Does Grey’s Anatomy, E/R, and Scrubs make your list of favorite TV shows? Perhaps you sailed through Biology and Chemistry at college while everyone else struggled to pass. Does the fact that you have dreamed of a career in the healthcare industry mean it’s right for you? If you are considering a career in the medical field, here are a few things to think through.
What Motivates You to Pursue a Healthcare Career?
What are your hopes for this endeavor? Is it important to you to help others? Are you passionate about math and science? Are you motivated by money? You may be prompted to pursue a career in health care for all of these reasons.
However, if you are more interested in living a life like a television Doctor, think again. Despite the fact that a medical career is extremely rewarding and often financially rewarding, healthcare professionals often experience high levels of stress1, and the field requires plenty of hard work, dedication, and persistence.
As long as your goals and objectives align with those of your family members or friends, you can think about health care. Ultimately, it is up to you to live with your decision. Keeping focused later on will be easier if you understand your motives.
What is Your Plan for Getting Education and Training?
Understand what degree, diploma, and training are required for various medical jobs. As a doctor or as a nurse at a high level, you can expect to invest considerable time and money. Consider how you will finance the required education, and how you will balance that with the time necessary to complete all of the coursework.
In addition to becoming a physician, if you do not have the time to devote to school and training,-2 you may want to consider becoming a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner, which does not require as much training.
Prepare ahead to reduce your tuition bill by thousands of dollars, or apply for financial aid if you still intend on pursuing a career that calls for an expensive degree.
What Skills and Strengths Do You Have for the Healthcare Industry?
It takes a different personality and skill set to succeed in each health field. There are, however, a few common attributes that most health care careers require in some way. Communication skills are a must along with some level of mathematical or technical knowledge. In addition, many medical jobs require a substantial amount of maturity and responsibility. The quality of your work could affect the well-being or even the life of your patient.
If you enjoy learning new things, that quality will serve you well as a healthcare professional, since the healthcare field is constantly changing due to advances in technology, advanced procedures, new treatments, and even new diseases.
Are You Best Suited For A Specific Role Within The Healthcare Field?
How would you describe your passion? The medical field has something to offer everyone, regardless of their driving force. Nurses and doctors are professions you may have considered. There is, however, a whole world of opportunity waiting for allied health care professionals.
You could choose to work in cardiology (heart health) if it is a cause that moves you — you could become a cardiologist, cardiovascular technician, cardiac nurse, or cardiac perfusionist. Work in pediatrics if you are passionate about kids. Each medical specialty offers jobs suitable for people of all educational backgrounds and experience levels. It is possible that your dream job is within reach no matter what your education level is!
Where Would You Like To Work?
What kind of environment would you be most comfortable and productive in? As an example, if hospitals seem too cold or too large, you probably shouldn’t be a surgeon or a nurse. In hospice environments, where patients are typically treated in their final days, those who are easily depressed might not be the best candidates. You may not be dealing regularly with mortality or serious illness as a nurse in a pediatric office or school.
You might be happier as a pathologist in a morgue if you don’t enjoy interacting with people… You may prefer not to have so many questions from your patients. Have you ever considered working on a military base, a cruise ship, or even a submarine?
What Long-Term Impact Will Your Healthcare Career Have On Your Family And Personal Life?
You should think about how your schooling, training, and life after you are hired will affect you and your family. If you want to be a doctor or nurse, you might have to work nights or weekends while you are on call. You may also have costs that are associated with your jobs such as parking fees, costs when you shop nursing accessories at Uniform Advantage, or ongoing costs to consider.
Do you have the option of finding a job or a residence in your area, or will you need to relocate? Are you and your family ready to relocate if it’s necessary? Your family will also face financial constraints, how will this affect them? Before you begin investing your time, energy, and money toward getting a new career in healthcare, make sure you give this some thought.
What Can You Expect From A Medial Career?
Those who say they want to work in healthcare may overlook the fact that there are many facets to the field. Continue reading to discover what you can expect if you decide to pursue a career in healthcare administration, public health, nursing, or any other healthcare career:
Demand For Services Is High
Healthcare workers are in high demand as a growing proportion of our population is aging. Therefore, you are likely to find employment upon graduation, and that is a great benefit for you. There is, however, competition in addition to this higher demand. Both more experienced and more educated candidates are hired by employers who will take note of those who are advancing their education. As a result, healthcare professionals should continue to further their education.
Healthcare Field Mission
It is all about improving patient care and giving help to others in the healthcare industry. The service you provide to the community around you is a vital element of the overall mission of doctors, nurses, and other related professions everywhere. Seeing the improvements your patients make will make these careers rewarding.
Taking Social Responsibility
You will also have a major social responsibility in addition to serving your community. It follows therefore that civil servants have to conduct themselves ethically in order to remain employed. As a result, there may come a time in your career when you will need to face some difficulties. You will be able to help the patient, their family, and yourself deal with hardships when you have a strong disposition.
When Deciding On A specialty, There Are A Number Of Factors To Be Considered
You should think about where you see yourself, how you prefer to schedule your time, and whether or not you have other responsibilities to consider before pursuing a field you love. A person with children might not be able to pursue a specialty like surgery, for example, as it would require a great deal of time and effort.
Friends And Family May Start To Seek Your Advice
As a doctor, one of the most noticeable changes you experience is that loved ones will probably come to you for medical advice. Your perspective can now be invaluable to family members who would have never before considered asking you whether they should seek treatment.
You Will Develop Meaningful Strong Relationships
Medical school and residency are the places where anyone can make friends for life. As students study for licensing exams, complete clinical rotations, and go through residency, they form meaningful relationships.
You’ll Find That You Are Capable Of More Than You Thought Possible
Almost all pre-med students are aware of the challenges of medical school. However, the most surprising thing is realizing you can keep pushing yourself when you don’t think you will learn anything more. It’s likely that you will become an even better student after your studies too.
If you enjoy constantly learning new things, then medicine is a great career choice for you. School for medicine is merely the beginning of an educational process that will last for the rest of one’s life.
In Summary
Those with an interest in science can find medical careers to be rewarding, fulfilling, and lucrative. Applicants to graduate medical schools face fierce competition and training can be long and unsociable, especially for those pursuing long-term careers. In addition to being capable of assimilation and application of knowledge under pressure, the care of other people is a prerequisite. Graduates of medicine have a wide range of career options, with over 100 medical specialties to choose from. In addition to specialization, you should be aware that there are a variety of roles within specializations to meet your interests.
Are you considering a career in the medical industry? What research have you done? Please share some of your ideas in the comments below.