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Module Six:. Health Career Exploration. Objectives:. Students will: Discuss the broad range of careers in health care and related fields Describe the difference between associate and baccalaureate programs Describe personal qualities of health professionals
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Module Six: Health Career Exploration
Objectives: Students will: • Discuss the broad range of careers in health care and related fields • Describe the difference between associate and baccalaureate programs • Describe personal qualities of health professionals • Describe the value of volunteer service in preparation for a health career
Why Choose a Career in Health Care? • Very rewarding, noble work in helping others. • Fastest growing careers are in health care for example nursing & physical therapy. • Shortage of workers now, and due to the aging population, even more will be needed. • Great salaries and flexible work schedules. • Many opportunities to work with different populations and age groups. • You are valuable and you can make a difference in your community!
Personal Qualities & Skills Needed to Work in Health Care. • Caring Attitude! • Commitment to improving health and wellbeing of others. • Sensitivity to cultural diversity. • Good Communication skills. • Knowledge of another language helpful. • Sense of team work, with fair & ethical value system. • Strong leadership skills. • Commitment to life long learning. • Critical thinker and problem solver.
The Range of Health Careers • Therapeutic: nurse, doctor, dentist, dietitian, physical therapist, physician assistant, pharmacist, social worker & more. • Diagnostic: lab technologist, X-ray tech, phlebotomist, nuclear medicine, pathologist & more. • Health Informatics: clerk, medical coder, insurance specialist, health educator, Public Health, Librarian & more. • Support Services: biomedical engineer, central Service, food service, materials management & more. • Biotechnology: biochemist, microbiologist, research scientist & more.
Variety of Work settings • Clinics, hospitals, office settings • Home care, hospice • Industry • Mental health agencies • Public health departments • Schools • Military and more
Variety for a lifetime • Variety in work settings • Many specialties such as pediatrics, surgery • Advance your career to administration, education or clinical • Work with different patient populations such as the elderly • Travel opportunities
National Health Service Corps • After college, think about serving the underserved in areas of the country most in need of your help. • Loan repayment and scholarship programs available. • www.nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov • Check it out!
How Long Does it Take? • Certificate programs- such as nurse aide and medical assistant take as little as 3 months to 1 year to train • Associate degrees- such as RN, physical therapy assistant takes 2 years @ a community college • Baccalaureate degree- such as social work, medical lab tech takes 4 years @ a college or university.
High School Preparation- - college prep if possible • Math courses-3-4 years • Science courses (with a lab)3-4 years • English courses-4 years • Social Studies/History courses-3years • Language-2-4 years of same one • Choose electives wisely! • Computer applications, be computer literate, it’s vital for college!
You Can Start Preparing NOW for a Career • Do well in school, study, focus • Take the courses that will prepare you for health career programs after high school • Participate in the Youth Health Service Corps, to get “hands on experience” Volunteer and participate in Service Learning Projects • Make your self an unique applicant for college
Stick Out!!! “In my list of extra-curriculars, I chose not to focus on the activities that a lot of students in my school did, such as honor society and class council. Thinking back, I may have even omitted such things from my application altogether. Instead, I talked about my achievements that were distinctive and different, such as an international charity club I founded in my sophomore year. I knew that no one else from my high school, or maybe even the nation, had done such a thing. It made me unique. Such “somethings” will make you an interesting and distinctive applicant, someone who stands out from the crowd in a special way.” –Sarah Wallace