Choosing a career can be tricky, primarily since new professions are often sprouting, many driven by the need to adapt to modern technology. There are no guarantees that careers in new and rising fields can provide long-term security. Ever-changing employment trends can be a cause of instability, potentially leaving you jobless.
If you are looking for stability, choose a career in the healthcare industry. This field offers job security and a sense of fulfillment in being able to impact people’s lives. However, not everyone can be a healthcare worker in just a snap. Standards are more stringent as lives are at stake. If you want to learn how you could land a career in the healthcare industry, read on:
Get A Healthcare-Related Degree
Getting a degree related to the field is mandatory in primary health professions as human lives are at stake. Healthcare jobs are not where you can be chill and go with the flow as it allows no room for mistakes, lest you endanger lives or health.
Primary healthcare professions include nursing, psychology, public health, occupational health and safety, medical technology, pharmacy, and dentistry.
One of the most popular and in-demand careers in healthcare is nursing, which is deemed the healthcare backbone. If you’d like to fill in the missing seats at a hospital, finish a nursing degree, and pass the licensure exam to ensure that you’re knowledgeable and capable of saving lives.
Remember that regardless of your choice of a degree, passing the licensure exam is a requirement in becoming a healthcare professional.
Take Short Courses
If you don’t have the time to take a four-year degree course and board exams, you can still be a healthcare worker by taking short courses. However, don’t expect to receive the salary level that your better-trained peers are getting. As a rule, the higher level of education, the higher pay that you could expect.
Nonetheless, short courses that could last from one to two years help you to become a healthcare worker. It includes being a physiatrist aid, physical therapy assistant, medical assistant, clinical lab technician, EMT, dental hygienist, occupational therapy aid, and phlebotomist, among the many.
If you lack the time and money to take short courses but still leaning towards getting into the healthcare profession, take entry-level positions such as medical transcriptionist, orderlies, and pharmacy technicians. Usually, they only require a high-school diploma while offering on-the-job training, as well.
Bear in mind that it’s almost mandatory in the healthcare field to take CPR or ACL training to provide support during emergencies in and out of the hospital.
Gain Experience
If you’d like to have an edge in the healthcare industry, you should acquire the necessary experience as hospitals prioritize experiences in hiring new staff.
Companies usually go for tenured applicants due to their know-how of clinical processes and familiarity in the healthcare environment.
To gain experience, you may volunteer at a retirement home or hospital. Volunteer for work in line with your chosen career to enable you to work with a doctor and a patient.
On the other hand, you could also take internships that allow you to get a more hands-on experience with your profession. But don’t expect to get paid as internships are usually similar to volunteer work; only it provides more practical training.
With internships, you’ll be able to see actual work situations of what you’re about to go through. It would prepare you for what’s in store, including the job culture. There’s a chance that your internship could lead to a full-time position if your superiors loved the way you handled the workload.
Networking
The moment you start studying for a healthcare career, you should immediately build your network. Networking plays a vital role in how you’ll be able to land a career in your chosen field.
You can join professional groups in your area to get in touch with those from the same line of work. They could help with getting job recommendations or discovering job opportunities.
Moreover, you could reach out to family or friends in the medical field to help you gather acquaintances who could help to land your first job.
Besides networking, look for mentors who could help you set your path to your desired healthcare profession. Mentors advise on what you should do to land a job, such as experiences and extra skills needed. They could also give insights into new technologies that could help jumpstart your career and guide you on career choices. On top of all of this, mentors can give hiring recommendations if they see your full potential.
Start Searching For Your New Job
After you’ve completed your degree or certification, gathered enough experience, and built your network, it’s time to look for a job.
You could search for jobs in industries where your peers work and ask for their recommendations or referrals. You could also reach out to your networks to give you a helping hand with landing a job.
Moreover, you can always apply to companies on your own. Submit your resume that includes your education, certifications, experiences, and character reference, along with a focused cover letter stating your desire to be a part of the company.
You can start your search by looking for any job openings online and attending career fairs and workshops. Practice mock interviews that help you prepare for any potential questions that may arise. A friend or a family member from the healthcare field may conduct a mock interview for you.
Before heading to the interview, make sure that you’ve done thorough research about the company and the position that you’re applying for, as the employers need to see motivation and sincerity about being part of the industry.
Top Healthcare Professions
Being in the healthcare industry gives you the fulfillment of helping save other people’s lives. Furthermore, this career path provides job stability as it’s essential to lives and will always be in high demand. A healthcare job also offers competitive salaries that increase with more certification and education.
Careers That Require At least a Bachelor Education
If you’re leaning toward a primary healthcare profession, you need to complete a bachelor’s degree followed by either a doctorate or a master’s degree land a job. As it can take more years to complete, the work will be loaded, along with its pay.
Listed below are the top healthcare professions that you should consider:
- Physical Therapist
Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree
The physical therapist helps patients recover and manage their injuries or any long-term illnesses that affect their physical movements. Among a physical therapist’s duties is to create a strategic plan and program for a speedy and proper recovery of patients, allowing them to function normally.
- Physician
Education Required: Doctorate Degree
Physicians diagnose the conditions of patients and prescribe medications. They interpret diagnostic tests and provide appropriate treatment. While it requires you to finish a doctorate to become a physician, the salary will be worth it as physicians are essential assets in the healthcare industry.
- Registered Nurse
Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree
Registered Nurses (RN) guide and fulfill patients’ medical needs, such as medicine administration, assessments, and daily activities. An RN should work closely with the physician and healthcare staff to know any patient’s specific care plans.
- Dentist
Education Required: Doctorate Degree
A dentist is responsible for taking care of oral health, such as removing tooth decay, extracting teeth, filling cavities, repairing broken teeth, and dental cleaning. Dentists also provide patients with proper care instruction of their teeth, including any diet specifications that affect oral health.
- Veterinarian
Education Required: Doctorate Degree
If you’re a true animal lover, you’ll find joy in being a veterinarian. A vet is responsible for maintaining good health in animals. They administer medications and provide treatment to animals, including surgery.
Careers That Require Certifications
If you’re eager to be a part of the healthcare industry sans a degree, there are job opportunities that await. However, you need to have extensive experience and certification to be part of the field as lives are greatly affected.
Listed below are some of the healthcare career opportunities you could have, even without a degree:
- Medical Scribe
Education Required: High School Diploma
A medical scribe is responsible for digitally filing medical charts using electronic medical records software. With their assistance, physicians can focus on treating the patient and need not write down documentation.
- Medical Assistant
Education Required: CMA Certification
A medical assistant mainly does administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, bookkeeping, updating medical records, and preparing patients for diagnostic exams. However, duties will vary depending on what their superiors assign to them. Medical assistants need to maintain their CMA certification every five years for validity and to earn generous salaries.
- Phlebotomist
Education Required: Phlebotomy Certification
Phlebotomists collect blood from a person for donation or blood testing for illnesses. They are required to maintain their certification every year for validity.
- Ultrasound Technician
Education Required: Associate Degree
Ultrasound technicians operate ultrasound equipment to help diagnose ailment. They submit the ultrasound examination result to the physician, who would communicate it to the patient.
Ultrasound technicians can specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, breast, abdominal, vascular, pediatric, or cardiac sonography. An ultrasound technician should be certified to work in most hospitals, clinics, or health centers. Depending on which type of ultrasound certification earned, renewal is required every few years for validity.
- Dental Assistant
Education Required: Associate Degree
The dental assistant’s responsibility is to prepare dental tools needed by the attending dentist. They should sanitize them before and after each use and hand them over to the dentist during the dental process. A dental assistant is also responsible for handling records and appointment scheduling. However, duties may vary depending on the state or establishment.
Conclusion
Landing a career in the healthcare industry is rewarding as you’ll be able to impact people’s lives. A healthcare career is also stable and provides excellent pay. However, it takes real determination and knowledge to finish a degree or certification. Ensure that you’ve completed all of the requirements needed to land a job, including your education and experiences. Lastly, make sure that you take your job seriously as a life could be at stake with a single mistake.
Conclusion
Landing a career in the healthcare industry is rewarding as you’ll be able to impact people’s lives. A healthcare career is also stable and provides excellent pay. However, it takes real determination and knowledge to finish a degree or certification. Ensure that you’ve completed all of the requirements needed to land a job, including your education and experiences. Lastly, make sure that you take your job seriously as life could be at stake with a single mistake.