Paramedical courses are courses related to the field of allied healthcare and related sectors. These courses are focus on the smooth functioning of the healthcare centre by taking care of its associated fields. These courses help you become professionals in secondary medical sectors, and all professionals but the doctors come under this category. The courses are high on demand because of the acute shortage in the allied industry. If you are interested in this area of studies then paramedical courses are a great option. 

Paramedical courses aim to train students so as to turn them into accomplished, responsible, quick and qualified allied healthcare workers and technicians. The aid the healthcare sector to efficiently provide the service to the public.

A paramedic is an individual, who after completing a two-year or three-year course in Paramedical Stream, is authorised to work in the medical industry. Let us now look into some of the options available after your 10th and 12th.

Both 10th and 12th passed students are eligible to pursue paramedical courses in India, given that they fulfill the criteria, which differs from course to course. All of the courses that can be pursued after completing 10th or 12th, vary in length ranging from one-year courses to six-month courses.

Some of the prevalent ones are Radiologists, Medical Record Technicians, and Operation Theatre Technology. Whereas, the various six-month courses that one can follow after completing 12th class include ICU Technician, ECG Technician, Pharmacy Assistant, CT Technicians and Endoscopy Technicians.

The 3 main types of paramedical courses that are available in India: Bachelor’s Degree courses, Diploma courses and Certificate courses. The Bachelor’s Degree courses are usually 3 years long; though some academic programs last for 4 years (theory + practical training). Diploma courses can last anywhere from 1 to 3 years and these courses can be pursued by students who have passed 12th as well as 10th depending upon the institute and the nature of the academic program. Certificate paramedical courses last about 6 months to 2 years. Passing 10th class is usually the minimum amount of qualification required to pursue these courses, again, depending upon the institute and the nature of the academic program.

After the above mentioned undergraduate level paramedical courses, students have the option of PG Diploma, PG Certificate as well as PG Degree courses in India. PG paramedical courses can be pursued after completing a relevant undergraduate academic program.

The Bachelor’s Degree Paramedical Courses after 12th Include:

1. Bachelor of Physiotherapy

Bachelor of physiotherapy is a four year undergraduate course in the field of medical science.  The course aims to train students to attend patients whose body function has been disabled due to aging, pain, injury, disorders, etc. Student are educated based on physiotherapeutic skills and practice application of electro- physical modalities that is effective in curing many disabilities. Eligible candidates are those who have finished their 12 th grade with biology, chemistry and physics can ipt for this course. The candidates enrolling for this course should have enough patients to handle sick patients and have proper inter- personal skills to handle patients with patience. Christian medical college and sri ramakrishna institute for higher education and research are two top colleges in Tamil Nadu that offer this course.

2. Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

Bachelor pf of occupational therapy is a undergraduate course which is 4-5 years long. The course is all about supporting people who are mentally, physically and emotionally disabled. Occupational therapy is a field in medical science that aims at curing patients with mental disabilities and physical disabilities. By the end of this course the students will be well trained to handle patients by educating them with necessary skills that they'll have to perform everyday. Students after graduating will have a wide range of opportunities like joining rehabilitation centers, working with multi speciality hospitals, old age homes ,etc.

3. Operation Theatre Technology

Operation theatre technology is a new field that opens students to a wide range of opportunities. 12 th pass Science students can opt for this course. This study deals with management of operation theatres. Students will be completely authorised to manage patients and the operation theatre. They will also be trained to handle anesthesia, medications and sterilization that are important in an operation theatre. Their primary role would be assist surgeons and doctors. After graduating they can become anesthesiologist, lab technician or Opera theatre technicians

4. Bsc Dialysis Technology

Bsc dialysis technology is a three year course that can be pursued by 12 th pass students science students. Students will learn to administer hemodialysis for patients. This course will also enable students to take over speciality cardiac care technology , clinical medical lab technology, respiratory care technology. Becoming a nephrologist, clinical coordinator, Medical technician or a dialysis technician are the options after completing the course. Also, the student can also the field of teaching and join as an assistant professor in colleges.

5. Bsc Medical lab technology

Bsc medical lab technology is a 3 year course in the field of medical science. This program is especially for students who are primarily interested in working in labs. Doing a master's degree after this course is even more valuable. The students will be well trained to diagnose diseases through the use of clinical laboratory tests. Students will be placed as medical technicians in laboratories or in hospitals at the end of this course. There is also a chance of working as x - ray technicians after graduating this course.

6. Bsc x- ray  Technology

Bsc x ray technology is a three year undergraduate course. This course will introduce the students to from the concepts of basic x ray techniques to higher technologies available in x rays. The students will be exposed to academic as well as practical learning. Today there are many colleges in india that prepare students to visualize human anatomy and train them to treat them. Students will also be trained to diagnose the illness based on the X-ray. Students can become professional x-ray technicians, ultrasound technicians or radiographers after completing this course.

7. Bsc Radiology

Radiology is a medical sub field which is helpful in diagnosing the diseases of the internal organs through x rays. The minimum qualification required for this course is to pass 12th with subjects of physics, chemistry and biology. This course is offered by various top universities in india like kerala University of health sciences , srm University , suresh gyan vihar university. It is to be noted that radiography includes diagnostic and therapeutic radiology. So it's important for the students to be well prepared and have a good knowledge about this course before applying .

8. Bsc in Medical Imaging Technology

Bsc in medical imaging technology is a course that aims in training the students to capture images of inner body ailments and diagnose the disease. It’s a three year course with six semester pattern. Government medical college-amritsar, manipal University, jamia hamdard university, ansal university are some top universities that offer these courses. Students will be taught to capture human anatomy for medical purposes and for research purposes. This course includes the study of MRI and CT scans. Students can become nuclear medicine technologists, radiographers, x-ray technicians, ultrasonic technicians after finishing this course.

9. Bsc Medical Record Technology

Bsc medical record technology is very important course that would enable students to know about how to keep the records of the patients. Medical records are very important and confidential so much so that it has to be maintained in a proper manner. Medical details of the patient such as their name, age, medical condition are very crucial to the doctors and nurses. This course will enable the student to take care of the patients effectively. A medical record technologist is important for a hospital for effective management. They can also serve tge the purpose of managing financial stuffs along with the patient's details.

10. Bsc in Ophthalmic Technology

Bachelor's degree in ophthalmic technology is a three year course. The course trains the students to become professional optometrists. As there are many people with eye defects , there's a huge demand for good optometrists. The course will teach students to handle highly equipped tools that are used to detect eye problems and also train them in diagnosing the problems. Students can find a huge variety of opportunities waiting for them after they finish the course such as ophthalmic photographer, ophthalmic assistant, medical technologist, Assistant to ophthalmologist. They can also work with optical showrooms, occupational health sectors, lens manufacturing units and a lot more.

11. Bsc Audiology and Speech Therapy

 Audiology deals with the study of hearing and hearing disorders. Studying this course will train the students to diagnose hearing problems and treating them with speech therapy. Students will learn to understand the hearing condition of the patient and facilitate them with proper speech. Audiologist have the responsibilities of advising the the patient with proper solutions like using hearing aids, cochlear implants or other medical procedures. Doing a post graduation in this course will expose the students to wider opportunities. This is more like a combo course with audiology and speech therapy.

12. Bsc Optometry

Bsc optometry is a course that deals with diagnosing and treating disorders of the visual system. The primary aim of this course is to educate the students with the science of eye equipment such as lenses and spectacles. The graduates of this course will help people improve their eyesight and assist the patients with the right solution for better vision. It is a three year course offered in many top colleges in india. After this course the students will be well trained to open their optical shop or explore other options such as assisting ophthalmologists, work in optical manufacturing units and a lot more.

13. Bsc Anesthesia Technology

Any operation done will need a proper Specialist to treat the patient with the right amount of anesthesia. Even a small error in anesthesia will lead to dangers. And that's why anesthesiologists are very much needed in hospitals. Anesthesiologists will have an impeccable knowledge of anesthesia and know proper tools and technology to use it on patients. Students will also be trained to use other tools and devices used in an operation theatre along with anesthesia tools. They can also assist the doctors in an operation theatre. Students can work in pharmaceutical companies or in clinics or hospitals after graduating this course.

The Diploma in Paramedical Courses After 12th or 10th Standard include:

• Diploma in Physiotherapy

• Diploma in Occupational Therapy

• DOTT (Diploma in Operation Theatre Technology)

• Diploma in Dialysis Technology

• DMLT (Diploma in Medical Lab Technology)

• Diploma in X-Ray Technology

• Diploma in Radiography

• Diploma in Medical Imaging Technology

• Diploma in Medical Record Technology

• Diploma in Nursing Care Assistant

• ANM

• GNM

• Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology

• DHLS (Diploma in Hearing Language and Speech)

• Diploma in Anaesthesia Technology

• Diploma in Dental Hygienist

• Diploma in Rural Health Care
• Diploma in Community Health Care

The various Paramedical Certification Courses after 10th or 12th are:

Are you a person worried about which course you would choose after your school days? Then this article will help with the various number of courses that are available in the field of medicine.

1) Certificate in x-ray technician:

This is a 1 year long certificate course. This course comes under radiography wherein human bodies are examined with the help of electromagnetic radiation and creates images of the body on a film, so that the doctors could easily identify the bone structure in the patient’s body. This course is a job oriented medical course which helps in providing opportunities to students who are interested to work in diagnostic labs and radiography clinics. The course covers both clinical and administrative skills. They also study basics of anatomy and physiology which helps them identify the various body parts easily. As a part of their course the students are expected to have a deep knowledge in CT scan, MRI and other related equipment. This course is suitable for people who are more job oriented than course oriented. The minimum qualification for this course is 10^th pass with the required amount of marks from respected boards of examination. Their jobs includes operating the x-ray machines, following the instructions of the seniors, guiding and helping patients with the whole procedure, producing results.

2) Certificate in Lab assistant/technician:

This certificate course is primarily for 10^th passed or 12 passed students who have an aptitude in becoming an assistant/technician in labs and clinics. The course offers basic skills in theory as well as practical side. A successful graduate can look out various job options like school lab assistant, path lab assistant, lab executive etc. the duration of this course ranges between 6 months to 2 years. As laboratories are important for science based courses, there is a high chance that this course definitely helps the students in attaining their goals for jobs faster. The labs in schools and science based classes’ offers practical knowledge to students, so these labs require maintenance, so this is done by lab assistants/technicians. In order to efficiently manage a lab, professionals apart from teachers are required. It is the duty of a lab assistant to help the students or doctors in general to help them with the lab proceedings and rules. The course is offered by a good number of colleges like AIIMS, IGNOU etc.

3) Certificate in Dental assistant

A dental assistant program can take a time period between 9 months to 2 years. Becoming a dental assistant can be both professionally and financially rewarding in this time, as more and more people are interested in dentistry. The course covers areas like Oral Anatomy, Dental Pharmacology, Dental radiography, handling materials and labs, administrative powers, social skills, etc. there are diverse areas under dentistry in which a student can opt for becoming an assistant. It also includes areas like dentofacial orthodontics, maxillofacial surgery etc. dental assistants works under the supervision of qualified dentists. Dental assistants helps patients in communicating with the doctor, they are responsible for setting up the necessary equipment, they clean and sterilize the lab and equipment and they assists dentists in surgery. They will also be responsible for clerical works and laboratory works. College of Dental Sciences and research, Manipur AJ Institute of Bangalore etc, offer this course.

4) Certificate in Operation theatre assistant

The course duration is from 6 months to 1 year. An operation theatre assistant plays a major role in operations alongside the doctors and nurses. They are responsible for helping the surgeons with the operation, cleaning and sterilizing the lab, handing out the needed equipment during the procedure, helping and calming the patients etc. they should have a thorough knowledge in the basics of surgery, they should possess good communication skills and empathy. They should also be able to work well under pressure like the doctors and nurses. They also prepares and collects specimens for lab samples. The minimum eligibility for this course is 10^th std graduation with at least 50% of mark from a recognized board of studies. The fees to pursue this course could range from 5,000 INR to 10,00,000 INR. Operation theatre assistants can apply for jobs in private as well as government institutions. They can work with doctors, nurses, surgeons, in small clinics, anesthetists, and other medical staffs.

5) Certificate in Nursing care assistant

Nursing care assistants are healthcare professionals who assists qualified doctors and surgeons. This course and profession is suitable for people who are interested to work in medical fields. They should have a genuine caring attitude towards the patients, they should have good communication skills, and they should be efficient enough to assist the patient and doctor in situations necessary. They carry out the tasks or instructions given by their superiors, they take care of the patient’s need along with doctors, they helps the patients with medications. They also helps in sterilizing labs and equipment and helps the surgeons by taking part in surgeries. Eligibility criteria is 10^th pass and the fee structure would roughly be around 20,000. There are diverse opportunities for them as they can work in private and government sectors, NGO’s, nursing homes, clinics, medical colleges and universities, community health care centers etc.

6) Certificate in ECG and CT scan technician

CT scan stands for Computed Tomography. This is a medical imaging process which allows doctors and technicians to see the inside of the patient’s body without cutting it. An ECG often known as electrocardiography is a test that measures the activity of the heartbeat. The duration of this course is 1 year and the eligibility is 10+2. This course covers areas of electrocardiography. Successful graduates can work in clinics, hospitals etc. They will be able to assist doctors and other qualified medical staffs. The main tasks include taking scans, carrying out the instructions of the superiors successfully, operating the machines, giving the scanned images for references etc.

7) Certificate in Dialysis technician

This course is for 1 year. A dialysis technician, like any other technician, helps the doctors with the equipment that are needed. They operate on the dialysis machines for patients suffering from kidney failures. He is responsible for sterilizing the machine, communicating to the patients, collecting samples and supervising the dialysis process. The course provides students with an overview of nephrology, a branch of medicine which deals with kidney and related diseases and physiology. Students with background in science finds the course easier. Eligibility for this course is 10^th std pass with 50% marks. Students get to study about how to deal with patients, sterilization and infection prevention techniques, anatomy and physiology of kidney system. Dialysis technicians usually works under the supervision of doctors or nurses in hospitals, clinics etc. individuals who have completed the course can also go for nursing programs.

8) Certificate in Home based health care

This course is a skill enhancing and job oriented course which creates trained home based health care professionals. The duration of this course is 2 years and the minimum eligibility is 10^th std pass. Even though doctors and nurses helps the patients in attaining health, after the patient gets discharged, they won’t be able to monitor the patients every 24 hours, this is where home based health care professionals comes in handy. Home based health care professionals are trained to take care of patients at their home. Home based health care professionals are often hired by old age homes. The course helps in understanding the psychology of the patient, various treatment methods for the patients, efficient handling, good communication skills, medical terminology, infection control and basic life support. Students taking this course can also go for medication administration specialty, or nutritional courses which helps them more.

9) Certificate in Rural health care

This is a job oriented course with a huge scope for growth. The course duration is 2 months. Institutions like IGNOU offers this course to students who are passionate about becoming a health care professional. Rural health workers helps others by working in camps set up in rural areas, awareness campaigns, welfare campaign programs, education programs run by the government and NGOs. Successful graduates can also work under clinics and hospitals that are private and government, nursing homes, medicine industries and community health care centers. As most of the people in India lives in rural area, this course helps in treating them better, providing them with the basic amenities. Rural health care professionals holds the responsibility of teaching the rural people about cleanliness, family planning and other serious diseases.

10) Certificate in HIV and family education

HIV and family education as topics are really sensitive and important for the community as a whole. This course provides detailed knowledge about HIV/AIDS, how it spreads, the prevention, substance abuse, family education etc. the program also helps in highlighting the importance of family planning as well as sex education and counselling. The time period for this course is 1 year. This course helps to get jobs in the field of health and family welfare department, private clinics, health ministry, community health care centers, health consultancy etc.

11) Certificate in Nutrition and childcare:

The course helps the learners to get qualified to take up the job as functionaries with government and non-government organizations working for women and children. The maximum duration of the course would be 2 years and the eligibility is 10^th pass. This course helps in producing well qualified and technically sound professionals who helps in nutrition and child care, one of the most important sectors in the world. Proper child care and nutrition are necessary for parents’ especially young couples. By being their trainer, professionals can help the parents by explaining the important processes behind nutrition and child care. It educates about the health, safety, and psychology of the child. Social behavioral training and management skills will also be looked upon.

While all the above-mentioned courses are remarkable, the best paramedical & Lab Technician Courses after 12th or 10th standard are:

• Medical Lab Technology
• Medical X-Ray Technology
• Medical Records Technology
• Operation Theatre Technology
• Dialysis Technology
• Health Inspector
• Ophthalmic Technology
• Dental Mechanic
• Dental Hygiene

Admission Process: Notifications are published by the State Paramedical Board about the admissions in the various paramedical courses in months of July/August. The number of seats offered depends upon the available seats in the paramedical colleges in the state and so, differ from state to state and college to college.

Selection Process: Selection of candidates is according to their scores in Science in 12th standard. Based on the scores, counseling session dates are sent to the shortlisted candidates. This is when you can choose the college of your choice. The final admission depends on the score and the demand for the seat in that college.

Due to the high demand, there is a high chance that students get placed even during the course. Initially, they are placed to basic job profiles and requirements which increases steadily, along with their remuneration, as they gain experience through the years. Students wishing to gain even better job opportunities in the field should prefer doing undergraduate in paramedical streams. After that, the doors to innumerable jobs and vacancies in the public sector are also open for them.

Considering the diploma and certificate courses, there is no lack of opportunity after completing top diploma and degree program courses in paramedical science. A large number of paramedical practitioners get placed during their studies and courses itself. The formal placement starts from the final year studying period. Initially, the pay scale remains low, because the candidates are selected as trainers and interns. After completing their practice for a certain amount of time, they get decent packages.

Conclusion

The paramedical courses are growing in popularity and there is no doubt that it can be a great career option. This sector supports the healthcare sector and you as a professional can be associated with it. However, there are many different courses which you can pursue post your 10th and 12th, it is very important that you choose a field which you would like to work for.

Having an interest in your field of work is very important for you to sustain in a profession. This is why we have made a list of all the courses you can take post your 10th or 12th. Go through each of the options and then chose the one which suits you the most. If you want to share your experience as a paramedical please use the comment box below.