A student’s life experiences a big change after the end of school life. Making a career choice after graduating from highschool is a crucial step. There are so many fields to choose from. It may be engineering, management, fashion, architecture, dental, medical and many more. A deep understanding of each field along with the career opportunities in each field is therefore a necessity. In recent history, healthcare is a booming sector in our country. There is a lot of scope in terms of growth and job opportunities, in the healthcare industry. You may choose to be a doctor, nurse, dentist, physiotherapist, the list goes on. To start off your career in the medical field, choosing the right medical school is a big decision. Even if it is a dream that you have nurtured over the years, making that big leap can requires some planning. Factors such as, college rankings, placements, program structure, cost of education, desired medical course etc. should be taken into account. Finalizing one college with all these factors is a time consuming and difficult task, but should definitely be considered, to make sure you take the right step towards your medical career. However, in the present day, you don’t need to worry about all that anymore. With advanced media and social networks there are various reliable sources that you can depend on to check your preferred medical school.

At Nitte, we have institutes offering medical courses and ensuring that students get a perfect blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on training. Apart from excellent education, the institutes have been ranked and recognized by verified councils and institutions. The vision of our medical colleges is to impart the right education and nurture professionals who’ll help society in future. The K S Hegde Medical Academy is ranked 36th in NIRF rankings 2020. It is attached to a teaching hospital and 21 rural health centres. If you are looking for a college along the Mangalore region of Karnataka, you can definitely give a thought to K S Hegde Medical Academy. There are both undergraduate and postgraduate courses available. There are PhD programs if you want to pursue higher studies as well. The Institutes are proactive in developing and adopting teaching-learning activities that provide its students with the best opportunities for hands-on training. Initiatives like mentorship programs, skill laboratories, integrated learning, e-learning resources and objective assessment practices are the highlights of the academic programs offered by the Nitte Group of Institutes.

Before applying to any medical college, there are few pointers that you need to consider, internally. Following are the points that will help you understand better and make a wise decision before choosing your medical school,

Make sure you have all the courses ready

Medical schools have some requirements for sure before seeking admission. If you are pursuing your medical degree in India you need to have passed 12th grade with at least 50% in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. You need to be also NEET certified and should have completed 17 years of age by December in the year you are applying. Even if you’re a Non Resident Indian or an Overseas citizen, you’re eligible to apply and write NEET. For additional information regarding what kind of documents your choice of medical college will ask for, you’ll have to check their website and the list will be given there. Make sure you have all the requirements which are essential for seeking admission in a medical school. If there are some subject requirements, make sure you make a checklist and tick off all the necessary subjects which are required. If you’re still in grade 12, you can do your research and find out what are the cut off percentages for medical schools of your choice.

College Rankings

To study in a college with top rankings and recognitions is a dream for both students and parents. From a student’s point of view, a college is considered to be good on the basis of its ranking. It helps them compare with other institutes and then take a decision. However, ranking should not be the sole factor in influencing the college choice, but, yes it does drive your decision. Nitte (Deemed to be University) is graded A+ by NAAC and the medical colleges have been recognized by prestigious ranking frameworks. K S Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA) is ranked 36th among the medical colleges in the country in NIRF 2020. The dental institute, A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences is ranked the 5th best dental colleges in India in NIRF 2020. These rankings are based on quality education, program structure, placement and internship opportunities, campus environment, infrastructure and co-curricular activities.

Consider your finances

The fee structure is one of the most important factors to be considered before getting admission in a medical school. Make sure that you’ve discussed this with your guardians. If you are someone who wants to take a loan for medical school, it is important that you’ve made out a plan on how you’re going to repay the loan. Apart from the tuition fees, other costs such as hostel, food, transportation, assignments / projects, and miscellaneous living expenses should be taken into account. Financial planning is very important before you go to medical school as medicine is an expensive course to pursue and it is advisable to actually keep these things in mind from day one.

Curriculum Structure

The curriculum for medical courses is almost the same in every institute. What differentiates the colleges is the way they impart education to students. In the current times, education has seen many technological advancements. Amidst the pandemic, online classes have become the ‘new normal’. Nitte (Deemed to be University) has been awarded “E-LEAD: E-Learning Excellence for Academic Digitization” by QS I-GAUGE. This is in recognition of the University’s technological capabilities in support of online learning. The approach at Nitte towards imparting education has always been a blend of traditional and modern. K S Hegde Medical Academy has been proactive in developing and adopting teaching-learning activities that provide its students with the best opportunities for hands-on training. Initiatives like mentorship programs, skill laboratories, integrated learning, e-learning resources and objective assessment practices are the highlights of the academic programs offered by the Institution. A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences has incorporated high-end equipment such as CBCT radiographic imaging, CAD CAM Systems, Lingual Angulation & Positioning Device, Zeiss Endo-Surgical Microscope, ensuring that students remain at the forefront of their chosen field.

Infrastructure & Amenities

A medical college must have basic infrastructure which will help students in getting an overall understanding of the subject. State of the art labs, hospitals for clinical training, qualified and experienced staff, well equipped laboratories and so on. Apart from medical infrastructure, students also look out for other factors such as hostels, sports, gymnasium and student clubs to ensure they have a memorable college experience. At Nitte, we understand the vital role of good infrastructure for students and hence, we provide the best medical and general infrastructure facilities to our students.

Mentally prepare for the commitment

Being a doctor is a noble profession and it sure does require a lot of dedication and hardwork. One of the most important things that you need to remind yourself is that it is a very big commitment. It would require you to put in a lot of hours, study more often and have a fixed schedule for everything. Medicine is something that requires passion and dedication. Make sure you are joining the course because you want to and not because someone is asking you to. It is completely fine to not know what stream of medicine you want to opt for. Don’t be hard on yourself. It takes years for people to find the area they really want to specialize in. There are several things you are going to learn along the way and this is one such. Our country is famous for its doctors and healthcare professionals who provide their noble services in many ways. When you take the world into consideration, India has more medical colleges and teaching hospitals than anywhere else. The clinical trials and the studies conducted in India have international recognition. When it comes to the coastal town of Mangalore, it sure is well known for the options it offers to students in terms of colleges and courses.