2 answers
Aivree
Student
Idaho Falls, Idaho
1
Question
Asked
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Healthcare Career Question
I am currently a senior in high school and am debating if I should go into pre-med or work towards a PA degree. How do people decide what healthcare profession best fits them? I have heard of shadowing different doctors, but what if you feel like anything would be a good fit?
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2 answers
Michaela Christie
2
Answers
Cranford, New Jersey
Updated
Michaela’s Answer
The healthcare industry is so broad with so many opportunities, which can make it challenging to decide what to pick. My first thought is to remind you that your first role in healthcare does not need to be your forever role. The opportunities for career growth following a licensed (and non-licensed role) is immense. For me personally, I started in healthcare as a nurse before getting an MBA and finding my way into consulting. My story is not unique, I have met healthcare professionals (social workers, medical doctors, dentists, physical therapists, etc.) who have leveraged their experiences to transition into careers in law, pharma, medical device sales, insurance, administration, consulting, entrepreneurship, etc. All this to say, a role in healthcare can open numerous doors and career paths if you don't find the right fit immediately.
I am a big proponent of writing things out and pro/con lists. As you consider what to go to school for, I think it is helpful to objectively outline each profession against a set of criteria, then weighing the responses based on what is most important to you specifically. A sample set of criteria is below to get your started:
- Years of School Required
- Years of Training Required
- Cost of School
- Average Salary for the Profession
- Work Life Balance (i.e., what is the schedule like (i.e., holidays, weekend requirements))
- Add your interests to confirm it meets it (i.e., making a difference, direct patient care, etc.)
- Do I want to be an ordering / diagnosing provider? (Y/N) Is this profession responsible for ordering or diagnosing?
This list, plus identifying what is important to you, can start to help you objectively identify the right fit for you! Two additional considerations,
1) Review the required classes for these postgraduate programs to determine if there is overlap. This may give you additional time to decide, and potentially do internships or shadowing in the medical field to better pinpoint what you would like to do.
2) If you are considering the PA route, consider reviewing the nursing practitioner route as well. Nurse practitioners obtain a bachelor's of nursing first and then typically gain real world experience at the bedside caring for patients prior to starting their advanced degree. This provides them an opportunity to work alongside other healthcare team members before deciding on their post-graduate career to define what they like and what they do not like.
Regardless of your decision, it is important to know that there is no one path to every career and that's part of the exciting journey! If you asked me when I was a freshman starting nursing school what I would be in 14 years, I would have told you a CRNA, but through my experiences, doors opening (and at times closing), alongside self-reflection, I have found myself in a career I never expected, but love.
I am a big proponent of writing things out and pro/con lists. As you consider what to go to school for, I think it is helpful to objectively outline each profession against a set of criteria, then weighing the responses based on what is most important to you specifically. A sample set of criteria is below to get your started:
- Years of School Required
- Years of Training Required
- Cost of School
- Average Salary for the Profession
- Work Life Balance (i.e., what is the schedule like (i.e., holidays, weekend requirements))
- Add your interests to confirm it meets it (i.e., making a difference, direct patient care, etc.)
- Do I want to be an ordering / diagnosing provider? (Y/N) Is this profession responsible for ordering or diagnosing?
This list, plus identifying what is important to you, can start to help you objectively identify the right fit for you! Two additional considerations,
1) Review the required classes for these postgraduate programs to determine if there is overlap. This may give you additional time to decide, and potentially do internships or shadowing in the medical field to better pinpoint what you would like to do.
2) If you are considering the PA route, consider reviewing the nursing practitioner route as well. Nurse practitioners obtain a bachelor's of nursing first and then typically gain real world experience at the bedside caring for patients prior to starting their advanced degree. This provides them an opportunity to work alongside other healthcare team members before deciding on their post-graduate career to define what they like and what they do not like.
Regardless of your decision, it is important to know that there is no one path to every career and that's part of the exciting journey! If you asked me when I was a freshman starting nursing school what I would be in 14 years, I would have told you a CRNA, but through my experiences, doors opening (and at times closing), alongside self-reflection, I have found myself in a career I never expected, but love.
Brittney Jorgensen
Physical Therapist
1
Answer
Murray, Utah
Updated
Brittney’s Answer
I definitely recommend shadowing a lot of different types of providers, but also keep in mind that your preference and focus will probably change as you progress in your studies. Start in the direction that will get you heading toward healthcare generally and then you can refine as you move forward. Specific to education, in most healthcare jobs all you technically need to apply to schools after under grad is any bachelor's degree and the pre-requisite classes. Your undergraduate degree helps you prepare for the next step, but it is in selecting the post grad program (med school, PA etc) that you will have to be more specific. You have plenty of time. Explore your options, keep working hard and allow yourself to refine your focus as you keep going