1. Module Six: Health Career Exploration

2. Objectives: Students will: Discuss the broad range of careers in health care and related fields Describe the difference between associate and baccalaureate programs Describe personal qualities of health professionals Describe the value of volunteer service in preparation for a health career

3. Why Choose a Career in Health Care? Very rewarding, noble work in helping others. Fastest growing careers are in health care for example nursing & physical therapy. Shortage of workers now, and due to the aging population, even more will be needed. Great salaries and flexible work schedules. Many opportunities to work with different populations and age groups. You are valuable and you can make a difference in your community!

4. Personal Qualities & Skills Needed to Work in Health Care. Caring Attitude! Commitment to improving health and wellbeing of others. Sensitivity to cultural diversity. Good Communication skills. Knowledge of another language helpful. Sense of team work, with fair & ethical value system. Strong leadership skills. Commitment to life long learning. Critical thinker and problem solver.

5. The Range of Health Careers Therapeutic: nurse, doctor, dentist, dietitian, physical therapist, physician assistant, pharmacist, social worker & more. Diagnostic: lab technologist, X-ray tech, phlebotomist, nuclear medicine, pathologist & more. Health Informatics: clerk, medical coder, insurance specialist, health educator, Public Health, Librarian & more. Support Services: biomedical engineer, central Service, food service, materials management & more. Biotechnology: biochemist, microbiologist, research scientist & more.

6. Variety of Work settings Clinics, hospitals, office settings Home care, hospice Industry Mental health agencies Public health departments Schools Military and more

7. Variety for a lifetime Variety in work settings Many specialties such as pediatrics, surgery Advance your career to administration, education or clinical Work with different patient populations such as the elderly Travel opportunities

8. National Health Service Corps After college, think about serving the underserved in areas of the country most in need of your help. –Loan repayment and scholarship programs available. –www.nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.govwww.nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov –Check it out!

9. How Long Does it Take? Certificate programs- such as nurse aide and medical assistant take as little as 3 months to 1 year to train Associate degrees- such as RN, physical therapy assistant takes 2 years @ a community college Baccalaureate degree- such as social work, medical lab tech takes 4 years @ a college or university.

10. High School Preparation- - college prep if possible Math courses-3-4 years Science courses (with a lab)3-4 years English courses-4 years Social Studies/History courses-3years Language-2-4 years of same one Choose electives wisely! Computer applications, be computer literate, it’s vital for college!

11. You Can Start Preparing NOW for a Career Do well in school, study, focus Take the courses that will prepare you for health career programs after high school Participate in the Youth Health Service Corps, to get “hands on experience” Volunteer and participate in Service Learning Projects Make your self an unique applicant for college

12. Stick Out!!! “In my list of extra-curriculars, I chose not to focus on the activities that a lot of students in my school did, such as honor society and class council. Thinking back, I may have even omitted such things from my application altogether. Instead, I talked about my achievements that were distinctive and different, such as an international charity club I founded in my sophomore year. I knew that no one else from my high school, or maybe even the nation, had done such a thing. It made me unique. Such “somethings” will make you an interesting and distinctive applicant, someone who stands out from the crowd in a special way.” –Sarah Wallace