The popularity of medical careers is nothing new; after all, this is a career path that often offers good stability and pay, and the demand for healthcare workers is never going to dissipate. That said, it’s no wonder that more and more people consider getting into the medical field, regardless of whether they’re already in medical school or are simply considering a career change. Of course, there are plenty of different fields within healthcare, but even still, it’s very important to consider some of the most important things in regards to this profession and you personally before jumping into it.
1. What Motivates You to Pursue This Career?
It’s obvious that a medical career can be very rewarding; you get to help other people and get paid well for your efforts. However, in order to achieve this fulfillment, it’s important to mention the other side of it as well.
For starters, in order to secure a job in healthcare, it’s crucial that you get proper education for it. And the education is nothing less than extensive. Furthermore, you have to be 100% confident in your own sense of responsibility. After all, you’ll be responsible for other people’s lives while working in the medical field. Not to mention that you’ll have to give your all constantly, even when working long hours filled with stressful situations – which happens a lot. That said, if the only thing that motivates you to pursue this career path is money or title, you might be better off looking into some other professions unrelated to healthcare.
2. Does Your Personality Align with Healthcare?
We all have our personality traits as well as strengths and weaknesses. This is how we often choose our career paths as well. If you’re looking into joining a medical field, it’s important to address your own personality and unique set of skills that you bring to the table. As mentioned, a medical profession requires you to be extremely hardworking and committed, with the ability to focus and pull through in stressful situations. Due to the odd hours, which are very common for healthcare, it’s also important that you’re confident in your own flexibility and resilience.
Aside from these skills, it’s still crucial to mention that your interpersonal and communication skills have to be nothing short but brilliant. You’ll be working with people who are going through very difficult moments in their lives and have lost their health. In that sense, you’ll have to show a great deal of understanding, tolerance, empathy, and maturity. If you’re prepared to give this much, you might have found your ideal career path after all.
3. Education and Training Never Stop
As mentioned, extensive education is a must for people looking to get into the healthcare field. However, many people don’t realize that the training and education don’t actually stop once they land a job. Quite the contrary, doctors, nurses, EMTs, etc., all have to retake different training courses and renew their certifications regularly. For instance, ACLS certification (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) has to be renewed about every two years and is a common requirement for almost all healthcare workers. Fortunately, the technology is on your side, and it’s possible to take part in this course and obtain your certification online as well.
4. What Type of Healthcare Job Is Right for You?
After considering your goals and motivations as well as your personality and readiness to learn constantly, it’s time to address the specific options you have when choosing the medical career path. There are many different fields within healthcare itself.
For instance, if you find that you’re natural with children and love working with them, you might find your calling in the pediatric field. On the other hand, you might crave constant rush and adrenaline and know yourself to thrive in fast-paced and even stressful situations. If you have that much energy to give, ER might be the perfect solution for you. It’s also possible to go a slower and more meticulous route with healthcare administration as well. There are plenty of different careers within the medical field so make sure to address and analyze your options carefully if you want to be happy, fulfilled, and successful.
5. The Lifestyle of Healthcare Worker
Finally, it’s important to mention that all healthcare workers lead a rather specific lifestyle, and it’s crucial that you decide whether that is something you can get behind. Long hours, pressure, and stress of working in a medical field can affect your well-being as well. What’s more, starting your own family or being able to be there for them whenever you want might prove to be a challenge when you’re a committed healthcare worker. It’s also not uncommon for those seeking to join the medical field to have to move cities, and sometimes even countries as well. That said, there will be compromises you’ll have to make if you want to take this path, and it’s important that you’re actually ready to make them before continuing.
Joining the medical field is far from easy and involves extensive education as well as some personal sacrifices. However, the fact of the matter is that if you are someone who wants to help others more than anything in the world, the healthcare profession will undoubtedly be very rewarding, fulfilling, and worth your while.
The importance of health insurance in times of pandemics
