With the recessions experienced around the globe, with the economic changes, with the demographic and socio cultural changes, there is one industry that is not adversely affected from all these and that is none other than the Healthcare industry which is rapidly increasing in demand year on year. With the increasing demand for Healthcare professionals globally, a Degree in the healthcare sector has become the fast track to success.

Students at clinical sessions in IIHS laboratory.

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.

For Sri Lankan students hoping to pursue a successful career in the Healthcare industry, International Institute of Health Sciences (IIHS), the Country's premier Healthcare training institute is now offering courses ranging from Diploma level up to the Master's level in the fields of Nursing, Biotechnology, Physiotherapy and Medical Administration with affiliations from University of Hertfordshire- UK, Deakin University of Australia, State University of New York- USA, Edith Cowan University- Australia, Open University of Malaysia, Box Hill TAFE Australia and TAFE South Australia.

Most of the programmes which are conducted by IIHS (www.iihsciences.com) are pathway programmes, where students could complete a larger part of the course in Sri Lanka at IIHS and then they can transfer to the respective University to complete their Diploma or Degree. IIHS also offers some programmes where students could complete the entire programme in Sri Lanka.

The Nursing faculty, which is the main faculty of IIHS, offers a Nursing Diploma in affiliation with TAFE South Australia, which is a 1+1 pathway where students complete 1 year at IIHS and the final year at TAFE SA. On completion of the diploma, they are eligible to apply for the registration on the Nursing and Midwifery Board in Australia as Enrolled Nurses. IIHS also offers a BSc in Nursing in affiliation with Deakin University in Australia, a 3+1 pathway, where upon completion, students can obtain registration on the Australian Nursing Board as Registered Nurses. IIHS also offers a BSc International Nursing Degree from the University of Hertfordshire UK which is a 2+2 pathway, where students study 2 years at IIHS and the final 2 years in UK with a guaranteed work placement during their studies.

The Paramedical Faculty of IIHS offers an Associate Degree in Physiotherapy from the State University of New York with a 2+1 pathway, where the students get a world-class American qualification which ensures worldwide employability. IIHS is also an "Extended Campus of BOX HILL TAFE" in Melbourne, Australia and offers a Diploma in Biotechnology with a 1+1 pathway where they would be awarded a globally recognized qualification to start their career in the field of Biotechnology and further they have the pathway to go up to the BSc level at BOX HILL TAFE in Australia.

In the Medical Administration field, which has a booming demand globally, IIHS offers a BSc programme and also an MSc programme. The BSc in Healthcare Technology Management is awarded by the State University of New York and it is a 3+1 pathway where students complete a total 3 years at IIHS and the final year at SUNY Canton, which includes a 6 months industrial placement in USA. IIHS also offers a Master of Health Services Management in affiliation with Edith Cowan University of Australia.

The major benefits of following courses at IIHS is that the pathway programmes allow you to study the majority of your international degree while staying with your family and it reduces the cost of your total programme by nearly 50-70%. All IIHS Degree programmes include a clinical placement both in the local and international settings, meaning that the students get exposed to real working life while they follow the degree. The other benefit of studying a course in the Healthcare industry is the high salary scales where for example a registered nurse earns more than Rs. 500,000 per month and a qualified Medical Administrator earns on average more than Rs. 600,000 in international settings.

Charitha Ranasinghe, a student at IIHS says, "I studied at the Vihara Maha Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Kiribathgoda and from my youngest years, I had a dream to become a qualified Nurse but following a programme in a foreign University was too expensive for my parents to afford. Therefore, I enrolled for the Diploma in Nursing at IIHS. After completion I'm eligible to earn nearly Rs 4.5 lakhs per month as an International Nurse. 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 lies. That's where all the international job opportunities are. And it is a great way to give back to the world".

Milan Perera from Maris Stella College is following the Associate Degree in Physiotherapy at IIHS, "I've always wanted to be an International Physiotherapist, and thus having an international qualification will enable me to fulfil my dream. Now I am following the AD in Physiotherapy and once I complete my first 2 years at IIHS, I am hoping to go to SUNY Canton, USA to complete my Associate Degree in Physiotherapy. I'm 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 working conditions and a high quality lifestyle".

"I did my A/Ls in the Commerce stream and joined the Nursing programme at IIHS because of the numerous opportunities available for nurses worldwide", says Salosha Gunasekara who was a student of Musaeus College, "It is a very respectable, highly paid profession. I have enrolled 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'm eligible to apply for a further 2-year work permit in UK once I complete the Degree. 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.

IIHS which is located very conveniently at No 704, Negombo Road, Welisara is a nature friendly facility which was built adhering to Green concepts. IIHS has advanced laboratory facilities for Nursing and for Biotechnology and also has an ultra modern Physiotherapy unit. IIHS also boasts of one of the largest Nursing book collections found in Sri Lanka. The Institute has a very strong Academic Board led by the Dean, Dr. Nihal De Silva (MD, MPH, ACOG) who was a former Associate Professor at Stanford University, USA, while the faculty consists of Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe (MBBS, MSc, MD), and several Doctors and Registered Nurses who are qualified professionals with foreign experience in their respective fields.

For more information and registration contact IIHS on 0114 651144, Kushan on 0774 142398, Amila on 0773 114381 or Nishani on 0773 114391. IIHS is located at number 704, Negombo Road, Welisara. More details could be obtained from their website www.iihsciences.com