Around 14% of US workers are in the healthcare industry. It’s a thriving, diverse, rewarding, and challenging industry where no two days are the same.
It’s no wonder you’re interested in pursuing a career in medicine.
But there are so many career options within healthcare, how do you choose the best one for you? Well, not making some common mistakes when choosing a medical career is a great place to start!
Here are some of the pitfalls to avoid.
Not Considering All Your Options
If you talk to a career counselor about pursuing a career in the medical industry, they may suggest becoming a doctor or nurse. But there are many other career choices! Here are some of the other options:
- Home Health Aide
- Pharmacist
- Sonographer
- Lab Technician
- Medical billing and coding
- Dentist
- Veterinarian
- Radiographer
- Phlebotomist
- Optometrist
And there are so many other career paths and different fields of medicine you can work in, too.
You need specific qualifications and work experience for many medical jobs that don’t cross over to other occupations. So, it’s better to be 100% sure before you pick one.
Failing to Ask Questions
So many people choose a career in medicine based on what they think they know about the job rather than reality.
Reach out to some people who have your ideal job and ask them about their experience. If you’re already at college, ask for contacts through your faculty or find people through LinkedIn.
They might also help you choose the best classes to take and where to apply for work experience.
Not Broadening Your Horizons
There are plenty of opportunities for medical careers in the US or wherever you live. But why not broaden your horizons and consider a medical career overseas?
You could gain invaluable medical experience that you might not get close to home.
There are lots of humanitarian organizations like Doctors Without Borders or the Red Cross that you could join. Or, see what jobs are on skilled worker shortage lists for other English-speaking countries like Australia and the UK. Healthcare jobs are often listed.
And if you want to explore the US while working for the medical industry, you can! Travel nurses take three to four-month assignments around the US wherever there is a shortage. Other medical professions can travel around on short-term contracts, too.
Focusing on the Money
Everyone knows that doctors and other highly-skilled medical professionals earn big bucks. The average doctor’s salary in the US is $224,190 as of February 2021 which is not a bad wage.
But it would be a huge mistake to choose a medical profession based on money and other benefits. If your heart is not 100% in your work, you will soon become tired of it.
Any Career in Medicine Offers Rewards and Challenges
Regardless of which career in medicine you pick, it will no doubt challenge you in ways that you did not expect. But the good news is that you should find it a rewarding and worthwhile career path, too.
But there’s so much that you need to do when pursuing a career in the medical field. If you need study tips or want to know what all the best schools are, the expert info on our website has you covered!
