Dr G Arun Maiya, Professor & Dean, MCHP, MAHE Manipal shares the top ten job profiles in demand in 2023
COVID-19 pandemic has truly redefined the pharma and healthcare industries in India, expanding the fortitude of opportunities for professionals across these industries. In 2022, employment across these sector saw a significant surge. In fact, according the staffing industry sources, while 92 per cent of employers in India’s Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals were keen to hire, the projection for Q4 indicates a further 6 per cent increase in this pool.
Allied Health or health care professions has emerged as a strong domain within the Healthcare paradigm. However, this segment has been facing a demand-supply gap which needs immediate attention. FICCI and KMPG’s study reiterates that India’s current capacity of allied healthcare professionals stands at 57.5-58 lakh and need to increase by 8X by 2047 to enable the country’s vision to become a hub for health tourism and international medical treatment.
In 2022, the most promising opportunities for allied healthcare professionals included include audiology and speech-language therapy, physiotherapy, health information management, clinical nutrition, medical laboratory technology, emergency medical technology, perfusion technology, cardiovascular technology, respiratory therapy, optometry, occupational therapy, medical imaging technology, Psychology, physician assistants, renal replacement and dialysis, Sports and exercise science, nuclear medicine technology, medical radiation physics, operation theatre technologists, among others.
In 2023, some of the key allied health profiles that will remain in vogue are:
- Psychologists: Psychologist plays an important role in studying the mental health of a person and helping them to cope with issues related to mental wellbeing.
- Occupational Therapists: Occupational therapists, also known as OTs, work in a variety of volunteer and independent sectors of society, helping patients with their mental, physical, and social problems.
- Physiotherapists: The use of physical approaches to help cure Musculoskeletal, neuro-muscular and such conditions are Physiotherapists.
- Chiropodists or Podiatrists: Chiropodists who focus on foot and ankle related pathologies.
- Clinical Nutritionists: Qualified professionals who are permitted to assess, identify, and treat patients’ nutrition and food issues.
- Anaesthesia and Operational Theatre Technologists: They are skilled professionals involved in performing recovery, surgery, and administrating anaesthesia.
- Emergency Medical Technologists: They are qualified professionals for quicker response at emergency sites.
- Prosthetists and Orthotists’: Patients who have had to have limbs or legs amputated can use prosthetics to replace them. Practitioners who specialise in orthotics treat skeletal and neuromuscular disorders.
- Medical Imaging Technologists: These professionals produce images of serious wounds and a range of illnesses, such as breast cancer screening and ultrasound. Cancer is treated by therapeutic radiologists either surgically or chemically.
- Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs): SLTs help adults and young children who have significant speech or language impairments.
- Physician Assistants: A Physician Assistant is a medical professional who can offer medical services to patients under the supervision of a doctor or a physician. Physician Assistants (PA) are responsible for implementing the physician directives and assessing the health of the patients by interviewing or examining them and studying their medical history.
- Sports and Exercise Science Professionals: A broad range of fields that include physiology, psychology, and biomechanics, and their relationship to sports performance, health and wellbeing are covered in Sports Science.
- Health Information Management Professionals: Emerging specialisations were health organisations are currently changing from paper to electronic health records. As a result, new career specializations are emerging in a variety of areas related to health information
- A cardiovascular technologist works in a cardiac cath lab and performs very complex procedures, including stent implants, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators and other tests to diagnose heart disease. They take emergency calls and participate in saving the lives of those who are having a heart attack
- Medical Laboratory Technologists: contribute to the prevention of disease, and the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of pathophysiological conditions in humans. Medical laboratory personnel are responsible for assuring reliable and accurate laboratory test results
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists: The practice of nuclear medicine technology includes the use of sealed and unsealed radioactive materials, as well as pharmaceuticals, adjunctive medications and imaging modalities with or without contrast as part of diagnostic evaluation and therapy
Currently, 60 per cent of all healthcare positions are in the allied healthcare sector, with the remaining 40 per cent being split between medical, nursing, and pharmacy. The need for AHPs has increased over the last few years, and is expected to continue with the continuous advancement in diagnostic and treatment approaches. Given the significant part that AHPs play in the delivery of healthcare solutions, maintaining suitable standards for their education and training is critical and academic institutions are also structuring their courses to prepare candidates for the future work roles