some options for Plan B.
Occupational therapy: This involves helping people with physical or mental disorders/disabilities to attain maximum level of mobility or functioning.
Offered as a 4.5-year Bachelor’s programme.
Some institutes:
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped, New Delhi
www.iphnewdelhi.in
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
www.ipu.ac.in
Jamia Hamdard
www.jamiahamdard.edu
GGS Indraprastha University
www.ipu.ac.in
Christian Medical College, Vellore
http://home.cmcvellore.ac.in
National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research, Cuttack
http://nirtar.nic.in/hrd.htm
National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Kolkata
www.nioh.in
Prosthetics and orthotics: It deals with the rehabilitation of people with disabilities or abnormalities of limbs (including amputations) or other body parts.
Offered as a 4.5-year Bachelor’s degree as well as a 2.5-year diploma
Some institutes:
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped, New Delhi
www.iphnewdelhi.in
All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mumbai (3.5-year programme)
aiipmr.gov.in
Christian Medical College, Vellore
http://home.cmcvellore.ac.in
National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research, Cuttack
http://nirtar.nic.in
National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Kolkata
www.nioh.in
Homeopathy: This alternative system of medicine developed in Germany in the 18th century has many takers for its tiny sweet pills.
Offered as a Bachelor’s programme in homeopathic medicine and surgery
Some institutes:
University of Delhi
www.du.ac.in
GGS Indraprastha University
www.ipu.ac.in
Panjab University, Chandigarh
www.puchd.ac.in
West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata
www.thewbuhs.org
Ayurveda: This age-old traditional Indian system of medicine is practised not only in India but in the West too.
Offered as a 5.5-year BAMS programme
Some institutes:
University of Delhi
www.du.ac.in
Banaras Hindu University
www.bhu.ac.in
Lucknow University
www.lkouniv.ac.in
Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Kanpur University
www.kanpuruniversity.org
West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata
www.thewbuhs.org
Unani: Of Greek origin, this system of medicine has been practised in the Indian subcontinent for hundreds of years.
Offered as a 5.5-year Bachelor’s programme in unani medicine and surgery
Some institutes:
University of Delhi
www.du.ac.in
Jamia Hamdard
www.jamiahamdard.edu
West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata
www.thewbuhs.org
Aligarh Muslim University
www.amu.ac.in
Audiology and speech therapy: Audiology is the study of hearing, related disorders and their prevention and treatment while speech therapy is about helping correct speech impairments, due to various factors.
Offered as a four-year Bachelor’s programme in audiology, speech and language pathology as well as a one-year diploma
Some institutes:
Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Physically Handicapped, Mumbai, Kolkata, Secunderabad (and Delhi: affiliated to GGS Indraprastha University)
http://ayjnihh.nic.in
GGS Indraprastha University
www.ipu.ac.in
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
http://pgimer.nic.in
All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore
www.aiishmysore.com
JM Institute of Speech and Hearing, Patna
www.jminstitute.com
Dr SRC Institute of Speech and Hearing, Bangalore University
www.speechear.org
Rehabilitation therapy: This includes the use of physical agents, exercises, aids, sign language, Braille script and other resources to rehabilitate patients with physical, visual, speech and hearing, mental and/or learning disabilities.
Offered as a four-year Bachelor’s programme in rehabilitation therapy
Some institutes:
National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Secunderbad, (regional centre in Delhi: affiliated to GGS Indraprastha University)
www.nimhindia.org
Nursing: This field is a very important of any healthcare set-up. Offered as a four-year/3.5-year Bachelor’s programme in nursing
Some institutes:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
www.aiims.edu
University of Delhi
www.du.ac.in
GGS Indraprastha University
www.ipu.ac.in
Jamia Hamdard
www.jamiahamdard.edu
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
http://pgimer.nic.in
Christian Medical College, Ludhiana and Vellore
www.cmcludhiana.in, www.cmch-vellore.edu
Veterinary science: Offered as a five-year Bachelor’s programme, this can be a fulfilling option if you love animals.
Some institutes:
College of Veterinary Sciences, Hisar
College of Veterinary Science, Ludhiana
College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Mathura
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pantnagar
Many of the institutes have written tests and interviews for selection. Mark them in advance for application, so you don’t miss the bus. A word of caution: this is not an exhaustive list and you may be fit for something altogether different. For example, is it the natural sciences that you would rather study or possibly something other than the sciences?
Before zeroing in on a programme, assess your aptitude and abilities for it. What do you want from the education or training — just a qualification, a job or a passport to success? All the best!
Author: HT Horizons
Date: 21st Jan., 2010
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