Dr. Avijit Kar
Jun 14, 2023
Mecheda
Being a paramedic is highly rewarding for compassionate and driven people who feel great joy in helping others. This career enables one to make a difference every single day. Paramedics have a vital role in the healthcare industry, as in many situations they are the first responders to medical emergencies.
As Medical Lab Technicians, they provide support for the correct diagnosis and prognosis of a patient’s medical condition; as operation theatre technicians they assist and support the surgeons to ensure the best medical care is provided to their patients; as hospital administration healthcare professionals they ensure the patients and their families have a seamless experience in the hospital and do not face any issues.
They are also able to go the extra mile for their own friends and families, by being able to help them get timely medical attention in case of a medical emergency.
In India, due to a shortage of trained healthcare and allied healthcare professionals or paramedics, the healthcare system is very fragile. Many patients do not get the required medical care as a result.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further stressed the need for more skilled and qualified medical and paramedical professionals to strengthen our healthcare infrastructure.
Moreover, as per a 2018 report published by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, there will be up to 4 crore new jobs in healthcare by 2025.
The paramedical profession offers a plethora of choices to students. The various career paths include medical lab technicians, Operation Theatre Technicians, hospital administration healthcare professionals, dialysis technicians, x-ray technicians, emergency medical technicians, and so on. One can opt for any of these professions, get trained and certified in the required technical and soft skills, and start their career journey. In addition to these roles which are directly related to the courses, there are different kinds of options available as well such as:
The wide range of available career options makes paramedics one of the best career options after the 12th.
As a paramedical professional, one gets to earn as one learns. One can start their career after completing any of the basic paramedical courses. Along with their job, they can continue to upskill themselves by enrolling in different specialized courses and grow in their careers. The healthcare industry is one of the very few sectors which is organized in nature. This means that there is a proper hierarchical growth trajectory in this sector.
For example, a medical lab assistant can progress in their career to become a medical lab technician, followed by a lab supervisor, lab manager, and then finally lab director. Further, as the healthcare scenario keeps evolving, so do the responsibilities of paramedical professionals, providing them with avenues to continuously develop their skills. A steep learning curve and dynamic nature make paramedics one of the best career options after the 12th.
The average pay for a fresher after completing a paramedical course, like DMLT Course, is anywhere between INR 15,000 to INR 25,000. The high demand for paramedics across India and abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial increase in the salaries of these professionals. This can go as high as INR 40,000 per month in high demand times, as has been observed in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
