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Healthcare workers who genuinely love their jobs: what made you choose your career, and what keeps you from burning out? If you were talking to a high school student interested in healthcare, what advice would you give?
I'm in high school, so I still have options. I really don't want to go the wrong way with my career. Any advice?
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5 answers
Updated
Vianne’s Answer
For me, mental health has always been important. I love hearing people's stories and learning what shapes them. Working in mental health showed me how much just being there, listening, and helping someone find support can change things. I've seen clients come in feeling lost and leave with a plan, resources, and a bit more hope. These moments remind me why I chose this path. To avoid burnout, I remember that I can't fix every problem, but I can still make a difference in someone's day. If I were advising a high school student interested in healthcare, I'd tell them to stay curious, explore different areas, and work on empathy and communication skills. Healthcare involves science, but it's also about connecting with people, and these skills are incredibly valuable in any healthcare career.
Updated
Rita’s Answer
I chose the medical field for different reasons. First, I wanted to help people. Second, I get easily bored so I wanted something that would keep me interested. I like puzzles so I felt the medical profession is like being a detective and solving a problem. The job is steady--you will always have a job.
I struggled with several aspects of medicine and mostly, it's because of my personality. I'm a people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy which is unrealistic. I opened my own office so although I had a full schedule, I had so many patients asking to be squeezed in. I would do that and then I felt like I was behind and rushed. That would make some patients upset. I think you need to set boundaries. One doctor told me that I let the patients train me instead of training the patient. Some patients would come in with a list of problems they had. If you only have 15 minutes, it's hard to get through everything. I also like to get my work done quickly. I would finish my notes by the time I left the exam room. If it did not, it would create anxiety. I hate having a list of things to do. Because of this, I would wake up early and eat breakfast while I refilled medicine, reviewed labs, and answered patient questions. Between patients, you will continue to do the refills, answer questions, and review documents (specialists' notes, radiology reports, etc).
I recommend everyone interested in the medical field work as a medical scribe. I did not know what I was getting myself into. If you work as a scribe, you are actually in the room so you can learn who doctors deal with patients. I thought everyone was "normal" but you will be exposed to several different personalities (difficult, demanding) and you will need to learn how to deal with these personalities and not take it personally. When a patient was upset, I would be upset and could not sleep. (This is the people pleaser part of me that was not so good). Being a scribe, you will learn the language of medicine. You can see the different disease states and when you go to medical school, it will be easier. I challenge you to start work when the doctor starts work and leave when the doctor leaves because if you want to be a doctor, you will need to learn this. You will need to tell your friends/family that you are behind and will be late for dinner or just cancel.
There have been several articles about doctors retiring early. I am one of them. It's a stressful and demanding job. There are several great aspects. You build relationships with patients and they are like friends. However, because they are like friends, they feel like they can call you at anytime to ask you medical advice. This is where you need to create boundaries. It's not easy. Even with family, they will be calling you a lot and asking for medical advice.
Most doctors would not have their kids go into the field of medicine. To understand this, I think you need to work/volunteer at a doctor's office to see what they do. The volunteer work that you do in the hospital does not prepare you for what becoming a doctor will entail.
I struggled with several aspects of medicine and mostly, it's because of my personality. I'm a people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy which is unrealistic. I opened my own office so although I had a full schedule, I had so many patients asking to be squeezed in. I would do that and then I felt like I was behind and rushed. That would make some patients upset. I think you need to set boundaries. One doctor told me that I let the patients train me instead of training the patient. Some patients would come in with a list of problems they had. If you only have 15 minutes, it's hard to get through everything. I also like to get my work done quickly. I would finish my notes by the time I left the exam room. If it did not, it would create anxiety. I hate having a list of things to do. Because of this, I would wake up early and eat breakfast while I refilled medicine, reviewed labs, and answered patient questions. Between patients, you will continue to do the refills, answer questions, and review documents (specialists' notes, radiology reports, etc).
I recommend everyone interested in the medical field work as a medical scribe. I did not know what I was getting myself into. If you work as a scribe, you are actually in the room so you can learn who doctors deal with patients. I thought everyone was "normal" but you will be exposed to several different personalities (difficult, demanding) and you will need to learn how to deal with these personalities and not take it personally. When a patient was upset, I would be upset and could not sleep. (This is the people pleaser part of me that was not so good). Being a scribe, you will learn the language of medicine. You can see the different disease states and when you go to medical school, it will be easier. I challenge you to start work when the doctor starts work and leave when the doctor leaves because if you want to be a doctor, you will need to learn this. You will need to tell your friends/family that you are behind and will be late for dinner or just cancel.
There have been several articles about doctors retiring early. I am one of them. It's a stressful and demanding job. There are several great aspects. You build relationships with patients and they are like friends. However, because they are like friends, they feel like they can call you at anytime to ask you medical advice. This is where you need to create boundaries. It's not easy. Even with family, they will be calling you a lot and asking for medical advice.
Most doctors would not have their kids go into the field of medicine. To understand this, I think you need to work/volunteer at a doctor's office to see what they do. The volunteer work that you do in the hospital does not prepare you for what becoming a doctor will entail.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Emerson Nikky
Updated
Adaobi Maryann’s Answer
Hi, Emerson Nikky,
I hope you're doing well.
I have come to realize is that we all live for the purpose of service. There are many ways to serve humanity, but it becomes easier to choose a path when you discover what genuinely moves you and what you can do selflessly.
What makes healthcare unique is that it goes beyond providing a service. It gives you the opportunity to improve and even save lives.
A few days ago, I watched a video of a young boy who had a large growth on his back. The condition affected the way he walked, spoke, turned his neck, and interacted with others. After undergoing surgery, his posture improved, and he was able to speak and move much more freely. Witnessing that transformation was remarkable.
Moments like these remind me that healthcare is more than a profession; it's a calling. Behind every successful treatment is a healthcare professional who is passionate enough to help someone regain hope, dignity, and a better quality of life.
Healthcare offers many career paths, opportunities for growth, and rewarding benefits. However, my personal reason for choosing this field goes beyond those things. What drives me is the genuine passion to help people move from pain, illness, and uncertainty to a place of healing, hope, and improved well-being.
If I were advising a high school student, I would say: don't choose healthcare solely because of the income or job security. Choose it because you care about people, are willing to keep learning, and find fulfillment in making a positive difference in someone's life. When passion and purpose guide your decision, the challenges become easier to navigate, and the work becomes much more meaningful.
Thank you.
I hope you're doing well.
I have come to realize is that we all live for the purpose of service. There are many ways to serve humanity, but it becomes easier to choose a path when you discover what genuinely moves you and what you can do selflessly.
What makes healthcare unique is that it goes beyond providing a service. It gives you the opportunity to improve and even save lives.
A few days ago, I watched a video of a young boy who had a large growth on his back. The condition affected the way he walked, spoke, turned his neck, and interacted with others. After undergoing surgery, his posture improved, and he was able to speak and move much more freely. Witnessing that transformation was remarkable.
Moments like these remind me that healthcare is more than a profession; it's a calling. Behind every successful treatment is a healthcare professional who is passionate enough to help someone regain hope, dignity, and a better quality of life.
Healthcare offers many career paths, opportunities for growth, and rewarding benefits. However, my personal reason for choosing this field goes beyond those things. What drives me is the genuine passion to help people move from pain, illness, and uncertainty to a place of healing, hope, and improved well-being.
If I were advising a high school student, I would say: don't choose healthcare solely because of the income or job security. Choose it because you care about people, are willing to keep learning, and find fulfillment in making a positive difference in someone's life. When passion and purpose guide your decision, the challenges become easier to navigate, and the work becomes much more meaningful.
Thank you.
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Emerson Nikky
Updated
James’s Answer
The more you learn, the more you understand about the world and your place in it. I think having a variety of interests makes you better at most any profession. In healthcare professions one must learn throughout one's life, which I find wonderful. You not only need to learn facts, but you need to learn how to be on a team, how to lead - and how to follow, and how to communicate to people of a wide variety of backgrounds.
I recommend that you go to college and take all the core requirements for a healthcare career, but also take classes that just sound interesting. As a biology major who ultimately became a physician, I enjoyed classes in music, theater, anthropology, forestry... I also participated in intramural sports and singing groups that made my time a lot of fun.
Burnout is all too common, and making sure one sets limits that protect valuable time for sleep, exercise, hobbies, friends, and family is important.
As you explore different classes and experiences, also find time to talk to different professionals about what they like and don't like about their careers. Shadow them if you can to see first-hand what it is like. You should get a feeling that something seems right to you. But also know that it is common, and fine, to deviate from the path you first take. I know an excellent physician who became a caterer after many years, and is quite happy to have done both!
I recommend that you go to college and take all the core requirements for a healthcare career, but also take classes that just sound interesting. As a biology major who ultimately became a physician, I enjoyed classes in music, theater, anthropology, forestry... I also participated in intramural sports and singing groups that made my time a lot of fun.
Burnout is all too common, and making sure one sets limits that protect valuable time for sleep, exercise, hobbies, friends, and family is important.
As you explore different classes and experiences, also find time to talk to different professionals about what they like and don't like about their careers. Shadow them if you can to see first-hand what it is like. You should get a feeling that something seems right to you. But also know that it is common, and fine, to deviate from the path you first take. I know an excellent physician who became a caterer after many years, and is quite happy to have done both!
Thank you!
Emerson Nikky
Updated
Kathleen’s Answer
Hello! Great questions. I will try to address both of them here. First of all, healthcare is a large, varied, challenging, and greatly rewarding field. I do not presume you mean physician, or nurse, or anything specific at this point. So my advice is to think about what you love to do, what ages of people do you prefer to be around ( or not...it makes a difference). What subjects are your favorites and most interesting to you? Don't worry about making a "wrong" choice, most folks encounter detours along the way as they learn and grow and it's all valuable. Personally, I loved science, experimenting, working with my hands and solving puzzles. I'm an introvert, so a lot of " people time and interaction" is draining. Clinical laboratory science seemed like a good fit, and it was! I loved it from the start, and the day one of the oncologists I worked with asked my advice, thanked me, and said that without the lab doctors are only guessing, I knew I was in the right field. These days automation makes some folks thinks it's just pushing buttons and while the instruments are fantastic, it still takes knowledge and training and maintaining them to ensure they're giving correct and reasonable results. So, take a personal inventory of your talents, abilities, and passions, consider what different fields require and offer and what kind of work-life balance you need and want and go boldly into the great big world!
Best to you!
Kathie
Best to you!
Kathie
Thanks so much! I'll be using this!
Emerson Nikky