Overview
Hospitals are an important place of operation that can often provide both preventative medical care services and emergency care. There are doctor offices associated with hospitals to allow a patient to have a well-rounded care to meet any and all needs. This association between medical offices and hospitals allows a patient the ability to have services that a simple clinic can’t offer at a minimal cost.
In addition to that, there is a convenience for a person to have all the services they need underneath one roof, or in offices that are very close to one another. This will give a patient great access to care that might not have been previously received. There is more than just convenience offered at places like these; a person can have great peace of mind having all their medical professionals in easy contact of each other.
Most positions in the hospital do require varying levels of education and experience. There are a lot of different opportunities for people who might have a varying range of skills. There are places for people who are excellent with clerical work or computers, or positions of people with varying level of medical education. We can take a closer look at these different varieties of careers.
Job Opportunities
Here are some different employment opportunities that are available in this industry:
Doctors: They are tasked with leading a team of medical professionals to provide the best care and treatment options for their patients. They will draw up a course of action to be followed to treat a person to the best of their ability. This includes informing a patient of all options that they can consider to make an informed decision on care. This might include a necessity for surgery. There are a lot of different kinds of doctors. Some are trained in general internal medicine while others choose specialties like pediatrics or chronic illness for example. Every physician has their specialty that they are interested in, and this interest helps them have a passion for what they do. To be a doctor, a person must complete a bachelor’s degree and move onto graduating medical school which will give them a doctoral degree. After completing the necessary degrees, they are required to move onto a 3-5 year residency where they will learn valuable on the job experience. If they continue on to do a specialty, they must complete a 1-3 year Fellowship. During their residency, a doctor will only make around $50,000 a year but can earn at least $120,000 when they complete their residency and more if they have completed a Fellowship in a specialty.
Nurse: While a physician focuses on the care and all the treatment options for a patient, the nurse is out on the front lines providing any support their patients need. They administer the treatment plan that the physician laid out for them, and give them emotional support along the way. They must also keep a patient informed so they can make the best decision possible regarding their care. They are responsible for putting a patient at ease, and playing advocate for them when it comes to planning or adjusting their treatment. They also will take vitals and keep track of anything they need to so that the people in their care are always accounted for and to be alert for any emergencies that might arise. They will assist in certain procedures, both helping the doctors perform it and comforting their patient. A nurse must have a lot of patience and a calming attitude, while maintaining authority to ensure the people under their care follow all the orders to get better. To be a nurse, you can either get an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree. When you get your associate’s degree, you get very basic training and education in this field, where a bachelor’s degree gives much more in-depth training and often brings higher pay. A nurse, with limited education can make around $40,000 but can earn more with experience and more education.
Information Technology (IT): With this field becoming increasingly dependent on technology, a need for on-site information technology staff is becoming increasingly important. With patient files being accessed more and more on computers and tablets versus the former paper files, keeping all technology in working order is of the upmost importance. They are responsible for maintaining the software and tablets and computers, as well as maintaining the network infrastructure and servers for the hospital and their files. They must be able to quickly repair any items and back them up so there is little downtime and minimize the loss of very important information. A bachelor’s degree is often required to obtain this type of employment. They must also have any necessary certifications to work on their hardware and software. A person in IT will only earn around $50,000 depending on experience and education level.
Receptionists: The receptionists are the first face a person sees upon entering the hospital or any of their doctor offices. They must help check the visitor check in or find the office or patient that they are looking for. In some instances, a receptionist will also handle receiving payments or handing out invoices to the person when they leave. They will take messages for the doctors or nurses to help a client get answers that they need as efficiently as possible. They will route calls that come in and send them to the appropriate person. A receptionist must be very friendly and be able to multitask answering phones and handling any people that require their assistance. They should have excellent interpersonal skills. A high school diploma is preferred for someone interested in this field. They will earn around $10-$11 per hour.
Job Outlook
The estimated growth in this industry surpasses 20% in most fields. This is a much faster growth than what is expected in other industries across the nation. This can be as a result of an aging population that requires more medical services than ever before. This can also be on account on the healthcare industry growing to accommodate regulations now enacted to improve the overall health of citizens.