Radiation is a process where energy emitted by one body travels in a straight line through a medium or through space. Radiation is emitted by different sources like power lines, x-ray machines, radio antennas, microwave ovens, nuclear reactor and of course the Sun. Radiation can be divided as either ionizing or non-ionizing. Non-ionizing radiation is lower energy radiation that comes from the lower part of the electromagnetic spectrum and it is called by this name since it does not have required energy to completely remove an electron from a molecule or an atom. Some of the examples of this type of radiation are longwave (low frequency) radiation, radio waves, microwave radiation, infrared light and visible light. On the other hand, ionizing radiation has enough energy to detach electrons from molecules or atoms. Some of the examples of this type of radiation are gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet rays. Nowadays, radiation is being widely used in the field of medicine and professionals in this field are in great demand and therefore diploma in radiation medicine is being taken up by many candidates these days.

The list of government colleges offering this course in India with approval from the Medical Council of India is given below:

Delhi:

• Institute of Nuclear  Medicine & Allied Sciences, New Delhi

• Army Hospital Research & Referral, New Delhi

Maharashtra:

• Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai

• Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai

About Diploma in Radiation Medicine Course:

The Diploma in Radiation Medicine course, equips the students with the knowledge required for working in Nuclear Medical centres and the training comprises of full-time schedule of clinics, apprentice programmes, practices, demonstrations and lectures. The course extends to a period of two years.

Admission requirements:

For applying to the Diploma in Radiation medicine course, candidates must have completed their MBBS course with internship from an institution recognized by the Medical Council of India and even candidates with PG medical degree or diploma are also eligible to apply to this course. to apply for this course, candidates should not be more than 40 years of age and this upper age limit is relaxable for SC/ST/OBC and PH candidates.

Admission:

In the above-mentioned four colleges offering diploma in radiation medicine course, the college is Delhi are affiliated to the Delhi University, while the colleges in Maharashtra are affiliated to the Homi Bhabha National Institute. When it comes to admission to colleges under Homi Bhabha National Institute is concerned, admission is made based on the performance of the candidates in Common Entrance Test, shortly called as CET. This is a multiple choice test with questions from the following chapters:

• Recent advances in medicine

• Endocrinology

• Nephrology

• Neurology

• Infectious diseases

• Internal medicine

• Pathology

• Biochemistry

• Physiology

• Anatomy

For other two colleges under Delhi University, admission will be based on entrance test.

Scope of radiation medicine:

With the increasing incidence of cancer these days, many hospitals are in the look out for professionals in the field of radiation medicine to offer the best possible treatment to their patients to get out of this dangerous diseases. Therefore, radiation medicine has a wide scope and candidates with diploma in radiation medicine can find job placement in cancer specialty hospitals, multi-specialty hospitals and even in government hospitals in the department treating cancer patients. They are also paid well not only in private hospitals and health centres, but in government hospitals and cancer institutions as well. Even, these professionals can begin their own clinics, after gaining some years of experience. Therefore, medicine graduates candidates can very well go for this course as their PG course after completion of their MBBS course.