If you consider helping people a top priority of yours, then when it comes to finding the perfect career, you may have naturally settled your gaze on the goal of working in healthcare. Even if you have no formal training or medical schooling, the healthcare system requires a lot more than doctors alone to give the people the care that they need. Here, we’re going to look at some of the roles you should look into, what they entail, and what kind of training they might require.
Nursing
One of the most essential roles in any medical facility, a career in nursing is likely to require a degree the higher that you climb in the role, but entry-level positions like working as a licensed practical nurse typically do not. You may have to go through specific certification programs or to study for associate degrees which typically take two years. Once you do, however, you will be able to work as the first point of contact for patients, monitoring their condition, giving them medication, and helping them through the process of recovery. Nurses can find employment outside of hospitals and clinics, too, through schools, nursing homes, and more.
Healthcare Marketing
Although it might not involve hands-on working with patients or providing care in any real way, the healthcare industry continues to grow and, as such, requires marketers to help it do so. Marketing is a skill that can help you get a career in almost any industry, but specializing your skills in the medical industry requires you to learn a lot about the services clinics and other healthcare organizations provide, and how best to communicate those services to the market that they serve. Of course, it also requires you to bring the knowledge of how digital marketing platforms work, from social media to email marketing and beyond.
Virtual Assistant
The sheer amount of paperwork and administrative work that has to be done is a well-recognized feature of the medical industry. For many practices, without someone to help them handle it, doctors, nurses, and managers can get swamped in this work. The role of a medical virtual assistant is to help handle that burden by scheduling appointments, managing patient records, answering basic inquiries, and more, freeing up the time that medical staff would be better spending on patients. While you’re not likely to need a specific degree for this work, the ability to demonstrate strong organizational skills and the use of office software is vital.
Dental Assistant
If you’re looking for a more hands-on role, then you might want to join a dental practice as a dental assistant. The dental assistant works right alongside dentists and, as such, is required to complete a certificate or diploma program but this usually takes only a year to complete. Aside from preparing treatment rooms, dental assistants sterilize instruments, provide suction during procedures, and also help to handle administrative work, such as updating patient records.
Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacies are vital in maintaining our healthcare system and organizing and providing the medication prescribed to patients. While working as a pharmacist does require a medical degree, pharmacy technicians only tend to have to complete a certification program, which can include on-the-job training. Their role is to measure, package, and label prescriptions, ensuring that patients get the correct instructions alongside them. This is a customer-facing role in most cases, so being able to demonstrate some skill in customer service is also typically required. Aside from working in pharmacies, technicians can also work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and more.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Physical therapy plays a major role in rehabilitating those who are unable to live full, independent lives, helping them recover from injuries, surgeries, and illnesses. A physical therapist assistant works directly with PTs, implementing their treatment plans, overseeing patients doing exercises, and working with any specialized equipment designed to rehabilitate patients. Becoming a PTA usually requires you to earn an associate degree from an accredited program, taking the average person about two years to complete. Many PTAs do go on to become physical therapists by earning a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, which takes around three years.
The list of healthcare careers that don’t require a medical degree featured above is far from exhaustive. There are plenty of other examples, many of which could see you providing hands-on care to patients, while others see you supporting medical organizations and the system in a more hands-off role. Whatever the case, if working in healthcare is your aim, there is a wide range of different ways to go about it.