How to Choose the Right Career in Healthcare

clinical hospital

Healthcare is the umbrella term that refers to all the various types of care and services that people use to maintain their health. It includes everything from preventive measures to necessary treatments and surgeries.

There are many different types of healthcare providers, ranging from primary care physicians to specialists to hospitals. The type of provider you see will depend on your particular needs.

Preventive care is one of the most important aspects of healthcare. It includes things like routine check-ups, immunizations, and screenings for various diseases. This kind of care can help you avoid illness and injury, or catch problems early when they’re easier to treat.

Diagnostic care is another important part of healthcare. This involves tests and procedures that help identify a problem or disease. Once a diagnosis has been made, your doctor can develop a treatment plan to address the issue.

Treatment options vary depending on the problem being treated. They can include medication, surgery, lifestyle changes, or other therapies. Your doctor will work with you to determine the best course of action based on your individual situation.

Reasons to choose a career in healthcare

There are many reasons to choose a career in healthcare. It is a stable and growing industry with plenty of job opportunities. It is also a field that offers a great deal of satisfaction, as you can help others improve their health and quality of life. Here are just a few reasons to consider healthcare as your chosen profession:

1. Job stability

One of the main reasons to choose healthcare as your career is for the job stability it offers. The healthcare industry is always growing, so there are always new job opportunities opening up. And even if there are cuts in funding or jobs lost due to restructuring, there will still be plenty of other positions available in different parts of the healthcare system. So no matter what happens, you can be confident that you’ll always have a job in healthcare.

2. Good salary and benefits

Another great reason to pursue a career in healthcare is for the good salary and benefits that come with most jobs in this field. Healthcare professionals are well-paid, and they also often receive excellent benefits packages including medical insurance and retirement plans. So not only will you be doing something you love, but you’ll also be financially secure in your career choice.

3. Helping Others

Perhaps the best reason to choose healthcare as your career is because of the satisfaction you’ll get from helping others improve their health and quality of life. As a healthcare professional, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives – and that’s something that can be very rewarding both personally and professionally.

patient with nurse bed

Common job titles in healthcare

Healthcare is an ever-growing industry with a wide range of job titles. The most common healthcare job titles include:

  1. Registered Nurse (RN) – One of the most common healthcare job titles, RNs provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide emotional support to patients and their families.
  2. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) – An LPN provides basic nursing care under the supervision of an RN or physician. Duties may include taking vital signs, administering medication, and providing wound care.
  3. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – CNAs help patients with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating, and using the restroom. They also take vitals signs and report any changes in a patient’s condition to the nurse in charge.
  4. Medical Assistant (MA) – MAs perform both administrative and clinical tasks in a medical office or clinic setting. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, and billing insurance companies; clinical tasks may include taking patient histories and performing basic lab tests.

How to find a job in healthcare

The healthcare industry is one of the most stable and secure industries in the United States. The industry is projected to grow at a rate of 14 percent from 2019 to 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This means that there will be about 1.9 million new jobs added to the economy during this time period.

If you’re looking for a job in healthcare, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of landing a position. First, research the different types of jobs available in healthcare so you can identify which roles best match your skills and interests. Next, create a strong resume and cover letter that highlight your experience and qualifications. Finally, reach out to your network of contacts and let them know you’re interested in working in healthcare so they can keep an eye out for open positions or refer you to potential employers.

Healthcare is a vast and growing industry with many different types of jobs available. To find the right role for you, start by researching the different types of positions that exist within healthcare organizations. Here are some common examples:

Administrative roles:

These positions support the day-to-day operations of a healthcare facility by managing finances, handling customer service inquiries, scheduling appointments, and maintaining medical records.

Clinical roles:

Clinical positions directly care for patients by providing diagnoses, performing treatments, administering medications, and educating patients on their condition and how to manage it effectively. Common clinical roles include doctors, nurses, physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), pharmacists, therapists/counselors, social workers, dietitians/nutritionists, genetic counselors ,and more.

Supportive roles:

Supportive positions help ensure that patients receive high-quality care by providing administrative support or assisting clinicians with patient care tasks such as taking vitals signs or transporting patients between rooms. Many times, these team members have close interactions with patients as well. Common supportive roles include medical assistants, unit secretaries / clerks, patient transporters, environmental services technicians, dietary aides / nutrition services assistants, physical therapy aides among others .

Ancillary roles: Ancillary staff provide additional support services not related directly to patient care such as billing/coding, human resources, information technology, marketing/public relations.

There are many job boards available online that can help those in the healthcare field find a job, whether it’s as an assistant or jobs in physical therapy. They list current openings and allow users to search for jobs by keyword, location, or company. Many also include salary information and reviews from employees. 

Salaries in the healthcare industry

In the healthcare industry, salaries vary widely depending on the type of job, level of experience, and geographical location. For example, a registered nurse in the United States with one year of experience can expect to earn an average salary of $33,000 per year. A doctor in the same country with 10 years of experience may earn an annual salary of $200,000 or more.

Healthcare salaries also differ based on whether the position is in a hospital or private practice setting. In general, those working in hospitals tend to earn higher salaries than those employed in private practices. This is because hospitals typically have larger budgets and can therefore afford to pay their employees more money. Additionally, positions that require more training and education (such as doctors and surgeons) usually come with higher salaries than entry-level positions (such as nurses and medical assistants).

Geographical location is another important factor that affects healthcare salaries. For instance, someone working as a registered nurse in New York City will likely earn a higher salary than someone with the same job title in rural Montana. This is because cost of living expenses are typically higher in large cities like New York City, which means employers must pay their workers more money just to cover basic costs like housing and food.

Doctor with tablet
NEC-Medical-137 – Photo by: NEC Corporation of America

Finally, it’s worth noting that women continue to earn less than men across all occupations in the healthcare industry (and most other industries). According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women working full-time earned only 82% of what men earned in 2018. This wage gap exists at all levels of experience and education; even when comparing male and female physicians with identical qualifications, women still earned 26% less than their male counterparts last year.

How technology is helping solve healthcare challenges

Over the past decade, technology has made incredible advances in many different industries – and healthcare is no exception. From patient care to administrative tasks, there are now a host of technological solutions available to help solve some of the biggest healthcare challenges faced by organizations and individuals alike.

One of the most important ways that technology is helping healthcare is by making it more patient-centric. Thanks to innovations like electronic health records (EHRs), patients are now able to have greater control over their own health data and information. They can easily access their medical history, medications, test results, and more – which not only empower them to make better decisions about their own health, but also helps them be more engaged in their care. In addition, online appointment scheduling and telehealth services make it easier for patients to receive the care they need when and where it’s convenient for them.

On the provider side, technology is also playing a major role in improving patient care. EHRs give providers quick and easy access to critical patient information – which can help them make more informed decisions about diagnosis and treatment.

Of course, technology isn’t just benefiting patients and providers – it’s also having a positive impact on healthcare organizations as a whole. For example, big data analytics is being used by many hospitals to improve things like population health management and disease prevention programs.

Additionally, machine learning is being leveraged by some insurers to detect fraud faster and improve risk assessment processes. And blockchain is beginning to be explored as a way to securely store sensitive patient data (such as medical records) and streamline claims processing times between payers.

Largest healthcare companies in the world

The largest healthcare companies in the world are Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and Roche. These companies are all based in the United States, but their products and services are available globally.

They offer a wide range of products and services that cater to different segments of the healthcare industry, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer health products, and biotechnology.

Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson is one of the oldest and most diversified healthcare companies in the world. It was founded in 1886 and has since grown into a multinational conglomerate with over 250 subsidiaries. The company’s product portfolio includes everything from baby shampoo to life-saving cancer treatments. In recent years, Johnson & Johnson has been embroiled in several legal scandals, but it remains one of the most trusted brands in America.

Novartis

Novartis is a Swiss pharmaceutical company that was founded in 1996 through the merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz Laboratories. Novartis is now one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world with over $50 billion in annual sales. The company’s product portfolio includes treatments for cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, eye care, and more. Novartis has been criticized for its high prices for some drugs; however, it continues to be a leading innovator in the pharmaceutical industry.

Roche

Roche is a Swiss multinational healthcare company that was founded in 1896 by Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche. Roche is best known for its line of diagnostic tests and cancer treatments; however, it also manufactures a wide range of other pharmaceuticals and consumer health products. Roche is one of the few companies that have successfully navigated both patent cliffs and generic competition to remain profitable throughout its history.