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What's the best career decision you've ever made?

Looking to get into the health care field after my BS. #healthcare #medicine #nursing #doctor #career-counseling

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Howard’s Answer

I have had several career decision that turned out to be very good and wise decisions. I think my best career decision was to apply and accept a position with Verizon. My employment with the company came at a point in my life that I was experiencing a major life transition that would am huge impact on my finances and state of emotional well being.

I started working for Verizon a little more that 5 years ago During this time, I have been able to maintain a certain standard of living and continue to grow as a person and a professional.I think a key factor is making career choices involves knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are look for employment opportunities that will allow you to utilize your strengths.
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Kerrie’s Answer

Doing what I love! I wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl and that is what I have been doing for 25+ years! I didn't always know what kind of nurse I wanted to be but during my junior year of college I was offered an internship at Mayo Clinic in MN and they randomly placed us in different areas. I was one of a few students placed in the OR and I think God knew that was what my love was going to be because I really did find it fascinating! I did not have a very nice preceptor, but I was determined to rise above that (OR nurses really did eat their young back then-hahaha).

Anyway, at the time, I finished my BSN and went on to get a job far away from home (TX, as I lived in IL) and I went to work on a Med Surg floor so I could experience life before surgery so I could be a better OR nurse in the future. I did that for a year and honestly hated it because of the 20 patients I was assigned on the 3-11 pm shift, as I felt it was unsafe. I then decided to move to a Children's Hospital in Dallas and worked there for a short time as ai looed for a way to get back into the OR. I found a program that was 6 months where they took experienced nurses and taught them how to become OR nurses and then gave you a job afterward, so I signed up and here I am 25 years later!!

Along the way, I ended up moving back to the midwest (WI) and stayed at a hospital for 14 years where I was able to scrub, circulate, and eventually became the Perioperative Educator and then the Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) for them. I have since moved to CO and found a less stressful part of health care by writing policies and procedures for a global publishing company form home and I love it.

I have always just followed my gut and what was best for me and I think that I have always made sure I was happy. If I was not happy somewhere, I moved on without guilt or sorrow. I have learned that you cannot please everyone, but in the end your happiness is priceless.
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Michelle’s Answer

Hi Ze. The best decision regarding my career was never giving up on it. It took me almost 15 years to apply my degree to my job and along the way I was able to have jobs that actually helped me get my dream job. I was getting a degree in Criminal Justice, but was having trouble applying to jobs in that field. I did become a correctional officer briefly, but found it was not what I wanted to do. I worked as a mental health tech in a private (for profit) hospital while I obtained my Bachelor's, but I did not want to go into nursing, psychology or even into counseling. I worked for a home health agency (I need to say that both my parents were nurses - so they helped me get the medical jobs) on the medical records and took some classes at the community college to perform my job of coding for diagnosis and therapies. I took classes that interested me - photography and because I thought maybe I should be a nurse...I took biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology and a pharmacology class.

But then I decided that no, the law and criminal justice were where I wanted to be. So I got an Associates degree in Paralegal Studies and worked for a law firm for over a year. But my dream of finding the criminals and working in law enforcement was too strong. I applied one last time for a Crime Scene Technician with the Sheriff's Office - and finally made it. All the other courses, jobs and bumps in the road to my career helped me get the dream job.

My Bachelor's degree was obtained in 1994...and in 2007 I started working for the Sheriff's Office as a Crime Scene Investigator (my title now).
I have been here for over 12 years and during this time I went back to school and got my Master's degree in Criminal Justice. I love what I do, and because I did so much before hand and learned many other and different things....I am a better CSI than I would have been if I had started sooner (right out of collage).

So, no matter what you want to do...if it's your dream...keep trying - you will succeed! If you have to keep trying...experience what life puts in your path...you never know if it will help you later on. Every job you will have, you learn from, and that helps you be better at being a human and that's the main key. Hope this helps.
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Hanleigh’s Answer

Be open-minded to all healthcare careers! As an undergraduate student, I had tunnel vision for becoming a doctor. On top of that, I have limited knowledge of other career opportunities in healthcare outside of science/research, doctors, and nurses. During my undergraduate career, I was exposed to public health, and I later developed a passion for public health research. Now, I am pursuing my MPH, so that I can combine my background in public health and science to become a public health research physician. It is important to be open to different opportunities because you never know what will peak your interest and expound upon your current goals.
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Estelle’s Answer

I joined a multispecialty group of doctors 10 years ago. This was a great career decision because I can focus on patient care without worrying about running a practice/business in addition to practicing medicine. The human resources and payroll obligations are taken care of, and I integrated into their electronic medical record system so that I don't have to maintain one on my own.
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Erinn’s Answer

The best career decision I ever made, was 100% going back to school and finishing my degree.
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Jay’s Answer

Leave my hometown.
Be willing to change either your location (city, state, country), career, or job.
You will never know the opportunities available if you never leave your "comfort zone"
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Rachel’s Answer

Hi Ze,

The best career decision I made was doing something that I loved and that would interest me for the rest of my life. I spent 14+ years in training after high school to become a surgeon, but it offers daily fulfillment and challenge. I would say don't worry about how much work is required to get to your dream career-- it is worth it.
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Hans’s Answer

Ze, the answer is fairly simple: Do what you love doing - always follow your passion and your heart! If you do that, you'll be amazing at what you do, and then great things will come your way. Hans
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Richard’s Answer

Taking the time to explore all my options in medical school. There are so many types of physicians. Broadly there are family practice doctors, internal medicine and its subspecialties, and surgery with its subspecialties. There are also physicians that don't fit in these such as psychiatry, radiology, pathology , physical medicine/rehabilitation.

I chose radiology and have found it to be a rewarding career.
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Merlys’s Answer

Leave the nursing career
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Brett’s Answer

Make sure you network with your guidance counselor at school. They have several contacts to help you with finding jobs. When you receive a referral, I strongly encourage you to pursue it, even if for a little while.
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