BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery)

The medical students who wish to make their career in medical industry can pursue BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery). B.U.M.S. is an undergraduate medical degree in the field of Unani medicine and surgery. If think about BUMS history, the word Unani is a Greek work for the term Unani (Perso-Arabic). It was the preaching of Greek Physicians Hippocrates and Galen. BUMS medicine degree is well known for its four classical humours of Hippocrates – phlegm (balgham), blood (dam), yellow bile (safra) and black bile (sauda). Unani medicine was introduced in India by Arabs and the Persians in 11th century.

BUMS education and training in India is being regulated by Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), which is a statutory body under the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Sidhha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). In order to get admission under BUMS course, an aspirant must fulfill certain eligibility conditions and should also qualify NEET exam, which is to be conducted on May 3, 2020.

BUMS Course in India

The medical aspirants desirous to pursue BUMS admission must complete their Class 12 or equivalent exam and fulfil the other specified eligibility criteria. Bachelors of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) is a five and a half years undergraduate degree, of which 4.5 years will be the academic session and one year of compulsory rotatory internship.

Through an official notification, in order to promote the BUMS course among the medical students, CCIM permitted around 1,706 BUMS seats across the country. Though candidates must note that the number of annual registrations applying for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test -exam (a national level entrance exam) will be more than 15 lakhs.

While it takes an immense dedication, hard as well as smart work in order to crack NEET and to become successful in the profession, as a huge number of aspirants are trying to put themselves in the medical studies to become a Unani Doctor.

How to apply for BUMS admissions in India?

The Ministry of AYUSH released an official notification on official web site stating that the admission to B.U.M.S. courses shall be compulsorily done on the basis of scores obtained in NEET. The state counseling authorities will release the application forms for the interested candidates for admission to degree course by a stipulated date.

Eligibility Criteria of BUMS course

Since, NEET is being considered as the sole entrance examination for admission to Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery, the interested aspirants must essentially fulfill the eligibility criteria of NEET as specified by the National Testing Agency. Here are some basic eligibility conditions which candidates should meet for admission to BUMS programmes.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must qualify in Class 12 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English as the core subjects.
The qualifying marks to be obtained in Class 12 must be 50% for general category candidates, while the reserved category aspirants must secure at least 40%
In case of the age, only 17 years old or above aspirants were allowed to register for national entrance examination.
As per the orders of the apex court, aspirants more than 25 years old can also register for NEET for admission to BUMS courses.
Also, there is no specified number of attempt to appear for NEET 2020.
For the admission to BUMS programme, candidates also need to secure the minimum qualifying percentile, specified by the respective authority, i.e. NTA. NEET cutoff is mentioned in the table below with their categories.
General:- 50th percentile
SC/ST/OBC :- 40th percentile
General - PH :- 45th percentile
SC/ST/OBC - PH :- 40th percentile

All about BUMS Study Curriculum

In consonance with Firdous A. Wani, the registrar of Jamia Hamdard University, the five-and-a-half-year BUMS programme includes a year of rotatory internship to assist the medical students to become a practitioner by implementing the lessons they learnt in their classrooms. In the four and a half year of professional academic sessions, the future Unani doctors are taught and trained to be expert in various specializations of Unani, which also includes Anatomy, Physiology, Fundamentals of Unani medicine, Unani Pharmacology, Clinical medicine and diagnostics with Unani and modern methods. B.U.M.S. course curriculum also provides the detailed knowledge and understanding of the subjects like Internal medicine, Disorders of eye and ENT, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics among others.

Along with the professional academic sessions, the future Unani doctors are also trained and groomed to cope with the extra-curricular activities such as interfaculty and intra-university debates, medical quiz and other competitive activities, said Wani

S.No.	Professional Year	Name of the course
1.	Professional I	Arabic and Mantiq wa Falsafa (Logic Philosophy and Astronomy) Kulliyat Umoore Tabiya (Basic Principles of Unani Medicine) Tashreehul Badan (Anatomy) Munafeul Aaza (Physiology)
2.	Professional II	Tareekh-e-tib (History of Medicine) Tahaffuzi wa Samaji Tib (Preventive and Community Medicine) Iimul Advia Mahiyatul Amraz (Pathology)
3.	Professional III	Communication skills Ilmul Saidla wa Murakkabat (Unani Pharmacy) Tibbe Qanooni wa Ilmul Samoom (Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology) Sareeriyat wa Usoole Ilaj (Bed side clinic and principles of management) Ilaj Bit Tadbeer (Regional Therapy) Amraz-e-Atfal (Paediatrics)
4.	Final Professional	Moalajat - I (General Medicine) Moalajat - II Amraze Niswan (Gynaecology) Ilmul Qabalat wa Naumalood (Obstetrics and Neonatology) Ilmul Jarahat (Surgery) Ain, Uzn, Anaf, Halaq wa Asnan (Ophthalmology and Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat)

Scope after BUMS

After the completion of five and a half year programme, BUMS graduates have the option of pursuing Postgraduation (PG) course.
Considered as a Doctor (Hakim), they may get absorbed as a medical officers in the state and central government hospitals like CGHS, MCD, primary health centres, dispensaries among others.
Also, these doctors can also be appointed as assistant professors or lecturers at government as well as private Unani teaching colleges.
They can become the medical practitioner in their private clinic, polyclinics or nursing homes.
The professionals in the arena can work with the companies dealing with the Unani preparations.

BUMS Job Profiles

Once becoming the Hakim (Doctor) after completing the B.U.M.S. course, the medical graduates can opt the following job profiles for a bright future.