Kathmandu: Physicians, or doctors, have an effect upon all our lives. When we are sick, they tell us what is wrong. They give us medicine and other kinds of treatment. They examine us and listen to us tell them how we feel. They tell us what is good for us to eat and how we can have better hygiene. They may be part of a team that works together for our health.

There are two types of doctors: the doctor of medicine (MD) and the specialist. MDs treat all kinds of diseases. The specialist focuses on his area of expertise.

Qualifications

Becoming a doctor requires more training than most other jobs. “It usually takes at least five years after class 12 to become a doctor. The MBBS degree is a must to become a doctor,” says Dr A B Upadhaya, chairman Medicare National Hospital. If a person wants to specialise in a particular field then he has to compete his degree of MD.

Initially one has to go through internship before practising on his/ her own. Students spend most of the first years of medical school in labs and classrooms. They also learn to ask patients the right questions and how to examine them. They learn how to tell what sickness a patient has. In latter part of their study the students work with patients and doctors in hospitals and clinics. There, they learn many ways to treat a patient’s disease.

Medical Colleges

• Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu

• Manipal College of Medical Science, Pokhara

• Nepalgunj Medical College, Nepalgunj

• Kathmandu Medical Collge, Kathmandu

• BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan

What is a doctor’s career like?

Most doctors’ professional lives are filled with caring for people and continuously learning more about the human body. Every day in communities around the country, doctors work in neighbourhood clinics, hospitals, offices, even homeless shelters and schools to care for people in need.

But physicians also do many other things. Physician researchers are at work today developing exciting new treatments for cancer, genetic disorders, and infectious diseases like AIDS. People with medical skills are in demand everywhere.

What it takes to be a doctor…

It costs a lot to become a doctor. If you want to be a doctor, you should like to heal sick people. You should also not mind the long hours of study and work. You must make sure to keep up with new medical knowledge. You have to know how to talk to sick people. And you should be able to make decisions in emergencies.

It does pay back

Of all jobs, doctors earn the most money. How much you make depends on how long you have been working and where you live. It also depends on how many hours you work and how good a doctor you are. Medical specialities include:

• Cardiology: The treatment of people with acute coronary and chronic cardiovascular problems.

• Dermatology: The study of the disorders of the skin.

• Emergency Medicine: The prevention, diagnosis and management of acute and urgent aspects of illness and injury.

• Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Involves caring for women before, during and after childbirth .

• Ophthalmology: The study of defects and diseases in the eyes.

• Paediatrics: The diagnosis and treatment of illness in babies and children.

• Psychiatry: The study of people with mental and emotional disorders.

• Radiology: the use of X-rays and other imaging modalities to diagnose and treat certain medical conditions.

• Surgery: Involves diagnosis and “hands-on” surgical procedures. There are now many sub-specialities such as orthopaedic, cardiac and neuro surgery.

(Compiled by Anjita Pradhan)