It is the dawn of a new year, and from our lips to the ears of God, a new era too. This is, in one way, shape, or the other, going to be the year that we turn a corner as much as the pandemic is concerned. All indications are that we have to find a way to either eliminate the Covid virus this year or simply find effective ways to live as normally through it because everyone knows – we can’t have another year of ‘more of the same’.
So, with all things being equal, let’s also consider that at this time of year we traditionally look forward to all the many positive changes we want to make and goals we want to achieve, and this often extends to our career management as well. Within the past year, we’ve learned a new corporate recruitment term: the great resignation, which is the phenomenon where around 4.4 million workers in the USA simply downed tools to search for a life that had more promise, more balance, and way less of the daily grind.
As it happens, the medical industry has not been spared either with around 534,000 workers within the healthcare industry also deciding that a new direction was on the cards for them, and this could pose significant issues in healthcare delivery as well as administration. Now as always, in just about all avenues of life that are impacted by situations beyond our control, there are winners and, well – not so much.
In this instance, if you’ve been looking for a career change and a new challenge, you could be in the winners’ circle, because the healthcare sector is recruiting, big time. Starting salaries are higher than they’ve ever been, and some employers are even offering sign-on bonuses to new workers in some sectors, so look out for those, and if you’re thinking that you won’t be able to take advantage of this because you’re not medically qualified, well – think again.
Turns out, there are quite a few jobs that you can do in the medical field without having gone to medical school and we’re going to look at just five of those here.
Home health and hospice aides.
As a home health hospice aide, you’ll be providing in-home care to patients which could include light housekeeping and personal hygiene duties. You may be expected to do the shopping, help with bathing, dressing, feeding, combing hair, brushing teeth, and overall oral hygiene. Patients could have a diversity of skills or abilities so you could be asked to assist with motion exercises, cleaning bed linens, and helping provide a comfortable, gentle time for the patients in your care.
Remember, that you’ll be working with patients as they near the end of their lives and you have to have the type of personality and emotional intelligence that can handle this sort of work, but if you are that person, this work could be some of the most rewarding you’ve ever undertaken.
Expect to earn between $13 – $16.40 per hour, which could vary depending on live in or out status.
Medical records coder.
Coders ensure that codes used for diagnoses and or procedures are correctly applied to medical reports and accounts for billing processes as well as insurance claims. The position does require knowledge of medical terminology, service details, and insurance rules and regulations, but if you’re methodical and detail-driven, it can be a very interesting field.
Expect to earn around $14.30 per hour.
Certified nursing assistant.
CNAs provide real hands-on healthcare to patients with tasks like bathing, dressing, and other day-to-day activities. Patients could be bedridden and so you’ll take vital signs and record them, make sure that new or developing concerns are noted, assist with feeding, provide clean linens and other room cleaning activities as well as assist with basic medical procedures, and attend to minor wounds. Many CNAs go on to become full nurses and as a starter career in the healthcare industry, this job offers you exposure to many different areas. Once you pass the competency exam and obtain your license, you will be positioned to work in hospitals and offer support to nurses and doctors and in private homes. It is important to note that each state has its requirements in terms of essential certificates, and licenses, and you should be aware of the rules and specific requirements before applying for any position. You can explore CNA nurse job opportunities on many healthcare-related job searching websites like HospitalCareers or Nurses PRN.
Expect to earn around $14.80 per hour.
Medical assistant.
Medical Assistants are usually the first face that patients see when entering a practice or treatment room. They take medical histories, explain treatment procedures to patients, prepare patients for examinations, assist the physician with the examination, as well as collect specimens for laboratory analyses. They could even perform basic laboratory tests, draw blood, remove sutures and change dressings.
In some instances, you’ll instruct patients in the correct administration of medicine under the supervision of a physician. MAs also perform some administrative duties as and when those are needed like answering phones, filling out insurance forms, updating medical records, appointments, billin,g and more.
This job is often a precursor to further medical training later on and many MAs have found themselves going on to become nurses, paramedics, or even on to medical school. This role is great to have on your resume if you’ve obtained further qualifications and need to seek a preceptorship, and for that, you may need Preceptor Tree to help you.
Emergency medical technicians.
EMTs are some of the most challenged and subsequently deeply rewarded professionals within the field because they are the people that respond to 911 calls. They perform first-aid medical services or life support for sick or injured patients in ambulances and other emergency settings. They transport patients to medical facilities are often the first line of defense in medical emergencies.
Part of their role is to assess patients and provide as much information to the emergency room staff as possible, before heading out on the next call. This role is fast-paced and often high pressure, so you’ll need to have a thick skin the ability to multi-task and deal with many emerging situations, at times – all at once.
It is important to remember that while these roles don’t require training at medical school, they do require training, so check in with your local authorities and see what you can do to upskill or obtain qualifications that will best place to apply for these roles.
Remember that all roles within the healthcare and medical sector require you to have a high degree of emotional intelligence, empathy, and understanding, so if you’re not that person – this probably isn’t your field.