Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/961578
Subscribe at careercollegecentral.com 7 M aybe you used to daydream about becoming a doctor—you'd get to save peoples' lives, contribute to advances in medical science, and make lots of money . . . all while wearing pants that pretty much feel like pajamas. But then you grew up. You realized that a career as a surgeon, physician, or anesthesiologist definitely isn't for everyone . . . and maybe not for you, either. It turns out your life circumstances aren't really going to let you go to school for years, work long hours over nights, weekends, and holidays, or make it easy for you to handle the stress and pressure. So you thought maybe you needed to give up on your dreams of working in healthcare. e thing is, though, there are so many ways to work in the health sciences field—and a lot of them don't mean graduating from med school, passing boards, or working 80 hours a week. ere are so many healthcare careers that keep hospital systems running smoothly, and one of them might just be perfect for you. Some are patient- facing and some aren't. Some involve putting your hands in peoples' mouths; some mean sitting at a computer all day. Some focus on babies, on athletes, on the very ill, or on the very elderly. Some don't work with people at all, and focus instead on fluffy, furry, and feathered patients. You definitely don't have to give up on your dreams of a career in the health sciences. But you do have to think about it very carefully before you enroll in a healthcare certification or degree program. No matter how cool it would be to tell people you work in a hospital, it's important to consider whether or not you would actually like working in a hospital or other medical setting. Is a career in the health sciences really right for you? Here are a few things to consider: What's your motivation? Health sciences careers are expected to stay in demand, and the average salaries can be really good. But these careers are not only about prestige: they can be emotionally, mentally, and physically demanding. Make sure you pursue a healthcare career because you're passionate about it, not just because you think it sounds nice or to make someone else happy. Are you organized and detail-oriented? Even in patient-facing positions, healthcare professionals end up doing a lot of behind-the-scenes detail work, like filling out patient records, dispensing and administering medications, filing insurance codes, and drawing blood. If you're not paying attention, a mistake in any one of these tasks could be deadly.