With the increasing demand for Healthcare professionals globally, a Degree in the healthcare sector has become the fast track to success. There are plenty of opportunities to pursue in this industry with stable jobs and attractive salaries. Especially in the area of nursing, in USA alone, there is currently a shortage of 180,000 Nurses and globally the demand for nurses is expected to reach 800,000 by the year 2020.

Left to right - IIHS students - Aadhiyr Hassan, Milan Perera, Evanka Fernando, Rukmal Kariyawasam, Ishan Edirisinghe, Rohitha Priyanjana, Salosha Gunasekara.

For Sri Lankan students hoping to pursue a successful career in the healthcare industry, IIHS, the country's premier, healthcare, training facility is now offering courses in Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Medical Administration. After completion of the Diploma, one can serve locally while following an International Degree right here in Sri Lanka or if candidates are interested in an international career, they can transfer credits to follow their preferred Degree in a University in Australia, UK or USA.

Evanka Fernando, student at IIHS says, "I studied at the Good Shepherd Convent. From my youngest years, I had a dream to become a Doctor but following a program in a foreign University was too expensive for my parents to afford. Therefore, I enrolled for the Diploma in Nursing at IIHS which is conveniently located at No: 704, Negombo Rd, Welisara. After completion of which I can earn nearly Rs 4.5 lakhs per month as an international nurse and join an international MBBS program. This way I won't be a burden to my parents. All my friends ask me why I didn't join a course in Management or IT but I tell them that Healthcare is where the future is. That's where all the job opportunities are. And it is a great way to give back to the world".

Dr. Nihal De Silva - Dean IIHS MD, MPH, ACOG

"I did my A/Ls in the Commerce stream and joined the Nursing program at IIHS because of the numerous opportunities available for nurses worldwide", says Salosha Gunasekara from Musaeus College, "It is a very respectable, highly paid profession. I will enroll for the BSc in Nursing at the University of Hertfordshire UK after completing the 2nd year of the Diploma at IIHS. IIHS is procuring a guaranteed work placement for me in UK while I complete my BSc and I will get a further 2-year work permit once I complete the Degree. Thanks to the work placement, I will be able to save about Rs 8 Million during my 4-year stay in the UK and I can help my family with that money once I return to Sri Lanka. Moreover, I really appreciate the fact that I did my A/Ls in the Commerce stream is no hindrance at all for me to pursue a career in the health sector.

Milan Perera from Marist Stella College is following the Physiotherapy program at IIHS, "I've always wanted to be an international Physiotherapist, so having an international qualification will enable me to fulfill my dream. I came to know of IIHS through its website www.iihsciences.com. Now I am following a Diploma in Physiotherapy. Once I complete my Diploma in Physiotherapy at IIHS, I am hoping to go to SUNY Canton University USA for my Associate Degree in Physiotherapy. I am a big sports fan and I want to join an international sports team as a Physiotherapist. I am looking forward to an exciting career with excellent work conditions and a high quality life style".

Rohitha Priyanjana a student from Anu radhapura Niwat hthaka Chethiya M.V following the Diploma in Pharmacy course at IIHS shared his career expectations, "I like Pharmacology and I want to do research in this area and invent new drugs, so I want to gain experience in an international setting. After my Diploma I can work in Sri Lanka and then I will be eligible to obtain PR in Canada".

Another student hoping to pursue an international career in Nursing is Addhiyr Hassan from Crescent International College, "I enrolled for the Diploma in Nursing program at IIHS after my O/Ls. My aunt is in Australia and I would like to go there as well, she advised me to follow Nursing as a career because there is a high demand for Nurses globally and the profession of Nursing is already in Australia's Skilled Occupation List. After completing the 2nd year of my Diploma, I will join Edith Cowan University Australia and obtain a BSc in Nursing".

Dr. Nihal De Silva, who was a former Professor at Stanford University USA and a fetal surgeon who has practiced in the USA and Japan for well over 45 years and presently the Dean of IIHS elaborated on the opportunities available in the healthcare industry, "The health sector has seen a steady growth over the past few years. Seeing the wealth of opportunities in this industry, we have founded this institution to make these opportunities available to our youth.

These pathways are accessible to our youth now and Sri Lanka being a country with a high rate of literacy and our youth being extremely talented and resourceful we are capable of making maximum use of these opportunities. In the past, I have observed that people were reluctant to get into the Healthcare sector due to a lack of awareness in the many openings available in this industry and due to the many restrictions that were in place. But now there is a growing trend where people are getting more interested in this field and they want to explore the openings available.

The programs are very flexible with students who have done A/Ls in any stream being able to join. We get students who have done A/Ls in Commerce and Arts streams in our programs. Earlier everyone wanted to get into Management and IT but now the tide has turned and Healthcare courses have become the most sought after programs. With the support of the government to develop private sector education, the distance is closing between our youth and foreign programs.

The Managing Director of IIHS and a Consultant Medical Administrator, Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe expressed his views "IIHS has 4 Faculties; Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Health Management and Languages. We have affiliations with prominent Universities in Australia, UK, USA, Canada and Malaysia where our students can transfer their credits for a BSc after completing our Diploma. Healthcare training programs are extremely expensive but IIHS is offering international level training courses for an affordable cost for the convenience of our students.

We conduct the core modules at IIHS and after two years on completion of the modules students can decide which area they want to specialize in. The outcome would be an international qualification with global employment opportunities. We offer unique benefits for our students, for example, when you enroll for the BSc in Nursing program awarded by the University of Hertfordshire UK, you will go there with a guaranteed job and a four-year work permit. At IIHS, among all the options that we offer you, you will definitely find the best-customized program at a very affordable cost to suit your needs".

IIHS is a premier healthcare training facility, affiliated to The University of Hertfordshire UK, Edith Cowan University Australia, The Open University Malaysia and TAFE South Australia offering Diploma and Degree courses in Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Medical Administration and Personal Care Assistants with a view to provide healthcare professionals from Sri Lanka. IIHS, functioning to green standards has state of the art lecture halls, IT labs, study areas and a library.