Career Advice for Healthcare Professionals

If there’s one field of work that can be practical, rewarding, and make you feel like you want to tear your hair out, it’s healthcare. An underfunded sector such as healthcare always requires extra staff who understand the role that they’re supposed to be in and the impact that they make.

Finding yourself in the right career often means learning what it will mean to you to be in healthcare. And for most people, being in Healthcare is not about the money, but about what they could do for their own careers. Getting the right advice, whether that’s to remember to do your CPR renewal or to make sure that you have your updated vaccinations, is important if you want to learn how to be the best in healthcare. Let’s take a look at some tips for career advice that you may not have heard before. 

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1. Develop your goals. Before you start pursuing your ideal health care position, you need to make sure that you’ve developed goals that are very specific but also achievable. You need to create goals so that you feel like you’re something to work towards, which can include selecting opportunities that move you closer to your ideal career achievement. For example, if you want to be a surgeon one day, then you need to make sure that you have as many options for professional experience and education that help you to develop the skills that you need to succeed. These goals can also give you the framework that you need to evaluate your achievements and determine where you could be improving. 
2. Seek the help of a mentor. No matter which area of healthcare you want to be in, you need to have somebody to look up to in that arena. Not only do you need to have somebody to look up to, but you need to see somebody who’s found success in the way that you want to find success. Not only will they be able to share their information and their journey with you, but they’ll be able to introduce you to the right teachers, supervisors, colleagues and friends who can help you with that step up that you need. Having somebody respected who can endorse you is going to make a big difference to your career. 
3. Know your passions. You’ll have a better time advancing your career by selecting fields that you genuinely care about. If your passion is in oncology, then becoming a nurse or a doctor in oncology makes good sense. If you just want to be somebody who’s going to have a chat with patients who might be lonely, then you might find your career better suited to a healthcare assistant role where you can be there on a personal level. Doctors and nurses are of course on a personal level for their patients, but not to the same extent. Either way, find something that you’re passionate about and go for it. 
4. Be open to Shifting and changing. Goals are important, but you have to remember that medical technology is advancing and as you shape your skills and your training, unexpected career options could crop up. If you’re excited about a new role, you should always consider trying it. Even if it wasn’t part of that original plan, it’s still going to build you as a person, and that’s exactly what you need to be able to achieve. 

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5. Follow new technology advancements. The healthcare field is a constantly evolving one. As we previously mentioned, the new research and technology out there is going to transform the way that we even perform CPR. If you are following the latest advancements in medicine, you’ll be able to pursue careers that may remain relevant and impactful to you. It will also allow you to pursue opportunities in advancing areas such as immunotherapies.
6. Stay realistic, but optimistic. You can Daydream all you like about being a doctor, but you have to make sure that you are realistic about your prospects. Whether it means you have to go back and repeat your undergrad and do something else, or you need additional funding to help you to study to be a doctor, always be realistic about what your end goal will be. If possible, have a segue for a backup plan tucked up your sleeve for when you need it. 
7. Join as many professional organizations as possible. There may be many professional organizations available when it comes to your desired health care area. You just have to go out and find them. Consider researching potential professional associations in your field and reach out to those that interest you the most. When you do this, you’ll be able to find membership opportunities and speak with colleagues or mentors about their experiences.
8. Keep on with your education. From certificates to extra degrees or masters degrees, you need to make sure that you are pursuing as many training opportunities available that cover new theories, technologies or procedures. Always look for continuing educational opportunities through professional organizations that are relevant to your field. This will help you to show off that you have a dedication to continue learning.
9. Update your resume. As you add things and jobs to your career repertoire, make sure that you’re adding it to your resume. All of those new CPR certifications that you’ve been going for need to be added on so that people can see that you are interested in continuing your professional development. Having a strong and complete resume helps you to demonstrate your qualifications if you choose to pursue a new role or a field, but it also helps you to get the job that you want.
10. Lean into your network. As you complete additional educational and professional milestones, you need to make sure that you are leaning into the network of people and colleagues that you have built. Stay in touch with your connections on social media or develop a profile on networking websites such as LinkedIn.