Pursuing a Career in the Healthcare Industry

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If you want to pursue a degree in the medical field, you can work towards that MD. If you are interested in medicine but being a doctor doesn’t seem quite right for you, there are a host of other career paths you can follow. All these careers are rewarding and allow you to help people with their health.

Education Options

If you are planning to go to medical school, then there are steps you need to take while you are still working on your pre-med degree. Be sure to check out the prerequisites needed for the medical schools where you are applying; make sure to take all the needed classes before graduating with your bachelor’s. One of the most important things you can do to get into medical school is study for the MCAT. The AAMC recommends around 300 hours of study time for the MCAT. You must put in a lot of work to get that score you want and need. Plan so you aren’t trying to cram all that information at the last minute.

If you aren’t interested in attending Medical School, but you still wish to pursue a health related degree, consider an online MPH degree program, such as this one from Touro University Worldwide. This is a MS in Health Sciences with a concentration in Public Health. This program helps students become leaders that promote health and wellness in their communities.

Naturopaths

If you want to approach medicine from a more natural point of view, you might want to investigate becoming a naturopath. Naturopaths treat patients using a variety of natural methods. Naturopaths may recommend changes in diet or lifestyle. They may also work with the patient to find ways to reduce stress. For example they may suggest the patient take a vacation on the beach or simply spent more time outdoors in green surroundings. A naturopath could also recommend dietary supplements or exercise therapy that could help improve health conditions.

Several types of health care providers exist that use naturopathy. First, there are naturopathic physicians. These individuals complete a 4-year graduate program at a naturopathic medical school. There are also traditional naturopaths. These individuals can receive training in a variety of ways without accreditation. Last, sometimes other health care providers, such as physicians, offer a naturopathic or comprehensive approach. These individuals have received more training in these areas.

Nursing

If you want to work with patients, but you don’t want to become a physician, nursing would be an excellent choice. Nurses can work in almost any area of the medical field. Registered Nurses check the condition of patients. They can perform medical procedures and administer medicine. Nurse Practitioners, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, are registered nurses who have completed an added two to four years of schooling and received special certification. Nurse Practitioners can perform physical exams, order labs, prescribe medicine, and perform other medical related tasks that registered nurses cannot.

Therapy

If you want to help patients recover from injuries or surgery, you might consider becoming a physical therapist or an occupational therapist. Physical therapist plan programs to help a patient increase mobility, increase strength, or lessen pain after some sort of accident or surgery. In addition, physical therapists educate the patient about the recovery process. Occupational therapy focuses on helping patients learn how to perform everyday tasks. These therapists also create specialized plans for patients to help them achieve their goals. Goals can be a variety of things from the simple, such as eating, to the more complex, such as using a computer.

Psychiatry

If you are more interested in the well-being of the mind than the body, psychiatry could be a perfect career choice for you. Psychiatrist have gone to medical school and are physicians whose specialty is the mind. Just like other physicians, psychiatrists can prescribe drugs and recommend hospitalization. Psychiatry is a growing field too. The profession should grow by four percent from 2016 to 2026.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals seem like an interesting career path to you as pharmacists do much more than just fill prescriptions. They make sure that one medication will not react with other medications a patient is taking. They also direct patients on how to take medications and inform them of side effects and what to do if these side effects do show up. In order to become a pharmacist, you must register with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

If you would like to work in a pharmacy, but you don’t want to become a pharmacist, you could also consider a career as a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. Responsibilities include, supply medicines to patients, giving information to patients and healthcare professionals, and assembling medicines for prescriptions. Pharmacy technicians must also register with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Medical Equipment

You want to be involved in health, but you don’t like the idea of working in the medical field. In this case, you could consider becoming a provider for health care equipment. This way, you can help ensure people receive the supplies they need to live a healthy life, but you don’t have to go to medical school. There is a wide variety of medical equipment out there. You could focus on selling things people may need as they get older and must change their lifestyles a little bit. Extensive research is required for any specialized equipment like CPAP cleaners and it wouldn’t hurt to take the time to scan reviews of simple products like as canes and walkers.

Altogether, if you choose to contribute to the medical field, this work is important for the wellbeing of everyone in your community and pursuing a career that allows you to help others is a rewarding experience.

Doyle Fowler is one of OI's talented and experienced consultants, responsible for getting to the heart of our readers' needs and creating solutions that are meaningful to help you and your business. Doyle is also a regular contributing writer.

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