7 most popular branches of Medicine

It is said that an aspiring doctor’s medical journey actually starts after the completion of the MBBS degree. This is when the students have to decide their branch of medicine and the specialty they wish to study. Here are some branches of medicine that have tremendous scope for development in the future. Read below to know more.

Those planning to become a doctor in future do not limit their education to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and move to certain specialisations. It is said that an aspiring doctor’s medical journey actually starts after the completion of the MBBS degree. This is when the students have to decide their branch of medicine and the specialty they wish to study. There are a number of different branches of medicine that are designed to offer special care for the clients. Of these, some are popular, owing to the incidence of specific types of diseases among people in large volumes such as Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, etc.

Some of the branches of medicine have tremendous scope for development in the future and those medical specialties are:

Cardiology

Cardiologists are doctors who deal with the health of the heart and blood vessels. It is one of the highest paying medical specialties owing to the intricacies involved in dealing with heart ailments. Invasive cardiology is a branch that deals with surgeries and invasive procedures of the heart such as angiograms and angioplasties. According to a Forbes report, a cardiologist can earn a salary of about Rs 60-70 lakh per annum in India. This branch of medical specialty has a tremendous scope as transplants, open-heart surgeries, pacemaker implants are becoming common these days.

Orthopedics

This medical super-specialty deals with the health and diseases of bones and muscles. The musculoskeletal system is the framework of the body and is prone to damage from activities of daily living. Orthopedics treat clients with problems of the bones, joints and congenital anomalies of the bones, infections, cancer and progressive diseases of the bones. Sports orthopedics and rehabilitative orthopedics are emerging specialties within bone science. These doctors make the most money of all the medical specialties as orthopedic surgeries and implants are costly. The average salary for these doctors is about Rs 75-Rs 85 lakh per annum.

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterologists are those doctors who deal with the problems of stomach and intestines and all the accessory digestive organs. Gastroenterologists are the third-highest paying medical fraternity with annual earnings of Rs 70-75 lakh per annum. Cancers of the colon and the digestive system are the most common among people of all ages owing to the faulty food practices of people. Doctors dealing with invasive gastroenterology and GI cardiology are in high demand in India as they specialise in endoscopy, GI surgery and GI anastomosis surgeries performed in tumors of the digestive tract.

Urology

Urology is a medical super specialty that focuses on the health and illnesses of urinary system of both the genders. A number of organs fall under the domain of urology such as kidney, bladder, prostate, urethra and the male genital organs. They diagnose the problems of the kidney, bladder and other organs and propose medical and surgical management of these disorders. Urologists are also in high demand as more number of men report urinary problems, secondary to their sedentary lifestyle and faulty food practices. Metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus also result in failure of renal organs necessitating consultation from urologists. The average annual salary of urologists in India is expected to be between Rs 75-Rs 95 lakh per annum.

Anesthesiology

The volume of surgeries that are being conducted in Indian hospitals has enhanced many folds owning to the availability of world-class equipment and highly talented surgeons in the country. India is also the hub for medical tourism as it is the center for world-class medical facilities at an affordable cost. Anesthetists play an important role in keeping the patient sedated and pain-free during painful surgical procedures. They are also the highest-paid doctors in the country. An anesthetist can charge anywhere between Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000 per surgery depending on its complexity.

Plastic surgery

This is an emerging medical specialty that deals with medical aesthetics. Plastic surgeons work on different body parts and enhance their appearance and beauty. Women are becoming fans of plastic surgeons as they help in shaping up of their torso, lips and other body parts. Reconstructive surgeries are lifesavers for acid victims, burn victims and for those who wish to enhance their facial features. These technicians make use of implants, skin grafts, tissue transfers, liposuction and other methods to enhance the appearance of the clients. Depending on the nature of the procedure, these physicians earn about Rs 1-10 lakh per surgery.

Emergency medicine

Emergency medicine is one of the most important branches of medical specialty as they work between life and death situations in emergency departments. These professionals are expected to be alert at all times and act fast while dealing with a medical emergency. Even a single act of wrong decision can pose a serious threat to the life of the patient or leave him with terminal disabilities. Emergency medicine is a medical specialty studied after MBBS degree and extensive scope in government and private specialty hospitals. The average annual salaries of these doctors are anywhere between Rs 85-95 lakh.

A specialty that a medical student opts for after completion of the undergraduate degree in medicine is what decides their future. They should be clear in choosing a medical specialty based on their area of interest and that pays them well in the long run as a career choice. Doctors, in general, are in high demand in a country like India that has a present doctor-patient ratio of less than 1:10. The industry expects more young graduates to choose the medical stream and enhance the quality of current medical practice in the country.