Perhaps you are a fan of the television show Grey's Anatomy on ABC. You may even know all about the goings-on at Seattle Grace Hospital. Not only can you identify Drs. McSteamy and McDreamy, you can sketch out all of the twisting and tangling love triangles in the show's three-year run.
The impending season finale means that the drama will have to pause for awhile, but if you're fascinated by careers in medicine, a healthcare job can let you become part of a real-life Grey's Anatomy. The everyday work of dedicated doctors, nurses, and medical technicians may have less romance and drama than the show, but the importance of caring for patients is still the same. Plus, healthcare jobs topped the Wall Street Journal's recently published list for the most satisfying jobs for 2006. Here's a look at several common healthcare careers.
Becoming a Nurse
If you choose a career in nursing, you probably won't find yourself participating in a picket line, as Nurse Olivia did. Nurse Olivia's real-life counterparts hold 2.9 million jobs, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Nurses comprise the largest group of hospital staff, and they can specialize in areas such as trauma, oncology, and psychiatrics.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are three educational paths that can lead you to nursing. You can choose from a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, an Associate Nursing degree, and a diploma. Bachelor of Science degrees at colleges and universities run about four years, and associate's degrees at junior and community colleges take two to three years. Diplomas are earned at hospitals, and they usually take three years to complete. Diplomas and certificates, which are typically earned at hospitals, usually take three years to complete. All the educational paths lead to a state licensing exam for those individuals, like Nurse Olivia, interested in becoming a registered nurse.
Once you become a registered nurse, earning a RN to BSN or a RN to MSN will arm you with the knowledge and credentials to advance within your field, in addition to increasing your earning potential.
Behind-the-Scenes: Medical Technicians and Medical Assistants
Medical technicians work behind the scenes, and therefore, are mostly out of sight on Grey's Anatomy. Medical Technicians collect samples from patients, such as blood samples, and perform tests on samples sent to the laboratory. If you work in a smaller lab, you probably will find yourself testing many different types of samples. In a larger lab, there is room to specialize. For instance, medical technicians can specialize in collecting blood samples as phlebotomists.
To get started in a career as a medical technician, you need to earn an associate's degree at a college or a certificate from a hospital or vocational and technical school. Make sure that your program is one of the 469 accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
Also quietly working in the background of any hospital or clinic are medical assistants. Medical assistants keep the clerical work running smoothly so that the doctors and nurses can focus their attentions on patients. Duties can include handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, handling bookkeeping, and looking after insurance forms.
A strong demand for medical assistants will create lots of job opportunities through 2014. Education in a 1 to 2 year program can help you stay competitive for the best jobs.
The Road to Becoming a Doctor
Fans of Grey's Anatomy know about the long hours worked by the characters on the show. Real doctors also have demanding schedules. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over one third of doctors worked 60 hours per week or more in 2004. However, salaries of doctors are very high. Surgeons like those on Grey's Anatomy make around $282,504 once they have at least one year of experience.
The first step to becoming a doctor starts with a 4-year bachelor's degree. Classes in biology, chemistry, English, math, and physics will help prepare you for medical school. Biology or pre-med degrees are common paths to medical school. In the first two years of medical school, you will take courses in subjects such as physiology, pharmacology, and pathology. The last two years of medical school are spent in clinical rotations. Nearly all doctors start a residency, as the Grey's Anatomy interns are doing in the show. A residency, which can last up to seven years, gives doctors paid on-the-job experience.
The real lives of doctors, nurses, and medical staff are not filled with the on-the-job romance and dramatic surgeries of a Grey's Anatomy episode. However, your dedication to healthcare can provide your community with an essential service and offer you the rewards of helping people heal.
