Medical Careers
Is a medical career right for me?
Trying to determine whether or not a medical career is the right choice for you can be a major decision, and it is one that should be made before entering any kind of healthcare education or training. Here are some things you should ask yourself and consider in order to make the right decision:
Why do I want to have a career in the healthcare field?
The reasons for why individuals want to have careers in the healthcare field vary. Some see lucrative job opportunities with high wages, while others feel called to the field in order to make the difference in people's lives. By determining what is driving you towards a healthcare field, you can look at other jobs that may provide the same type of reward. For example, if you want to work in healthcare because you want to help people, you might also be able to accomplish this by working for a nonprofit organization, which may suit your interests better and require less education and training.
How will I handle the healthcare education and training required?
For some individuals a job in the healthcare field sounds great, but they don't want to go through the education and training that is required of most jobs. Nursing careers don't grow on trees! If you are an individual that struggles with academic and school work, you should consider whether or not you have the resources and stamina to make it through the required education and pass any licensure or certification exams.
Do I enjoy interacting with a variety of people from all different backgrounds?
Doctors and other healthcare practitioners can't dictate who walks into their facility for treatment of an illness or ailment. Therefore, as a healthcare professional, you must be willing and ready to treat any individual, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background and more.
What health issues are important to me or what part of the body intrigues me the most?
While this is a question you want to reserve until after you have made the decision whether or not to go to medical school, it is something you should ask yourself. By finding the answers to this question, you can determine whether or not you want to remain as a general practitioner or if you want to specialize in a specific area.
Other questions you should consider asking yourself are:
- How do I react at the sight of blood, broken bones and other injuries?
- Do I care about people and want to help them?
- Do I carefully research the answer to questions I may have or look for alternative ways to solve problems?
- Do I enjoy moving around all day or would I prefer sitting at a desk the majority of my time?
- In school am I there to earn a grade or to truly learn the material being taught?