Paramedical Science – A Parallel Medical Science:

Paramedics can be defined as a practice in the field of medical science that deals with pre-hospital emergency services. A person working in this field is referred to as a paramedic. They work as an emergency medical care provider, who provides primary medical and trauma care. To become a successful paramedic, a person should have the ability to work in rotational shifts and should have presence of mind to take the right decision during an emergency. The major areas of work in the field of paramedical sciences are spinal injury management, fracture management, obstetrics, management of burns and assessment, and evaluation of general incident scene. A person working in the field of Para – Medicine must be well acquainted with the medical equipment maintenance procedures, radio operating procedures as well as emergency vehicle operation. The increasing demand of skilled paramedical professionals has opened up several career opportunities for young aspirants. Many paramedical institutes offer courses in the field of Para – Medicine, at degree and diploma levels.

Prospects as a Paramedic:

After pursuing a course in the field of paramedical science, one can explore various career options available in the medical industry. A paramedic can draw job opportunities in government hospitals, private clinics and trauma centers. Such medical professionals can work as medical lab technicians, radiography technicians, emergency technicians, emergency care practitioners etc. Besides, they can opt for high – end specialization courses and discover umpteen opportunities in India and abroad. However, paramedics is a demanding job as emergency medical services and facilities operate 24×7; thus, professionals in this field must be devoted to their job and willing to work anytime when duty calls.

Objective:

To craft an internationally competitive & research focused department, open to the needs of the people, while distributing superlative edification and knowledge. To place it in the forefront of research and development, invention, knowledge transfer and human resource development in the global academic field and industry.

School of Paramedics & Allied Health Sciences aims to provide trained, qualified, technical personnel in the field of Paramedical Science to support the medical profession. The objective of the Paramedical Science education programme is to ensure that educational opportunities for development of skills. The emphasis of the Paramedical Science education programme is on developing a cadre of small entrepreneurs, especially from amongst girls, women, SCs, STs, rural youth. This programme conceived as “Total Employment Training for Total Development”, focuses on the concept of turning the unskilled to skilled.

Collaboration and Contribution: 

SoPAHS provides practical exposure to students as a mandate for fulfilment of academics and also for providing them with an exposure to community action learning. The School has collaborations with Global (Deakin National Centre for Farmer`s Health), National (Dr. Agarwal Eye Hospital, Manipal Hospitals, Lenskart, Sankara Netralaya, Apollo Hospitals and others) local hospitals (Ruby Eye Hospital, Trilochan Netralaya, Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre and others), diagnostic centres (Vijaya Diagnostics) and various research laboratories (Regional Medical Research Centre, Government of India) to impart training and internship opportunities to students and research collaborations for faculties and students.
These collaborations also help to inculcate a scientific temper among students besides exposing them to problems faced by local communities.

Free health check-up:
As a part of community engagement programme SoPAHS aims to improve health and wellbeing outcomes. To this end, since 2018 SoPAHS in collaboration with Ruby Eye Hospital conducts free vision check programs in the local community of Berhampur Odisha.
Optometry students complete an internship through these events.Free health check-up in collaboration with different organizations As a part of community engagement programme SoPAHS aims to improve health and wellbeing outcomes. To this end, since 2018 SoPAHS in collaboration with Ruby Eye Hospital conducts free vision check programs in the local community of Berhampur Odisha.
Optometry students complete an internship through these events.

Community Health Program:

Since 2019, School of Paramedics and Allied Health Sciences in collaboration with Swasthya Swaraj Society (Bhawanipatna) is providing a Diploma in Community Health Practise to students belonging to tribal areas. After successful completion of the course, students become qualified to provide primary health services, reducing neonatal and maternal mortality rates of the local tribal community. Another outcome is to improve the educational status of children belonging to scheduled castes and tribes in order to empower communities.

Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) :

The current health infrastructure in our country has less than two doctors per thousand patients and the state of Odisha is no different being ranked as 12th poorest in the doctor to population ratio. In view of this, the University is poised to translate its motto of “Shaping lives and empowering communities” to reach out to the poorest of the poor. It has campuses located in tribal areas where poverty and diseases abound. Taking cognisance of the situation, CDC was established in 2019. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Chief Divisional Medical Officer and Collector and District Magistrate who expressed the urgent need for such a centre. With the onset of pandemic, the predicament of poverty was further accelerated with job losses that sky-rocketed out-of-pocket medical expenditure. In response, the University established a COVID hospital in its premises which was operated by the government. At the same time CDC played a cardinal role in extending its support to the government by providing services for testing and deputing pharmacists to nearby health centres. It also deputed paramedic staff to the COVID hospital.
The CDC further aims to promote healthy practices among the community as being committed to sustainable development goal 3. It conducts health awareness campaigns and outreach health camps for the local community. It conducts mass vaccination campaign (for COVID) at the centre for its students and the community. The community benefits the most from the state of the art infrastructure in pathology, physiotherapy, optometry, radiology and emergency services.