If you’re passionate about helping people and making a difference in their lives, working in healthcare can be one of the most rewarding career choices there is. Not only that but a job in the medical industry also allows for better job stability, financial security, and education opportunities.
Not convinced quite yet? Here are even more reasons why you should consider joining a career in healthcare.
A Career in Healthcare Can Help You Achieve Your Goals
Healthcare is one word that encompasses a plethora of jobs and duties. This means that depending on your interests, there is likely a field somewhere within the industry that you can explore those interests in. Not only does this possibility mean you’ll be able to put your talents and skills to good use, but with the right healthcare job, you can wake up actually looking forward to tackling the challenges of the workday.
However, with so many options and career tracks to pick from you might find yourself unsure of what direction to take. One way you can make starting a healthcare career less intimidating is by listing down your career goals. Do you want to be making a certain amount of money by a particular age? Would you like to take on a leadership role? Start a nonprofit? Help underserved communities? Healthcare can help you not only achieve your current goals but help you make new ones.
Additionally, you can give back to your community in ways a lot of careers can’t. As a dentist, you can help children (and parents) maintain healthy oral habits. As an MD, you can provide essential services such as flu shots and yearly check-ups to at-risk seniors. As a dermatologist, you can help people rebuild their confidence and self-esteem. In many ways, working within the medical field allows you to accomplish your goals, and well as help others accomplish theirs as well. It’s a win-win
Healthcare Careers Provide Stability and Adventure
Financial stability and job security is something many of us, particularly younger adults, are looking for in a career. Healthcare is a perfect fit for this need as the U.S. Bureau of Labor reports, “Employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 2.4 million new jobs … This projected growth is mainly due to an aging population, leading to greater demand for healthcare services.” People will always need healthcare. And with the continued population growth, in addition to the aging Boomer generation, earning a degree in healthcare will provide you with the freedom to move and travel as you please while still maintaining job security.
If that isn’t tempting enough, a job in healthcare is one of the most lucrative careers you can go with. While your educational level does play a role in how much you earn, a Registered Nurse, for example, makes more money than a Certified Nursing Assitant, there is usually room for growth within whatever field you pick. And, if you do need to return to school to further your education, there are numerous scholarships and grants for healthcare workers that can help pay for your schooling.
Find Job Satisfaction Through Helping Others
As important as financial satisfaction is within the workforce, many also look for jobs that can help make a difference in the lives of others. While there might be some drawbacks that accompany the benefits of becoming a healthcare worker, watching your patients succeed and overcome difficulties is one of the most rewarding experiences. Of course, on the other side of this coin, working in healthcare can also be devastating at times. Even the most professional healthcare worker can’t help but grieve over the loss of a patient.
However, don’t let the fear of emotionally-tough situations scare you away from the medical industry. There are plenty of options that don’t directly deal with patients on a day-to-day basis like a pediatrician, surgeon, or physical therapist might, while still providing the opportunity to help others. If you can’t stand the sight of blood or don’t want to handle the pressures of diagnosing someone, you can look into a career as a:
- Medical coder: The main responsibilities of a medical coder include duties such as analyzing and managing patient data, navigating digital health records systems, and coding notes from patient appointments
- Pharmacy technician: Different than a pharmacist, a pharmacy technician’s main role is to help dispense medications.
- Medical administrative assistant: Medical administrative assistants are in charge of important clerical work that helped keep medical offices up and running.
While some people might like to picture themselves rushing through the hallways of a busy hospital to get to their next open-heart surgery, the responsibilities of certain healthcare jobs aren’t for everyone. With that being said though, finding satisfaction within a healthcare occupation doesn’t always have to look like discovering the cure to cancer. Sometimes, the most satisfying aspects of healthcare can be found in small victories such as helping an elderly patient get to their doctor’s appointment on time.
Healthcare is a huge industry that really can’t be summed up easily and simply. So, before making any major career changes, research, research, research. Always weigh the pros and cons, speak directly with experts in the field if possible, and consider how you can positively contribute to the industry.