Finding Your Passion in the Health Career Industry
The health career industry is a widely varied one, with many facets and outlets for different skills, personalities, passions, and motivations.
Some might imagine that to work in the health industry, you must begin by pursuing a pre-medical undergraduate degree immediately post-high school, move swiftly onto medical school, and compete to become the top doctor in your region. But the truth is, becoming a physician is only one way to be involved in the medical field. There are myriad others available to someone looking to find a way to engage their passion.
Volunteer in Your Community
Maybe you already have a job you love, but don’t feel that it helps you make a difference in the world as much as you’d like. Perhaps you feel eager for a change, but are hesitant to take the plunge and shell out money and lose your free time to schooling. If you want to feel sure about your passion for the health career industry before taking a big step, become a volunteer.
Volunteering in a hospital, nursing home, shelter, rehab facility, or school in your area is a great way to observe and support the daily operations of health professionals like nurses, nurse practitioners, specialists, and doctors. Throughout this experience, you’ll find ways to connect to medical staff and patients, help serve your community and perhaps consider a specific area of health careers you’d like to specialize in. Many volunteer opportunities will pair you with a specific kind of patient, whether it be an addiction center, injury/trauma recovery facility, elder care environment or pediatric ward.
Become a Nurse or Aide
If after you become a volunteer in a medical facility you find yourself daydreaming about holding the hand of a patient’s loved one during a procedure, or supporting a medical team with your sharp attention to detail, working as a nurse or an aide might be a happier place for you to delve into the world of healthcare as a professional. At HCI, you can earn your degree or diploma almost entirely online and begin working in the field within two years.
