The healthcare landscape is changing so rapidly that it can be compared to the creation/discovery of antibiotics or the development of Modern Surgery. With the introduction and spread of AI (artificial intelligence), ML (machine learning), Robotics, Telemedicine, Genomics, Digital Health Technologies, etc., the way Medicine is being practiced, diagnosed, and delivered to patients is changing too. The availability of career opportunities for those considering pursuing an MBBS abroad will be dependent on the technological era. With the excitement of the opportunities available with practicing Medicine that no other generation before us has had.
The career opportunities for MBBS abroad will be more extensive than before in the AI and Technology era, as technology will enhance the physician’s ability rather than replace their judgment, empathy, and complex decision-making skills. Medical students need to fully understand this part of the future of Medicine if they are going to be successful during their careers for the next 40+ years.
AI is very good at recognizing patterns, processing large amounts of data, and consistently performing repetitive duties; humans are very good at understanding context or feeling, working through ambiguity, establishing rapport, giving compassionate communication, or delivering empathy, and exercising reasoning based on biological factors as well as psychological, social, and ethical factors. The future of medicine will require both technological capabilities and human wisdom.
Emerging Specialties and Career Pathways
The way in which technology has intertwined with the provision of healthcare has led to the creation of many medical specialties or career options that were not available to our grandmothers a generation ago. Now, students who study abroad to get their MBBS degree will have the opportunity to enter into emerging fields that are still very much in the process of developing.
- Clinical Informatics and Digital Health
Clinical informaticists serve as a bridge between medicine and information technology, developing the infrastructure to allow for the proper functioning of clinical decision support systems. They also work with clinicians to ensure that digital health solutions are implemented in a way that increases efficiency in the delivery of healthcare and do so without compromising patient care.
As more healthcare organizations turn to technology for the provision of care, the scope for those earning their MBBS degrees abroad will expand to include an opportunity to work in these hybrid roles, which require both medical knowledge and technological competency.
Physicians who specialize in Informatics work with software developers to design electronic health record systems that match clinical workflows, develop clinical decision support systems that notify clinicians of possible drug interactions or diagnostic options, and assist in the implementation of artificial intelligence derived from databases so that AI complements clinical decision-making, rather than replacing it.
Digital Health specialists are also responsible for overseeing Telemedicine, Mobile Health, Remote Patient Monitoring, and Digital Therapeutics for clients to manage the digital delivery of healthcare. As digital health evolves and is adopted by more healthcare organizations, physicians who are able to navigate the clinical and digital aspects of healthcare will be highly sought after.
- Precision Medicine and Genomics
As genetic sequencing and computational biology evolve, they are facilitating the application of genetics in medicine to create personalized treatment plans based on a patient’s unique genetic makeup. Therefore, in the AI and technology era, an MBBS graduate will be able to find employment working as a genomic medicine specialist who interprets genetic test results, recommends personalized treatment options, and counsels patients about the risk of inheriting a hereditary disease.
Additionally, oncologists are beginning to utilize tumor genetic profiling to choose targeted therapies to kill specific forms of cancer that have been genetically altered, without impacting surrounding normal tissues. Pharmacogenomics specialists assist healthcare providers by identifying which medications will produce optimal results based on a patient’s individual genetic makeup, and reproductive geneticists assist couples in understanding the genetic risks of inheriting diseases and interpreting results from prenatal genetic testing.
Individuals pursuing a career in either of these areas must have an extensive understanding of traditional forms of medicine as well as a thorough understanding of the most current developments in genomic science. A student pursuing an MBBS degree outside of their home country who is comfortable with genetics, bioinformatics, and data analysis will be better positioned to enter the workforce in these growing fields.
- AI-Enhanced Radiology and Pathology
The impact of AI and technology on the pathway to an MBBS career abroad is moving away from the total replacement of radiologists and pathologists as a result of the introduction of AI, to now offering both medical professionals’ areas of expertise with increased intellectual stimulation. The analysis of images captured using imaging modalities (i.e., CT Scans, MRIs, Ultrasounds, etc.) can be performed through machine learning algorithms, which allow for the initial analysis of images by flagging possible areas of concern for physicians. The ultimate decision surrounding the patient’s well-being will still be determined by the physician and their knowledge, experience, and expertise surrounding the clinical context of the case.
As AI continues to develop within the field of medicine, the role of radiologists will start to evolve into a consultant-like role. Radiologists will still perform radiological procedures, but once they have performed their radiological procedure, they will be called upon to integrate the imaging findings with the clinical context of each case, AI-generated probabilities of disease, and their own expertise in treating that particular patient.
Pathologists will continue to use digital pathology systems in conjunction with AI analyses to provide more accurate and efficient histological analyses of tissue samples, thereby enabling them to assess more cases in greater detail and with more consistent results than ever before. The use of these advanced technologies does not replace the pathologist’s role but enhances the pathologist’s competence in their respective professions.
Students interested in pursuing a career as a radiologist or pathologist should seek to study at a medical school abroad, where the school will expose them to the technology associated with artificial intelligence and medical imaging or laboratory medicine, which will provide them with an opportunity to learn how to incorporate advanced technology into their practice.
- Interventional Specialties
Robotic surgery is rapidly changing how medical procedures are performed. In many different types of medicine, including urology, gynecology, cardiac surgery, general surgery, and more, surgeons are taking advantage of robotic systems that provide the opportunity for much greater accuracy, smaller incisions, and quicker recovery times.
However, the truth is that robotic surgical systems require highly trained surgeons to operate them. The surgeon has complete control over the robotic instruments that allow him or her to translate the hand movements to precise micro-level surgical maneuvers inside the patient’s body. As a result, robotic surgery provides the ability to expand the capabilities of a surgeon rather than replace them.
These hybrid operating rooms, which contain elements of traditional and interventional surgical techniques, are creating new career opportunities for those who are able to combine their traditional medical background with their technological proficiency.
Global Health and Cross-Border Medicine
Technology enables the delivery of healthcare services to patients regardless of geographical locations. This provides a new opening to the world of global health. Under the umbrella of AI & technology, the range of careers for MBBS graduates overseas opens into new international opportunities as telemedicine allows practitioners in one part of the world to deliver consultative services to patients in another part of the world through different time zones and through their area of specialization.
Physicians from around the globe have access to international consultation networks, where they provide second opinions on some of the more complicated medical cases from other countries. For example, radiologists who practice in different time zones can provide overnight reading services for hospitals at the opposite end of the world. Pathologists can exchange and share digital slides for diagnostic purposes.
While MBBS graduates who trained abroad take with them an understanding of cross-cultural communication and perspective, this is an advantage for those graduates in their pursuit of many of the future global health career opportunities created by the advancement of technology and the creation of a more globalized view of how medicine and healthcare will work.
Research at the Intersection of Medicine and AI
As academic medicine is changing and using clinical practice for the benefit of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), many careers in the globalization of A.I. & technology for MDs include work by physician-scientists who develop A.I. algorithms for diagnosis, develop predictive models to estimate treatment outcomes, and create Machine Learning based systems to identify patterns in large medical datasets.
This research requires an understanding of both the field of medicine and how to use computer methods. There are now many medical schools that offer students a pathway that combines the training to practice as an MD with either Computational Biology (C.B.), Bioinformatics, or Health Data Science (H.D.S.).
Developing medical AI means MDs must work in both the field of medicine and in advanced computational technology, and MDs working in this area create the next generation of medical AI.
When training abroad, many MDs can work with a diverse patient population as well as deal with many varied types of disease and community exposure; this experience is beneficial in providing a more robust foundation for research in AI to solve global health challenges using technological innovation.
Education Orbit Counseling and Link
Education Orbit Counseling and Link experts Counselors provide Comprehensive Health Counseling to help students select International Medical Programs that use Technology-Integration with Technology and, to a lesser extent, Research Opportunities in Medicine-Based Education.
The knowledge of these most experienced and knowledgeable professionals has been continually updated to reflect the ongoing evolution in Global Healthcare, including understanding which Universities are now including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Technology into the Medical Curriculum, which Universities are providing opportunities for Research in Tech-Medicine and Medical Technologies & Data Science, and which Medical Schools best prepare Graduates for 21st-Century Medicine.
