Medicine is a highly sought-after and constantly evolving field in today’s world. Every year, more than ten thousand students enrol in medical schools, and a similar number graduate as potential doctors and medical professionals. However, many of these graduating students often find themselves in a dilemma when it comes to choosing their career path after MBBS.
There are numerous options worth considering, apart from pursuing a career in healthcare or studying abroad. These alternative career paths can be confusing and take a toll on the mental well-being and motivation of aspiring doctors. Imagine the struggle when this confusion persists over the years, with students still unsure of their aspirations and why they initially chose this field.
The pressure of making the right decision increases as time passes, potentially leading to missing out on the right career direction. It’s crucial to address this situation and provide information about lesser-explored career options after MBBS. So, get ready and choose the path that suits you best, knowing that we are here to guide you every step of the way.
What to do after MBBS
While we are on the topic of selecting the best career option after MBBS for the students, here is an important detail that needs strict attention. It is not important that a person who passed out as an MBBS graduate has to be a doctor or someone in the medical field.
The profession selected can be completely different and can have no connection with the field. Also, it is not true that an MBBS leads to very strict career choice options and no diversification is possible. There are ample examples of many successful people who skipped medical science after their MBBS to pursue the course or field they were quite passionate about.
This was all possible because they either were clear about their alternative career options after MBBS or discovered their own choices after MBBS while doing their course.
This article ensures you that having second thoughts after investing those precious five years into medicine is entirely normal. Other options host the stage for the nomad in you to help you follow what you feel connected to.
List of 15 Careers Options After MBBS
1. Hospital Management
A doctor can function only if the hospital facility exists. The basic requirements to build a hospital and run it properly can be understood by a doctor only. In very rare cases, an extremely passionate non-medical professional can handle everything a doctor knows and needs to create a healthy hospital ecosystem for its patients, doctors, visitors, and all other workers.
Considering the situation of maximum hospitals in India, well-qualified doctors who have decided to look for alternative career options after MBBS into the field of laying down the basement for other doctors to serve medicine is a compulsory trait.
Another perk of joining the hospital administration would be the high payment check as salary which is generally higher than the paycheck of a doctor working in the same hospital.
There are lots of hospital management courses available with multiple institutes for the students who are willing to experiment with some of the best courses after MBBS to help with hospital management.
2. Medical Professor/ Teacher
This is a tricky field because there can be two types of medical teachers:
a) Those that help prepare medical aspirants for gaining merit and qualify for a medical college. This is done with different coaching classes and private tuitions for the pre-medical merit exam clearance where basic tips and tricks for clearing examinations are taught.
There is no better trainer than a person who has lived the same life once and has experienced the same pressure to achieve what the aspirants are aiming for. This also instills confidence amongst the students to witness their trainer as their guide and they understand at a young age only that there are possible career options after MBBS.
b) Those who study abroad after MBBS or take up different other courses of study and then get appointed as professors in the medical college for teaching actual medicine to kids who cleared their pre-medical tests on merit and secured their seats in prestigious medical institutions.
3. Medical Legal Advisor
Crime these days is technically sound and tactical. A non-medical person and a person with a medical background both have different ways of understanding a particular situation and usually, a hint from a medical expert always speeds up the process of seeking justice.
For these reasons, the medical-legal advisor is always needed with the legal team to build an air-tight case along with the help of police to ensure a proper investigation of the matter is made and no loopholes are left from a medical perspective. This is a great field to pursue as an option after MBBS.
4. Researcher
Every field requires research and development to grow from where it is to where it should be. This adaptation to the present and probable future is possible only if the MBBS pass-outs select some best courses after MBBS and dig into the unexplored areas of medical science.
Their research is the only way humankind can be saved from probable diseases and a cure to the unsolved cases can be found. It is the credit to the medical researchers who spend all their efforts and knowledge into understanding the functions of nature and the body to derive conclusions that can make mankind healthier than ever.
All this is possible only because they decide to pick up a field that is not highly glorified but it brings their understanding to practical usage.
Also, governments and organizations of various countries contribute heavily to this research and reward these researchers heavily for discovering some life-saving methods to make the world a better place to live in.
5. Writer
This seems obnoxious to read that a medical graduate is working as a writer. But this is not completely untrue. There are a lot of medical researchers who invest all their lives in medical research and development. These researchers require people with abundant medical knowledge to assist them and document everything that goes on while the research is in progress.
These assistants become first-hand report writers and sometimes even observers and guinea pigs in experiments. The anecdotes of these writers are then properly paraphrased, time-lined, and created into a document with complete proofs.
This document becomes a firsthand research paper that is presented to the funding partners of the research and if approved, the research is published or is continued at a large scale.
Research is not a one-person work and the entire team behind it is an equal contributor to the research. Hence, considering research writing as an alternative career option after MBBS seems an attractive offer.
6. Public Health Care Worker / Public Servant / Civil Service
Many people believe that Civil services or being a public servant is all related to arts and administration but in reality, civil services are public service and there is no limit to the types of professionals who can appear for the same.
As it is said, knowledge never goes to waste; everything learned will one day help achieve a larger goal of making a good career choice based on passion rather than a trend.
Working as a public healthcare worker will carry its requirements and prerequisites that need to be fulfilled for better functioning but these requirements are not limited to any field and sound backend knowledge of the same will only help in better administration and groundwork in public service.
7. Sports Doctor / Gym Doctor / Fitness Doctor
Certain sports and casual gym injuries can find their cure at the hands of a normal physiotherapist (they are also qualified doctors), but the grave injuries that need special care and attention before, during, and after gameplay can be attended to by a qualified medical doctor.
So if you want to look for alternative career options after MBBS and sports is a genre that attracts you, the idea of performing as a sports doctor is exciting along with the perks of being able to meet different sports celebrities and travel the world with the sports teams to assist the player as his team of advisory doctors.
Also, gym doctors and fitness doctors hold the task of keeping in check the athletes who undertake different physical activities and are prone to injuries.
8. MBA
MBA after commerce education and engineering and even arts is quite common. But saying that cannot disregard the fact that the entire healthcare industry can benefit a lot from a qualified doctor and a qualified manager as well.
High posts of pharmaceutical companies that struggle with management decision-making gradually affecting their production of healthcare requirements can hugely benefit people who hold not just one but multiple talents in their CVs.
A healthcare person who also understands management is a very rare and a very required find who can earn fat paychecks while just admiring their decision to search for better options after MBBS other than the usual ones mentioned above.
A lot of companies not just pay in millions but bid on their find to restrain their golden find for life with the company and take care of its permanent growth thereafter.
9. Entrepreneurship
One of the most budding fields of individuals who hold ideas up their sleeves with a capacity of not just raking in money but intending to establish themselves to stay, entrepreneurship is a field that can be a game-changer for a person from any field.
One of the most golden-eyed fields, although entrepreneurship takes a lot of struggle and dedication if the method followed is carefully evaluated, adverse situations can also be turned into favourable results.
These entire words join together to give an idea that entrepreneurship has a lot in common with the medical field and an innovative idea that can bring a revolutionary change in the medical sector can make for one of the aspired Fortune 500 models.
Even if the person wants to completely disassociate from medicine and try entrepreneurship, the field will never disappoint him and a dream of opting for some best courses after MBBS to land in the desired situation will never be withheld.
10. Medical Coordinators
Positions for the heads of medical departments, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the governing bodies for healthcare, and their representatives are medical coordinators who help in the medical aid process by being overseers or catalysts.
Often, several medical urgencies require the involvement of top-level governing executives. It is with these position representatives that the decisions can be made at a fast-track pace.
Certain times, inter-departmental and geopolitical interference with medical matters become top priorities and it is here when an experience in the medical field is of quite a use to speed up the entire process while maintaining secrecy about the same fact due to the medical resource being in the team of key decision-makers and is not a freelanced party prone to information leakage.
This post is not only for the coordination of the processes. There is a need to handle complaints at all levels for the ignorance of medical professionals, problems with the medical system, complaint escalation, user complaints, and many other factors which require the complete understanding and ruling of a third party to rule out a judgment with authority that needs to be followed.
This is a scrutiny-based job role requirement that will need a medical background person to understand the situation firsthand and then create a win-win scenario for all the connected parties.
11. Medical Psychiatry
Psychiatry is a field where the offenders of the medicinal world are treated with psychiatric help to make them aware of their mistakes and undertake necessary actions to make them understand and avoid any such mistakes in the future, in case they are fit to practice again.
They might not be criminal necessarily, but medical negligence attempted willfully or by mistake both accounts for a psychiatric clearance before the professional can practice again.
12. Medical Representative/ Pharmaceutical Shop / Pharma Dealer
Medicine is a very broad term. The understanding of bodily functions and the requirements to make these functions active is one field. The other field involves the making and marketing of the products used to fulfil medical requirements.
These products are generally called medicines and are categorized under the pharmaceuticals category. B.Pharm., M.Pharm., B.Sc., and Diploma in Pharma are some of the best courses after MBBS to kick start as a pharmaceutical agent in the chain and begin the journey of medicine from a whole new perspective.
Even for sitting in a medical shop to supply medicines, the person at the counter should hold a valid medical understanding degree to be capable of not only giving out the exact medicines prescribed by the doctor but also to be able to help the person understand the same and assist them with their problems in the best manner possible for them.
13. Forensic Psychiatry
This is majorly connected to criminology. Apart from the regular career options after MBBS, a deep knowledge of criminology will clarify that criminals commit crimes under a passive understanding of right and wrong.
Sometimes, their mind and emotions overpower their actions, and they tend to attempt activities that cannot be reversed and cause permanent damage. For these reasons, treating them under the strict care of psychiatrists for their betterment is a must.
The person best suited for this role is a qualified doctor who knows about these situations and can hold a valid point with logic understandably.
14. Artist
This is a creative field and does not necessarily need to be connected to medicine in any manner. In case the person wants to detach from medicine completely and wants to search for the best alternative career options after MBBS, they can try to figure out their inner self through their passion for arts like theatre, acting, singing, dancing, painting, creative writing and multiple other businesses where the need of medicine doesn’t exist.
It is not a crime to dwell in the voice of inner peace and leave a much-hyped profession to find the true self and true love.
15. Study Abroad After MBBS
There are a plethora of courses like Biomedical, Microbiology, The study of viruses and diseases, Obstetrics, Occupational Health, Pathology, Oncology, Neurology, Radiology, and Epidemiology, which require constant experimentation and studies.
These provide unique earning options and studies as guest speakers and research presenters in universities or become highly qualified doctors and then work in high-end medical clinics and hospitals.
Thus, as we can see there is no limit to the thought process and execution of those thoughts to secure not just the randomly acquired thoughts but also the dreamed or desired position even after MBBS; this also proves that desires have no end and the means to fulfil them might need some sacrifices, but the knowledge acquired to gain the required post will never go for a toss.
Specialisations after MBBS
When determining what to do after MBBS, the most frequent option for candidates is to specialise in their field of interest. At this point, ideal medical courses include MD/MS or a Diploma in Medicine. In India, admissions to MD/MS programmes are performed by a few common PG entrance exams, such as NEET PG and INI CET. The table below lists the specialisations available in MD, MS, and other diploma programmes.
The list of PG Specialisations offered is as follows:
| MD Specializations | MS Specializations | Diploma Specializations |
| Aerospace Medicine | ENT | Anaesthesia |
| Anatomy | General Surgery | Clinical Pathology |
| Anesthesia | Obstetrics & Gynaecology | Obstetrics & Gynaecology |
| Biochemistry | DVL (Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy) | Community Medicine |
| Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy | Orthopaedics | Forensic Medicine |
| Family Medicine | Pediatrics | Occupational Health |
| General Medicine | Psychiatry | Pathology |
| Geriatrics | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | Pharmacology |
| Health Administration | Pulmonary Medicine | Radiation Medicine |
| Immunohaematology | Radio-diagnosis | Radiotherapy |
| Microbiology | Sports Medicine | Tropical Medicine |
| Nuclear Medicine | ||
| Ophthalmology | ||
| Physiology |
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MBBS Careers in the Government Sector
In India’s government sector, MBBS graduates can find work in a variety of sectors and organisations. The government sector provides steady employment, prospects for MBBS career progression, and the chance to contribute significantly to public health and healthcare delivery.
Listed below are some frequent MBBS careers in the government sector:
1. Medical Officers
- Description: Medical Officers play a pivotal role in delivering healthcare services, including diagnosis, treatment, and preventive care to patients. They are frontline healthcare professionals who ensure the well-being of individuals by providing comprehensive medical attention.
- Average Salary: INR 11.1 LPA
2. Specialist Doctors
- Description: Specialist Doctors, also referred to as specialist physicians or consultants, undergo rigorous specialised training to excel in specific medical domains. They offer advanced medical expertise and specialised care to patients, contributing significantly to the healthcare sector.
- Average Salary: INR 26.5 LPA
3. Public Health Officers
- Description: Public Health Officers are dedicated professionals who strive to improve community health through a variety of public health interventions and activities. They work relentlessly to execute programmes and policies that aim to improve the general well-being of populations.
- Average Salary: INR 4.2 LPA
4. Medical Researchers
- Description: Medical researchers are at the forefront of scientific advancements in healthcare. They perform extensive research and studies to extend medical knowledge, improve patient care, and progress medical science, resulting in discoveries and improvements.
- Average Salary: INR 3.5 LPA
5. Health Administrators
- Description: Health administrators, often known as healthcare managers or administrators, are in charge of ensuring that healthcare organisations and institutions operate efficiently. They oversee operations, finances, and personnel to ensure that patients receive high-quality treatment while maintaining organisational effectiveness.
- Average Salary: INR 6.9 LPA
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MBBS Jobs in the Private Sector
In India’s private sector, MBBS graduates enjoy a wide range of work options in various healthcare organisations. Graduates of MBBS programmes can expect excellent earnings, professional development, and a variety of job options in the private sector.
Here are some typical MBBS careers in the private sector:
1. General Practitioners/Family Physicians
- Description: MBBS graduates can work as general practitioners or family doctors in private clinics, nursing homes, and medical centres.
- Average Salary: INR 7.1 LPA
2. Specialist Doctors
- Description: MBBS graduates with postgraduate specialisation (MD/MS) can work as specialist doctors in private hospitals, speciality clinics, and corporate healthcare organisations.
- Average Salary: INR 26.5 LPA
3. Emergency Medicine Physicians
- Description: Hospitalists are doctors who specialise in treating patients admitted to hospitals.
- Average Salary: INR 12 LPA
4. Telemedicine Consultants
- Description: With the growing popularity of telemedicine, MBBS graduates can work as telemedicine consultants for online healthcare platforms, telehealth organisations, and medical technology startups.
- Average Salary: INR 6 LPA
5. Corporate Health and Occupational Medicines
- Description: MBBS graduates can work in corporate healthcare departments, where they provide medical services to company employees.
- Average Salary: INR 11.8 LPA
MBBS Top Recruiters
| Medanta Hospitals | Fortis Healthcare Ltd |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd | Apollo Munich Health Industries Co Ltd |
| Sri Ganga Ram Hospital | Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre |
| Wockhardt Ltd | Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd |
| Cipla Ltd | Religare Health Insurance Company Ltd |
| Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals | All India Institute of Medical Sciences |
MBBS International Recruiters
Recruiting for overseas opportunities after MBBS frequently includes specialised agencies and organisations. MBBS international recruiters specialise in linking medical professionals with opportunities internationally.
Here are some of the top recruiters worldwide who hire MBBS graduates:
- MMA Healthcare International Recruitment
- B.E. Smith
- Skilled Healthcare International Limited
- Cromwell Medical Staffing
- Mylocum Healthcare Recruiters
- Calvary Healthcare
MBBS Salary Abroad
The MBBS salary for graduates overseas varies greatly depending on criteria such as the country of employment, level of experience, specialisation, and kind of healthcare facility.
It’s crucial to note that these MBBS pay ranges are estimates and may differ according to particular conditions, including hours worked, on-call obligations, and extra credentials or certifications.
Here’s a summary of the MBBS salary range for graduates in various popular destinations abroad:
| Country | Entry-Level | Mid-Level | Senior-Level |
| Canada | CAD 53,000 – CAD 68,000 | CAD 100,000 – CAD 250,000 | CAD 150,000 – CAD 500,000 |
| Germany | €49,000 – €70,000 | €60,000 – €110,000 | €90,000 – €250,000 or more |
| Australia | €49,000 – €70,000 | €60,000 – €110,000 | €90,000 – €250,000 or more |
| United States | AUD 70,000 to AUD 100,000 | AUD 80,000 to AUD 120,000 | AUD 100,000 to AUD 150,000 |
| United Kingdom | £28,000 – £36,000 | £30,000 – £38,000 | £37,000 – £47,000 |
Thus, as we can see there is no limit to the thought process and execution of those thoughts to secure not just the randomly acquired thoughts but also the dreamed or desired position even after MBBS; this also proves that desires have no end and the means to fulfil them might need some sacrifices, but the knowledge acquired to gain the required post will never go for a toss.
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| Career Options After BSC | Top 15 Career Options after BBA |
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FAQ on Career Options after MBBS
Q1. What are some popular career options available after completing MBBS?
Answer: After MBBS, popular career options include pursuing specialization through MD/MS, working as a general practitioner, joining the pharmaceutical industry, entering medical research, or opting for administrative roles in healthcare.
Q2. Can I pursue higher studies abroad after completing MBBS?
Answer: Yes, pursuing higher studies abroad after MBBS is possible. Many universities and countries offer postgraduate programs for international medical graduates, providing opportunities to specialize in specific fields of medicine.
Q3. Are there alternative career options apart from clinical practice after MBBS?
Answer: Absolutely! Apart from clinical practice, MBBS graduates can explore careers in medical writing, healthcare consulting, medical education, medical journalism, public health, healthcare administration, or even entrepreneurship in the healthcare sector.
Q4. Is it necessary to specialize through MD/MS after MBBS?
Answer: Specializing through MD/MS is not mandatory after MBBS. It depends on your career goals and interests. While specialization can open up more opportunities and increase earning potential, you can still have a successful career as a general practitioner or explore other non-clinical career paths.
Q5. What skills can help me excel in non-clinical career options after MBBS?
Answer: Developing skills such as communication, research, critical thinking, leadership, and adaptability can greatly benefit you in non-clinical career options. Additionally, gaining relevant experience through internships, volunteering, or pursuing additional certifications can enhance your prospects in these fields.
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