Scope Of Forensic Medicine In India

Career in forensic medicine can be tedious but has a certain level of excitement to it. Here are a few tips on how to make a career in forensic medicine.

By Shatavisha Chakravorty

One of the most interesting applications of science is that of forensic science. Here, concepts of physics, chemistry, botany, zoology and medical science are applied in order to investigate a crime and identify a culprit. Evidence that is found in crime scenes is handed out to such people for analysis. Now, the evidence that is found in a crime scene may range from that of traces of an object, paint, blood and body fluids to that of documents and fingerprints. To extract the maximum information from the given situation and analyse the same, forensic experts have to have a thorough understanding of various scientific principles.

 

It is important to realise that most of the criminal cases that are being resolved is only possible due to the inputs that are put in by forensic experts. Forensic scientists give the police and the investigative agencies the evidence that is required to prove a certain point in the eyes of the law.

Scope Of Forensic Medicine

This is a field where there is ample scope of growth, both in the global level as well as in the Indian context. Read on to know how you can go ahead and make a successful career in this field.

o Educational Background

In order to pursue an MD in forensic medicine in India, one needs to have completed their MBBS from an MCI-recognised institution in the country. Following their MBBS, they must have completed one year of the mandatory internship period to be eligible for the same.

For an admission to some of the institutions, a good score in PG NEET is required. Based on your score you will be able to choose the specialisation of forensics and criminology (like robbery, murder, rape, etc.) that you would like to work on.

o Skills Required

Like for any profession in the medical field, good intuitive skills are necessary here. You must have a natural scientific temperament and an eye for detail. You should also be good with facts and numbers and the better you are at analysing the data that is in front of you, the higher you will climb in this profession.

You should understand that this is one field where your experience will be your best teacher and, thus, you need to have the patience and tenacity to learn things the hard way. The advantage of this job is that it does not involve much human interaction. Thus, it is ideal for people who like to keep to themselves and let their work speak.

o Recruitment Opportunities

This is one field where there is scope of employment in both the private as well as the government sectors. Almost all government hospitals and police departments employ forensic experts. The most common government investigative agencies that hire forensic professionals in large numbers are that of CBI, RAW, IB and the state police departments.

Other than this, there are a number of private investigative agencies in India that require the services of forensic experts. However, since there are a limited number of jobs here, you need to prove your worth by being really good at what you do if you want to make it big in this career.

o Types Of Jobs

After having completed the necessary qualifications, one can choose to work as a crime scene investigator. In case they are interested in working in a more specialised area, they may want to be a trace evidence analyst or a forensic pathologist. Most of the job-specific skills that are required for this are learnt as and when one is working.

As you already have an MD degree, you may choose to work as a teacher, reviewer or reformer of law as well. Criminal rehabilitation is another area where there are a lot of employment opportunities for qualified personnel. In case you are interested in the legal side of forensic medicine, you may choose to look for employment in that sector as well.

o Salary

As the investigation of a crime scene depends greatly on the efforts pitched in by the forensic expert, they are highly compensated for the same. A fresher who has just completed their MD in forensic medicine in India can expect a salary of Rs 3 to 4 lakhs. With time, the value rises to as much as Rs 10 lakhs.

The average take-home salary of a forensic expert in India is about Rs 8 lakhs. For forensic experts who have completed their education in India and are looking forward to starting a career abroad, the expected salary would be somewhere around $55,040 per year. Thus, if you are good at what you do, there will be no dearth of monetary compensation in this field.

o Job Environment

Most of the jobs in this field require you to be on your feet throughout your working hours. Although most forensic experts work from their laboratories, in some cases you may have to travel to the site of the incident as well. There are no definite working hours and most forensic scientists have to work on weekends as well.

Thus, this job is taxing both at the physical as well as the mental level and it is advisable that you take it up only if you are genuinely interested in this profession.

o Scope Of Growth

Forensic experts usually begin their career as interns after successful completion of their MD. By working with other senior professionals, they learn the finer nuances of the job which would not have been possible in academic learning. Over time they become forensic pathologists themselves and handle independent cases.

Once they have the required experience, they often move to supervisory positions wherein they review the work of other people and offer them expert guidance on the same. Since there are a lesser number of people in this field, if you are dedicated and ready to put in the required amount of effort, it is easy to rise in this profession and establish a name for yourself.

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