Introducing the Portfolio Career to Indian Medicine
In the UK, Australia and other Western healthcare systems, doctors regularly build "portfolio careers" — combining clinical work with teaching, research, or emerging fields like AI. It's almost unheard of in India. The Empower Apprenticeship Programme is where that starts — real, structured experience open to any medical graduate, and a particularly valuable opportunity for FMGs navigating the FMGE wait.
Empower Apprenticeship Programme
Build real-world experience in teaching, research or AI.
What is a portfolio career?
In Western healthcare systems, a "portfolio career" means combining clinical practice with one or more other professional identities — teaching, research, leadership, or emerging fields like AI — instead of one single, linear track. It's a well-established, respected way to build a medical career abroad. In India, it barely exists as a concept and We are the pioneers of this
Clinician + Educator
Practising medicine while shaping how the next generation of doctors is trained.
Clinician + Researcher
Contributing to real research and publications alongside clinical work.
Clinician + Technologist
Applying medical knowledge to AI and health-tech — a field India's doctors rarely get early exposure to.
Build experience, not gaps
Most medical graduates spend the gap between finishing their degree and starting their next clinical role with very little to show for it on paper — and few ever get the chance to build a portfolio career at all. The Empower Apprenticeship Programme exists to change that — real, structured work experience in teaching, research or AI in healthcare, open to any medical graduate looking to build a genuinely strong, multi-dimensional career.
It's a particularly valuable opportunity for FMGs. If you completed your MBBS outside India, you must clear the FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination) before you can register to practise clinically here — and that wait can stretch on for months, often spent studying alone with no structured work experience to show for it.
Instead of sitting idle, apprentices work on real, non-clinical projects and come out the other side with genuine experience, references and a stronger portfolio — whatever stage of your career you're at.
Three apprenticeship tracks
Each track runs 6–12 months and is built around real, ongoing work — not busywork designed to fill time.
Teaching & Education Fellow
Work alongside our faculty on real medical education projects — content development, curriculum design, and supporting live teaching for MRCEM, PLAB and MRCS candidates. Ideal for doctors who enjoy explaining and structuring knowledge.
Research Fellow
Contribute to real research projects from design through to write-up — literature reviews, data analysis, manuscript preparation. Build genuine publication experience during your waiting period, not just a plan for "someday."
AI in Healthcare Fellow
Work on real applied-AI projects at the intersection of medicine and technology — an emerging, high-demand area most doctors never get hands-on exposure to. No prior AI background required; we build it with you.
Don't just wait. Build.
Real Work, Real Output
You'll work on genuine ongoing projects with deliverables — not simulated exercises.
A Stronger Portfolio
Come out of your waiting period with concrete evidence of work — not a gap to explain.
Mentorship & Network
Work directly alongside practising clinicians and educators, building relationships that outlast the apprenticeship.
Structured, Not Idle
A defined 6–12 month structure gives shape to a period that otherwise has none.
Hybrid Flexibility
Based between Hyderabad and remote work, so you can balance the apprenticeship with your own FMGE preparation.
A Head Start
Step into your first clinical posting with experience your peers spent the same months without.
How the apprenticeship works
Apply
Tell us your background and which track interests you.
Selection
A short interview to understand your interests and fit.
Track Placement
Matched to Teaching, Research or AI in Healthcare.
6–12 Months of Work
Structured, real project work with ongoing mentorship.
Outcome
A completed portfolio of work, references, and experience.
Built for portfolio careers
This is for doctors who want more than one professional identity — not just a single, linear clinical track.
Doctors Who Want a Portfolio Career
You want your career to combine clinical work with teaching, research or technology — not follow one single track.
FMGs Awaiting FMGE Results
Completed your MBBS abroad and currently preparing for, or awaiting results of, the FMGE — one of the most valuable ways to use this time.
Doctors Who want to explore Emerging fields in healthcare
You'd rather build something real during any gap period than simply wait it out.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) to apply?
No — the programme is open to any medical graduate. It's especially valuable for FMGs, given the licensing wait most face, but doctors at any stage looking to build real-world experience are welcome to apply.
I'm an FMG — do I need to have already cleared the FMGE to apply?
No — the programme works well during the waiting period too, whether you're preparing for the FMGE or awaiting your results.
Can I do this alongside my FMGE preparation?
Yes — the hybrid structure is designed with this in mind, so you can balance apprenticeship work with your own exam preparation.
Is this apprenticeship paid?
Compensation details are confirmed during the application process — get in touch to discuss the current terms.
Do I need research or teaching experience to apply?
No prior experience is required for any track — including AI in Healthcare. We build the relevant skills with you as part of the apprenticeship.
Is this fully remote, or do I need to be in Hyderabad?
The programme is hybrid — some work is based in Hyderabad, with the rest done remotely. Specifics depend on your track.
What do I actually walk away with at the end?
A completed body of real work in your chosen track, references from the doctors and educators you worked with, and a stronger, evidence-backed portfolio for your future clinical career.
Wherever you are in your career, build something real.
Apply to the Empower Apprenticeship Programme — whether you're an FMG navigating the FMGE wait, or simply looking to build a genuinely strong portfolio.
