Paramedical professionals supplement the work of doctors in specialized areas for facilitating diagnosis, treatment or therapy. The bottle neck in medical college admissions beacuse of a disproportionate demand for seats, as well as the regress and long drawn medical education has attracted attention of many young aspirants to paramedical career options.

NURSING

In this profession the largest group of workers is involved. This Profession requires a spirit of service with dedication, love, tender care of the physically challenged, sick, injured, new born, convalescing mother, old persons and at ties mentally deranged and sick patients. Most professional nurses serve as general duty nurses.

HOSPITAL NURSING hospital nurse constitute the largest group of nurses. They assist physician during examination and operation of patients. The profession demands 8 to 10 hours of work each day. The duty of the nurse is to record temperature, pulse rate, administer medication orally and hypodermically, change dressings, assist patient in personal care, prepare patient for surgery and all other duties which incorporate both skill and understanding of patient needs.

SCHOOL NURSE duty is to supervise student’s clinic, attend to injuries and any sudden illness amongst children.

INDUSTRIAL NURSE renders preventive, remedial and educational nursing service under the direction of the physician.

SPECIALIST NURSING Psychiatric nursing, pediatric nursing, operation theatre nursing, cardiac care nursing require additional training and work experience in these specialized fields.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Physical therapists come under health care professionals. They restore mobility; alleviate pain and suffering and work to prevent permanent disability in patients. They treat healed fracture of bones, sprain, neurological disorder caused by trauma, infection, paralysis etc. They use therapeutic agents like heat, radiation, electricity, water, massage and exercises cure week muscles and restore joint movements.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY This therapy is used to treat patients with physical and spastic disabilities people affected by physical or mental injury or illness, or by ageing process need to develop special skills for performing normal acts so as to sustain themselves without being a burden on any individual.

PRISTHETIC AND ORTHTIC ENGINEERING This is a medico-engineering profession which deals with physically disabled, crippled and orthopadically handicapped persons. Today this branch is well developed and uses the latest technology and materials for preparing artificial limbs.

SPEECH THERAPISTS and AUDIOLOGIST work in such a way that it overlaps. As both concern themselves with speech related problems. The main area of work is related to diagnosis of speech and hearing defects and therapy for speech fluency and voice articulation. Stammering, delayed speech, childhood speech disorders due to brain dysfunction/mental retardation and injuries, cleft palate, hearing disorder, problems in articulation require special care and treatment.

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGISTS: Laboratory investigations have become critical to the medical practioners. Laboratory technologists are involved in performing laboratory tests essential for detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Technicians work in Pathology, Biochemistry, Microbiology labs with highly sophisticated equipment to conduct a range of tests and analysis.

RADIOGRAPHY, RADIO THERPY AND RADIATION MEDICINE TECHNICIANS: Each of these areas is specialized and the training and work is conducted under the supervision of specialists physicians. The administrative tasks include maintaining patient records as well as the usage of the equipment.

OPTOMETRISTS AND OPTICIANS: Visual defects, conditions of the eyes and visual system correctible by glasses. OPTHALIC Technicians or Opticians make lenses as per prescriptions using grinding techniques, adjusting eye glasses and ensuring a proper fit. OPTOMETRISTS use special devises for eye testing and can prescribe the use of eye glasses and contact lenses.

DENTAL HYGINISTS / DENTAL LAB TECHNICIANS perform oral scaling to remove stains and calcium deposits, polish teeth and massage gums. Dental lab technicians are skilled in repair of dental appliances – dentures, inlays, crowns, bridges, braces as per the direction of dentists and orthodontists.

PHARMACISTS

DRUG MANUFACTURERS: The process of developing a drug is a complex procedure. This is largely due to the fact that human body is so complex that the scientists working in this area have to begin by studying the body functions and malfunctions before they can begin identifying preparations with the necessary curative effects. Pharmaceutical firms also manufacture rugs for animals.

MOLECULAR BIOLOGISTS are involved in the study of gene structure and the use of proteins in medical and drug research. They work on developing drugs by manipulating these proteins and genetic substances.

PHARMACOLOGISTS study the effect of drugs and other substances on human organs and tissues and their effects on both animals and human life system.

TOXICOLOGISTS: Chemical preparation and drugs have to undergo tests for the measurement of toxicity. The study of toxicity of drugs implies also the identification of substances which would treat reactions to drugs.

MEDICAL INVESTIGATORS are engaged in the process of development and testing of new drugs and are critical to the research process due to their background in medicine and human biology.

PHARMACISTS study the chemistry of rugs, their preparation, dispensing their effects and eventual use for prevention and treatment of disease in living beings. They understand the use, composition and effect of drugs and how they are tested for purity and strengths. Pharmacists also provide information about drugs and drug treatments and the marketing of drugs and the products to practitioners of medicine as well as in medical stores.

HOSPITAL PHARMISTS: Every hospital, nursing home, health centre have Pharmacists on their rolls incharge of the procurement, stocking, preparation and dispensing of medicines and drugs and other medical accessories.

RETAIL PHARMACISTS: Pharmacists working in retail pharmacy and as representatives of medical firms form the largest group of professionals. In medical retail stores, the Pharmacists prepare and dispenses drugs on prescription to general consumer. They offer information on medicine offered through open sale and on health related products.

INDUSTRIAL PHAMACISTS: Industries involved in the manufactures of drugs and health care products are owned largely by the private sector. Industrial pharmaceutical professionals could be involved in a range of work options.

RESEARCH PHARMACISTS: The business of drug manufacturer is rapidly becoming research based. Research Pharmacists work in development of innovative process for manufacturing drugs. Many Indian manufacturers too have directed their efforts into basic research in this field.

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION: It is an emerging career option and is the result of global opening in the IT services sector. The duty of Medical Transcriptions is to prepare a medical report based on the Doctor’s recorded massage about the patient’s diagnosis and treatment. The Doctors dictate into a telephone as they proceed with their interaction with the patient and the message gets digitally recorded into a computer attached to the telephone. This recorded message is transcribed by a Medical Transcriptionist.

FORENSIC SCIENTIST analyse, identify and classify physical evidence relating to criminal or suspected cases of crime. Evidences are tested in laboratories and records prepared for each case. They investigate the site of the crime to look for the evidence. During criminal proceedings in court, they testify and explain, with records, their findings and interpretations.