--Must See--
No longer is a degree in zoology , microbiology or dietetics considered only academic. Life science is the new hot area for recruitment, say human resource (HR) experts, with the sector hiring on a high. As Ayurveda clinics proliferate, cosmetic procedures become mainstream and medical coding opens up opportunities, the demand for life science graduates has increased manifold.
The trend is likely to sustain and the hiring would grow at 10% feels Aditya Mishra, CEO of CIEL HR Services, “Salaries of qualified life science students are increasing by 8% to 11%, when compared to other sectors which see an average rise of around 8%.”
As people become more conscious of their looks, procedures for weight loss, hair transplantation and facelifts are keeping cosmetic clinics busy , creating vacancies for people with science degrees. “We are always on the lookout for someone with an understanding of the human body , so people with a physiology and microbiology background are preferred,” said Thirumal Raj, CEO at Chennai-based ABC Cosmetic Clinic, adding that freshers and experienced candidates are in equal demand by trichologists, cosmetologists, nutritionists and dieticians. “Their knowledge helps them to double up as consultants for new customers who come in for cosmetic treatments,
” he added. Raj’s clinic hires 100 to 120 people every year.
Medical coding is another avenue for this section of students. While the healthcare market in the US is maturing, companies in India are hiring life science graduates. “Our hiring has been on a high for BSc and MSc graduates in life sciences with a 5% month-on-month growth. Nearly 50% of our hiring is from tier-2 and tier-3 cities,” said Hema Parikh, HR director at Ajuba Solutions. And the requirement is not just in a new-age professional set up, speciality hospitals need biomedical experts who can proof-read codes, says Parikh. “If you were to work for a third-party administrator or an insurance company that reviews claims, medical knowledge is mandatory . Only then can you review the doctor’s treatment, spot frauds, note if the drugs are relevant to the concerned surgery or being used to inflate the bill,” said Munish Daga, CEO of Remedinet Technologies.
The growing industry for virtual scribes, who support doctors in the US is also contributing the boost in science becoming a lucrative option. With Obama’s healthcare measures, the US doctors are now legally required to document and record every minute of their consultation and treatment process. “Virtual scribes have stepped in to take the heat of overworked doctors and life sciences’ students are our best hands. More than 50% of our hires are science students as we don’t have to train them as they are aware of the medical terminology and jargon,” said Sridharan Sivan, co-founder of S10 Healthcare. Closer home, it’s the ayurveda hospitals that need people for documentation and prefer those with medical knowledge.
While startups in the online drug delivery space are hiring students for who can understand the drug market, recognise prescription drugs, place orders and stockpile based on demand, those with specialisations are finding a place in niche areas like sports consultancy . “There is a demand for people who have an understanding of exercise medicine, physiotherapy , diets and muscular-skeleton issues.And life science students are a good fit for these areas,” said Sivan.
