If you are considering a career in healthcare as a high school or college student, you have come to the right place. A career in medicine isn’t just a job; it’s a calling. Those who are drawn to medicine often make excellent candidates for a career in this field.
In addition, people with all levels of education and experience can find exciting opportunities in the healthcare field. In fact, this is an exciting time to join the healthcare industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), healthcare jobs will grow by 16% by 2030. In other words, there will be about 16.97 million more jobs will be available in healthcare.
However, before getting excited to join the industry, it’s important to remember the factors that make it unique. This article lists eight criteria that can help students decide if the medicine is the right career path for them.
- Various Areas Of Interests
While MBA in healthcare programs is often standard, nursing has several branches, allowing students to pick the desired field. Those who like spending time with children can take a pediatric nurse course; those who enjoy taking care of elders can choose an AGNP nurse program, or those who love to travel can opt to become travel nurses. However, the duration of study for each nursing degree is the same, depending on the level you want to get to.
For instance, a nurse interested in taking care of the elderly can start their career by acquiring the title of Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) following nursing licensure. This will get them started as a nurse. After this, they can enroll in an Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner course online to advance their career while saving time and costs. To reach their ideal level of career, they have choices to study advanced practice registered nurses, all of which are available both online and in class.
- A Long Period of Education
Getting into the medical field requires extensive hours of study. In order to become a doctor, students spend an average of 14 years in school and residencies.
As we discussed before, the medical field is more than just doctors. There are nurses, healthcare administrators, and other professionals. While each requires the same level of hard work, some of these careers may allow less expensive study hours and licenses compared to a doctor. For instance, a healthcare administrator can start their career with an MBA, and nurses have the facility of moving up the career ladder by taking online classes. Both jobs are becoming increasingly popular and can take between six and eight years altogether.
- Salary
Students’ decision to enter the medical field is often influenced by salary. Most jobs offer large salaries, which makes sense. Even at the start of their careers, surgeons and physicians can earn over $100,000.
A plastic surgeon’s, physician’s, or any other medical professional’s salary is influenced by several factors. This includes factors such as the cost of living in a particular region, an individual’s educational background, accreditation, licensing, and previous work experience. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that many students enter the workforce with debt, which means that much of their salary could be going towards repaying that debt.
- Opportunities for Employment
A growing number of jobs are available in medicine, with roughly 400,000 new jobs added every year on average. There is no doubt that the medical sector is the largest employer in the U.S., and that number is only going to rise.
As a result, there will be a lot of competition for specific jobs. If students wish to become licensed for their profession, they should keep in mind that specialized fields often require additional certifications.
- Lifestyle
Medical professionals often face work overload and are subject to a stressful, busy lifestyle. The lifestyle of a medical professional is not without challenges, whether it’s physicians being on call round the clock, surgeons and nurses performing operations, to technicians monitoring medical technology.
- Training Costs
Most students who want to pursue a medical career must attend medical school or other graduate programs before getting a job in the field. American students often incur $100,000 or more in debt because of the extra training they receive. Tuition increases are expected to raise this number each year.
The cost of training for a medical professional can be high, but there are programs to help ease the burden. For most students, however, debt will still be an issue. For students seeking to specialize in medicine, the cost of training is an important factor.
- Situations Involving Teamwork
Professionalism in medicine is about teamwork. The professionals in hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities are integral to saving lives.
As a result, students should think carefully about whether they want to become part of a team. In order to save lives, medical professionals need to collaborate with their colleagues, which makes medicine an unsuitable profession for the independent-minded person.
- The Right Personality Fit
Is it really important that a student has a personality that fits? In medicine, it can have a significant impact. It’s because a student’s interests, values, and goals can influence their medical career choice.
Students with compassion, hard work, and analytical skills are the best candidates. The health care field is person-oriented, so students need to learn how to control their temper, deliver news compassionately, communicate with colleagues and patients accurately, and more.
- Commitment to Serving Others
Before beginning their medical career, any student should ask themselves how they plan to serve others. Students must be passionate about saving lives because medicine is geared toward saving lives.
Medicine is an excellent field for those who want to improve the lives of others; nevertheless, not everyone feels compelled to make this kind of contribution to society. To consider whether a job in medicine is the right choice for them, students must first sit down and think about it. However, the area has a lot of areas of interest. When it comes to services, students can pick any healthcare profession to suit their interests.
Healthcare is an extremely rewarding and lucrative field. However, working in healthcare isn’t just about career growth. It’s an area where you can help many people as well. Every day, healthcare professionals contribute to the health of the community. This is why a career in healthcare requires careful consideration.