Alternative Careers For Doctors (And The Courses You'll Need To Do Them)

HAVING completed a medical degree, you might be wondering how to make the move into a career. If you’ve decided to pursue one of the huge range of alternative medical careers it might involve less training than a doctor, but you could still have years of training ahead. There are many ways to kick-start your alternative career and here is some information about postgraduate degrees that offer a way in.



Being a doctor isn't for everyone - but there are alternatives.
Masters of Hospital Administration, India

The hospital administration profession is still evolving, but many universities around the world now offer Masters of Hospital Administration courses as one entry point for those that would like to go into this field. In India, for example, an MHA lasts two years and often involves academic and practical aspects such as on-the-job training or assessment of various hospital situations. To qualify, you must have a Bachelor’s degree (most subjects are accepted but a relevant health or medical degree is preferable) from a recognised university. International students are welcome, but will often pay more per year than Indian nationals (around 21,000USD.) Applicants sometimes have to take a one-hour written test and often have an interview.

Masters in Journalism, UK

Whilst there are very few full-time opportunities in health journalism, if you want to get the edge on the competition, an extra qualification will help. Any Masters in Journalism will prove your dual skills and often provide good contacts and knowledge to start a career. In the UK, journalism Masters are offered in many universities and can be taken as full-time or part-time courses. A good Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject is often required, but those without a Bachelor’s in others subjects can often qualify by showing a portfolio of their work – whether published or not – and attending an interview. Fees vary by university, but a guide price would be around £12,000 for non-EU students (EU students often pay the same as UK nationals.) Courses usually last one year full time or two years part time.

Academic Foundation Programme, UK

Medical Education is a competitive area, but there will always be a requirement for medical teachers, both in the UK and abroad. A Postgraduate degree is essential. Final year medical students in the UK could take the Academic Foundation Programme, rather than the regular Foundation Programme, as this develops research and teaching skills and you can focus on medical education. International students are eligible for this programme, which lasts two years and will require an interview before acceptance. If you graduated from a UK medical school after the 4th August 2013, your medical school will confirm your eligibility to the programme on your behalf. Those outside the UK or those who graduated prior to 4th August 2013, will need to submit an eligibility application to the UKFPO.



Medical teaching can be a rewarding alternative career for doctors.
Medical Photographer, USA

Most people in medical photography have some form of extra training to become familiar with a range of photography equipment and techniques. For those with a medical degree, a Masters in photography is the next logical step. Applicants to these courses are expected to have a professional portfolio of their photography work (usually about 20 photos. They do not have to be published work0). Letters of recommendation, an interview and personal statement are considered as well, especially for those that did not study the discipline at Bachelor’s level. Some colleges, such as the Brooks Institute in California, specialise in photography and offer a Masters of Science in Scientific and Technological Imaging. This course lasts two years and the current fee is 26,550USD.

Law School, USA

Law in America works slightly differently to the rest of the world. To work as a lawyer in the US, you must complete specialist postgraduate study and take a state bar exam. Training takes three years of full-time study or four years of part-time study to complete, and many programmes offer specialist study in health, medical or personal injury law. To qualify for law school, you must have a Bachelor’s degree and take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) which is a multiple choice exam that assesses reasoning, critical thinking and reading skills. If English is your second language, you must also prove your proficiency with a TOEFL test. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says there is no specific undergraduate field of study required to attend law school, but aspiring medical lawyers are expected to have some background in health. Costs of law degrees in America vary greatly, with some colleges costing around $8000 per year, and others, such as Harvard Law, costing as much as $37,100 per year.

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