Medical sociologists are in demand as healthcare expands to accommodate empathy, writes V. Kumara Swamy
Nidhitha Sreekumar had just completed graduation in sociology from St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, when she came to know about medical sociology. “I did some research and was convinced I wanted to specialise in this,” says the first-year student of MA in medical sociology, Loyola College, Chennai.
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While sociologists analyse human societies, the job of medical sociologists is to plan, organise and conduct research in the field of health from the point of social relevance.

“A physician takes care of an individual’s physical well-being, while a medical sociologist helps in his or her emotional and social well-being,” says A.P. Irungovel, director of medical sociology at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai.

In India the health sector is faced with many challenges. “There is a need to review matters such as healthcare governance and organisation, the burden of disease, occurrence of natural disasters, condition of women and children, and the anticipation of issues in the future,” says J. Jean Gifty, lecturer, MMM College of Health Sciences, Chennai.

Medical sociology has been gaining ground as a specialised field in India only in recent times. “The subject, however, started taking roots in the West in the 1960s,” says Gautam Manoharan, lecturer in medical sociology, Loyola College, Chennai.

Some areas that need trained professionals are healthcare programmes of the government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), palliative care, support for patients and family members during hospitalisation, grief counselling for organ donation, medical marketing in corporate hospitals, pre-operative and post operative counselling, and public health education.

What you earn :-
A fresher with specialisation can earn between Rs 12,000 and Rs 18,000 a month. A person with four or five years’ experience can earn anywhere between Rs 35,000 and Rs 50,000.

“Professionals can also find employment in healthcare-related foundations like those of Bill and Melinda Gates, and William J. Clinton,” says Manoharan. “A medical sociologist will be able to point out the skewed policies of the government in the health sector,” he adds.

The subject has been part of many postgraduate programmes in sociology. A few institutions also offer specialisation at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The MMM Academy of Health Sciences offers BSc and MSc in medical sociology. The courses are recognised by the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai. Loyola College, Chennai, also offers an MA in the subject.

The Directorate of Distance Education, University of Madras, offers both BSc and MSc programmes. Many universities also offer MPhil and PhD specialisations.

“After completing my degree from Loyola, I joined an NGO for the good pay they were offering. My friends too landed good jobs in hospitals and other institutes,” says Venisha Shetty, whose work involves bringing out a newsletter on health.

There is also scope for research. “I want to become a researcher as there is a dearth of well researched work in this field. The existing problems can be dealt with only through rigorous research,” says Sreekumar.

And what is the special quality that may help one excel in the field? “For medical sociologists, empathy for the people they are dealing with is the most important thing,” says Irungovel.

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)