Discover the Hidden Gems: Incredible Career Paths after 12th PCB!

The combination of physics, chemistry, and biology (PCB) is a stream that provides a sea of opportunities and career options for students to choose from. But this process of choosing what they want to pursue after 12^th grade can be overwhelming. This article will be an attempt to narrow down the options into categories to help the readers make sense of the possibilities lying ahead of them.

The broad categories from which you can fork off after a PCB combination are as follows:

The student can either step into the medical field with a foundation built on biology; this field would include pursuing a career options such as a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse, or the various degrees that fall under the umbrella of healthcare professions like allied health sciences.

But if the student is interested in applying their learning from biology, biotechnology might be the right choice. This would include fields like genetic engineering, bioinformatics, pharmacy, and agricultural biotechnology.

Veterinary science is the perfect combination for someone who loves animals and science. Veterinary science involves the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses in animals. Treatment might also include performing surgeries and providing preventive care.

Another major field to fork into would be that of environmental science. If the student likes to understand the dynamic ecosystem, you can contribute to this field. Career options in this field would include environmental consultants, ecologists, and conservationists.

A strong foundation in PCB also opens up the opportunity to take up teaching science subjects at the school or college level. This will require the students to obtain a Bachelor of Science in any of these major subjects.

Two of the major career paths that this article would like to explore are those of allied health sciences and the growing field of genomics, as well as the different courses within these fields.

Allied Health Sciences

It includes a wide range of healthcare professions that work alongside medical doctors and other healthcare professionals to provide support in diagnosis, therapy, and technical support. The following are some of the career options:

• Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT): This degree programme focuses on teaching students to perform laboratory tests and analyse samples, which will assist in disease diagnosis and treatment.
• Radiography and Imaging Technology: Students who pursue this degree are trained to operate imaging equipment like X-ray and MRI machines to assist with the diagnosis of medical conditions.
• Respiratory Therapy: Respiratory therapists are trained to help patients with breathing problems through the diagnosis, treatment, and management of respiratory disorders.
• Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA): Occupational therapists work with individuals who have physical, mental, and developmental challenges with the goal of providing interventions to improve their quality of life. Click here to know more about this field.
• Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA): These professionals assist patients with speech-language-related evaluations and corresponding treatments.
• Cardiac Care Technology: Cardiac care technicians assist in diagnosing and treating heart conditions with cardiac testing and monitoring.
• Optometry Technician: These professionals are trained to assist optometrists in eye examinations.
• Dental Hygiene: This programme trains students to assist dentists with various procedures and is also focused on preventive oral care.

Field of Genetics

The field of genetics opens up an opportunity to slowly unravel the mysteries within the fundamental blocks of life. The courses offered in this field are open to students who have completed 12^th grade with the PCB combination. The career options are multi-disciplinary, drawing on contributions from various branches of the sciences, including biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and molecular biology.

Pursuing a bachelor’s in this field opens up a realm of endless possibilities. It equips the students to make meaningful contributions by decoding the mysteries of inheritance and the secrets of genetic diseases. Here is the list of courses one can pursue after a 12^th PCB combination:

• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Genetics: This programme focuses on genes, genetic variation, and heredity by covering topics such as genetic analysis, population genetics, molecular genetics, and genetic engineering.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Biotechnology and Genetics: This is an interdisciplinary course that combines the principles of genetics and biotechnology by covering areas like genetic engineering, DNA technology, and genomics and their practical application in different fields.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Molecular Biology and Genetics: This programme focuses on the study of molecular-level mechanisms underlying genetic processes, thus covering molecular genetics, gene expression, DNA sequencing, and various others.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Genetics and Genomics: This course focuses on the study of genetics and genomics by analysing the complete set of genes in an organism.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Human Genetics: As the name suggests, this course is specifically designed to study the genetic factors related to human traits, diseases, and inheritance patterns.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Applied Genetics: This programme focuses on the application of genetics in fields like agriculture, medicine, biotechnology, and forensic science.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Medical Genetics: This course is designed to help students understand genetic factors contributing to various medical conditions and diseases. It covers wide topics like genetic disorders, genetic testing, prenatal diagnosis, and genetic counselling.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetics: This programme focuses on the application of genetics and biotechnology in the field of agriculture. Thus covering topics like plant breeding, crop improvement, transgenic plants, and agricultural biotechnology.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Biochemistry and Genetics: This course combines the principles of biochemistry and genetics to study the molecular mechanisms of life and genetic processes.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Microbiology and Genetics: As the name suggests, this field combines the study of microbiology and genetics. It covers areas like microbial genetics, genetic engineering of microorganisms, and their application in various industries.

These are a few of the major career paths that students choose after taking up PCB in the 12^th grade. It is important that the students explore their options, understand their skills and goals, and make an informed decision after consulting with various individuals. The path that you choose eventually builds the person you want to be.