How to choose a career in healthcare

With big business cutting staff, gasoline prices on the rise, and an uncertain economy, it is important to prepare for the future. Sadly, even a well educated bachelors degree holder is at risk for being hit hard by the downturn of the economy. Healthcare is one field where your job is virtually bullet proof from recession and pays well too.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Willingness to help people
• Willingness to return to school if necessary
• Aptitude for science or willingness to learn science
• Not afraid of getting your hands dirty (because you will probably do some disecting)

1. 

   Choose a career path by doing your homework. Use the occupational outlook handbook to see what careers are growing in healthcare. Physical and occupational therapy, radiology, sonography, and nursing are some of the fastest growing professions with high pay scales and need 2 years or less of college.

2. 

   Don't do it for the money. Yes money is important but if you know you can't handle being around elderly patients with bowel movement problems, being a nurse or nurse assistant might not be right for you. If you love children and people in general and want to help others regain lost function, occupational or physical therapy might be right up your alley.

3. 

   Choose a school. For economic reasons, it only makes sense to go to your local community college. You will not have to take a lot of liberal arts classes that you will never use and you will get specific training and technical skills to make you employable.

4. 

   Apply early. Many health degree programs require you to do some visitation at a hospital or clinic to see what you are getting yourself into.

5. 

   Start taking science classes as soon as you can. Some programs won't admit you until you complete a biology or anatomy class or two. Take advantage of your college's tutoring center. At most colleges, anatomy and physiology is the most failed and repeated class. Save yourself money and time and get it right the first time if you can.

6. 

   Do the best you can in all your classes. Make friends with your classmates and form study groups. The best way to learn a subject yourself is to teach it to someone else.

7. 

   Befriend your professors, especially your program director. He or she will have resources for you to get the job you want. And if your program director sees you as a competant and friendly student, he or she will likely think of you first when a good job opportunity or scholarship slides across the desk.

8. 

   You will have trying days where you want to throw in the towel. Ask any current or former allied health student and they will confirm this. Keep your eyes on your goal of stable and meaningful employment. Remember what your sacrifices now will get you later.

Tips & Warnings

• Treat your internships or clinical experience as you would your job. These companies can be your best resource for future employment and references.