Considered challenging and taxing, medicine and surgery represent highly technical areas that need multiple intensive years of serious study. The years culminate in skills both technical and soft to serve an area that is consistently on demand. The way forward for aspiring students typically is that they take up a more general degree first and then branch into a specialisation of their choice.
Keeping in step with the rest of the professional universe, medicine also has transformed significantly in the years. It is no more a discipline that one attempts to study only if one wants to become a doctor. More caregiving professions have been created over the years and by now it has been proven that studying medicine is a great idea for anyone wanting to create a considerable impact on communities.
When it comes to certain parts of the world, especially some parts of Asia and Africa, public health is a matter of great concern. The system is constantly having to do make do with lesser number of trained doctors, in a context of massive population. In such situations, quality education in medicine and surgery, becomes an evidently important marker for future progress.
On that note, there are certain aspects about bachelor of medicine and surgery studies that an aspiring student must know.
- Lays the foundation
If you really look at the root of why a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery is popularly known as MB CHB, MBBS, MB BcH or even MB BChir in some cases, you'll see that the root of all of it is actually the Latin "Medicinae Baccalaureus Baccalaureus Chirugiae". It translates to the honours a student receives upon finishing the foundational degree that lasts mostly upto six or seven years. In some cases, condensed intensive degrees may even last up to four years. While some references might make this look like two separate degrees, it's actually one. The importance of a well-designed MB CHB degree or equivalent is a firm footing in the science-focused world of medicine and can be the ground to prepare for further specialisation.- Offers rich classroom experience
The first two years of an MB CHB degree go into creating a theoretical grounding for students. Class time and lab time in combination is atypical of these foundational years. This is when a student comes into close contact with facts and concepts contained within the basic sciences of anatomy, microbiology, pharmacology, biochemistry and pathology. This duration in medical school is necessary for students to get their fundamentals together.- Makes space for hands-on experience
The third and fourth year then become about application, where students can really work with the knowledge they have gained over the first two years. This is when students get their first real exposure of experiential learning, while they do rotations at clinics and hospitals affiliated to the college or university. These are crucial learnings when students get to assist seniors who have already moved into doing specialisations, creating an additional layer of experimental exposure. As a student moves through these rotations, they will also gain a firmer understanding of next steps to take once they have finished this degree.- Unparalleled breadth of experience
In a combination degree where both medicine and surgery are covered, the student finds plenty of intellectual stimulation as well as practical hands-on experiences. This is enriching at various levels, including the preparedness to take on specialisations once the student finishes their MB CHB degree. The continuum of seven years also brings in a rigor similar to what the student may have to face once they start practicing professionally.It is for any aspiring student to remember that an MB CHB degree is actually the pathway to a number of careers. While the world might be accustomed to believing that becoming a doctor is the only option (often held in high regard because of the responsibility, status and money that come with it), the reality is different. There are students who eventually make segways, becoming research scientists, a trainer for a number of health-related professions and even science writers, not to mention all the career possibilities that are available once you go through another round of specialisation.
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