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Women should be at forefront of Medical Research - Dr. Sowmya Swaminathan

“Women are competing with men in every field today and achieving higher echelons. Girl students should realize that they have this caliber and move ahead without any hesitation” says Dr. Sowmya Swaminathan, a medical scientist and daughter of the father of Green Revolution- M.S. Swaminathan in her exclusive interview with SAKSHI.
In the four decades of her medical career, Sowmya Swaminathan occupied many prestigious posts and recently appointed as Deputy Director General of Programmes (DDP) of World Health Organization (WHO).

Women should realize that higher studies alone will bring great future, but, unfortunately, in India, women are not encouraged to take higher education and professional courses. Social and family environment are the main reasons. The attitude of parents, especially in rural areas needs a change towards their girl child. My parents have always encouraged me to complete my education of my choice.

More incentives in the field of Science & Research
Girl students have numerous opportunities in the field of science and incentives are provided to encourage them for research. They should not have any doubt about their caliber and many of the students I have seen are in a false opinion that pursuing research is a waste of time.

Scholarships in technical field
There are numerous opportunities for women to excel in the technical field also. Government is offering scholarships and providing many facilities. Students should utilize them. It is true that women are showing interest towards engineering, but many of them are opting branches that give instant job after passing out from the college and are not intended to join in higher education.

Priority to medical sciences
Considering the present situation in the country, priority should be given to medical education. With the new medical colleges establishing, we can expect good number of doctors in the near future.

Service minded
The students of medical education should have the spirit of social service. They should not think of getting back the money that they spent for their MBBS and MD courses. If they feel so, it is impossible to provide necessary medical service to common man forever.

Prominent Research Areas
The areas now trending in research are cancer treatment and HIV. Medical Students can pursue these courses for their individual benefit and also for the larger interest of the society.

Encouragement and Motivation
Parents are not the sole responsibility to encourage girls for higher education, the society, government and other stakeholders motivate them and provide necessary information and opportunities available and make them excel in every field they take upon.
Published date : 14 Feb 2018 03:58PM

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