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Healthcare professions are a staple in our lives. If we feel under the weather or have an unusual looking freckle, we book and appointment and speak with our physicians. If our children are sick, then we talk to a pediatrician. And for many of us, working in the healthcare industry can be rewarding and an opportunity for us to give back and look after the older and younger generations while making medical breakthroughs.
However, there are many medical professions for you to consider. Each medical profession has their own specialisms, and due to the long study time, you want to ensure you are entering the correct field. Here are the most rewarding medical professions:
As a dentist, your main duty is to treat a patient’s mouth, gums and teeth. While you can train to become a general dentist, you can also specialize in areas that range from treating serious oral diseases, to straightening teeth or performing oral surgeries.
While many people dread the dentist, you can make a difference by helping your patient understand how to care for their teeth properly. Your duty is to teach patients how to floss and clean their teeth well so that they won’t need that dreaded root canal.
Statistically, dentists have a low unemployment rate as dentists are necessity. If you are hoping to get into the healthcare sector, then you should consider becoming a dentist.
A nurse’s duty is to ensure that patients are monitored and cared for; however, they also perform medical procedures and administer medicine while charting a patient’s progress. Nurses have a variety of patients, from those who are healthy, to those who need medical treatment, are pregnant, or nearing the end of their life and are seeking a peaceful death.
Being a nurse can be incredibly rewarding, and there are many training programs available if you are considering entering the field of healthcare and becoming a registered nurse. For example, Baylor University offers accelerated BSN nursing programs that will allow students to gain clinical experience.
While the duties of a Physician Assistant are very similar to that of a doctor, in most states, a PA must collaborate with a licensed physician or surgeon to practice. As a PA, you will help to treat patients, diagnose illnesses and assist in surgeries. Many people decide to become a PA because the training is much quicker while they are still able to perform the same services.
There are two main types of physicians – a Doctor of Osteopathy or a Doctor of Medicine. A physician is the person we rush to when we have broken bones or find an irregular freckle – they are the people we turn to for most medical advice. Both types of physicians have the tools to treat most medical concerns; however, a Doctor of Osteopathy is more likely to also specialize in preventative medicine and holistic patient care.
There are many roles under the physician umbrella. They are gynecologists, ER doctors, dermatologists, neurologists and cardiologist amongst many other professionals.
The road to becoming a physician is a long one, and the world of medicine is continuously progressing and moving, meaning you will need to stay on top of the next big advancement.
This field is quite broad, but a speech-language pathologist will typically evaluate, diagnose and treat individuals with speech and language difficulties as well as those who have trouble with swallowing. As a speech-language pathologist, you will have a whole host of different patients, ranging from stroke victims to people who have a stutter and children who are experiencing language delays. You will meet many different people and work with them to overcome their speech problems.
Speech-language pathologists can work in a variety of settings, from rehabilitation centers and nursing homes to hospitals and in an individual’s home. You can also consider opening up your own private practice.
With communication being an essential skill in life, this career can be incredibly rewarding as you help many individuals who need extra skills and techniques to help them develop.
While people will head to their doctor if they have physically hurt themselves, many doctors will refer patients to a physical therapist so that they can overcome any physical issues that have stemmed from athletic injuries or neurological traumas. As a physical therapist, you may even work with some all-star athletes!
You job will include evaluating a patient and examining their medical records. You will then create a plan and execute rehabilitative programs designed to improve your patient’s mobility and quality of life, while focusing on improving their strength. Many treatment plans will focus on exercises and stretches – this can be via a hands-on approach or machines.
Furthermore, part of your job as a physical therapist includes educating your patients so that they can continue their recovery process and continue their treatment outside of sessions.
As the name suggests, an anesthesiologist’s role is to administer general or regional anesthesia so that surgeons and other physicians can complete invasive procedures with little to no discomfort to the patient. While the job description can seem simple, this is an intense job in healthcare as it is vital that you closely monitor a patient’s vitals before, during and after the surgery – you may also need to make quick decisions. This profession can be incredibly stressful.
As a surgeon you will operate on patients who suffer from injuries, deformities or diseases and who need surgery to ‘fix’ the issue at hand. There are many sectors for a surgeon to consider – you can become a general surgeon, or you can choose a specialization, such as neurological, plastic surgery, etc.
This is a highly stressful profession. You will need to prep, monitor, and make life altering decisions. As a surgeon, you need to be prepared for stress around every corner and remain knowledgeable.
As a pediatrician, your patients will be infants, children, teenagers and young adults. You will treat common illnesses and minor injuries, as well as administering vaccinations. Although this is considered a specialism in itself, you can break off into further subspecialties – neonatology, oncology, and psychiatry being prime examples.
So, if you are looking for a rewarding career, look no further than the healthcare field.
