Dealing with Stress – Part -1: What are you Stressing About?
December 27, 2017
Medicine (vs.) Engineering
Many children, especially in India, face a conflicting decision to make between medicine and engineering that too at an early age. But worry not! We are here to let you know what you can expect and what are the pros & cons of both careers and the road to achieve them.
Why is it Important to make a decision now?
Choosing the career path starts earlier than you think. Now that the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) has been made mandatory for any medical aspirants with the exception of few colleges like AIIMS – All India Institute Of Medical Science and JIPMER – Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, the competition for the examination has been increasing drastically. Last year there were a minimum of 17 students competing for each medical seat in India and it all comes down to the NEET Score.
It is also rumored that NEET will be made mandatory for engineering aspirants in the near future. With the recent stats pointing to just 5.4% of students that attempt NEET gets placed, the competition is only expected to grow. It is essential to make a decision well in advance and start working towards it. To help you stay ahead of your peers, you will have to master the basic concepts from at least the 9th Std level.
Read our blog on why you should start preparing for NEET Early here – READ BLOG NOW
Entrance Exams:
As you already know, NEET is mandatory for any medical aspirants with the exception of few colleges like AIIMS and JIPMER. If you aspire to study engineering and pass out with the best engineers in the country, you might want to take up the IIT-JEE or BITSAT which paves way for you to get into IIT or BITS Pilani.
All of these tests are hugely competitive and it is essential for the students to choose the right mentor to help them through the process of preptions.
Need Counselling? – Talk to an Expert Now!
College Life:
There are a total of about 3,500 Engineering Colleges in India while there are just over 400 that teach Medicine. These institutions provide over 15 lakh engineers and about 50,000 doctors every year.
To get a BE degree from a decent institution, it will cost you at least a few lakhs while MBBS degrees costs in crores. It is also relatively easier to get placed in an engineering college as there are more than a few good options.
One more important thing to consider is that Engineering students can get placed right out of college, which depends on the institution of course, while Medical students might require to specialize in a particular field to establish a great career growth.
The Career:
When you choose engineering, you are choosing a wide array of opportunities. Engineers are needed everywhere from IT to Finance. A basic engineering degree expands your skill set so that you will be able to develop skills that are transferable to most industries such as problem solving, decision making, innovation, project management, team working and communication. Engineering is also very creative. We are in the age of technical advancement and social change which needs the engineer be more creative than ever before.
But, there is only one reason for you to choose medicine, and that to be a doctor. Going into medicine is never about making lists of pros and cons, weighing one side against the other, and seeing how the scale tips. You’ll earn just fine, in fact, probably it will make you rich, but the fun of going through it is priceless. Medicine is intellectually exciting and quite fascinating. Plus, there is a low risk of unemployment in medicine. Medicine is more than just a career. You are always a doctor. Even on a vacation, if you are staying at a nice resort and someone has an emergency, you are ready to jump right in. Medicine is a calling. You will have to love what you do.
So, Which one will Suit YOU?
Engineering would be ideal for anyone who love to create, explore, invent and discover; while Medicine would be ideal for anyone who can’t see them doing anything other than medicine. They love the science, the patients, the challenges and more importantly the care. When you choose medicine, you know that you are not in it for the money.
Many times decisions are made for us. We are forced into choosing a stream. Share this blog with your parents or children and identify the true calling.
Oh, and what SHOULD you choose? Well, it is not for us to decide is it? Choose your stream early and work for it as your life depends on it because, it really does. Good luck to you.
