When most people think of medicine as a career path surgeons, doctors, and nurses immediately come to mind. Medicine is a much broader field than that. The advantage in the field of medicine is that there are many paths to take after you obtain your degree. There are at least four other paths that you can go down and plenty of other options.
1. Pharmacists
These are professionals who distribute medicine to patients. They know about the ingredients in medications. What they do. What they do not do. How strong they are, and what side effects they may have. A pharmacist will also know what interactions different pills will have with each other. Pharmacy locations can be found all around the world. That is not the only location that you will be needed, though. Hospitals need them to take rounds. You may be asked to conduct research or clinical trials. If you are good in your field, you will be on the front lines fighting against disease. This profession will take you six to eight years to complete.
2. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
This profession uses specialized equipment to find, analyze, and diagnosis various medical ailments through medical imaging. Pregnancy images are one such area, along with blood veins and arteries, hearts, and others. You may be responsible for taking the patient medical history. The equipment you use will be your responsibility. You will need to keep them clean, organized, and ready for immediate use. Setting up for each patient is up to you. Generating images and making sure they are usable will be your task, as well as analyzing and interpreting them. This professional degree will take you two to four years to complete.
3. Phlebotomist
Taking blood is a task that requires patience, compassion, and finesse. This professional medical career requires you to first introduce yourself to the patient and ensure that the correct person is sitting in the chair. Cleanliness is necessary to give the lab an uncontaminated blood specimen. Gloves need to be put on immediately after washing for safety and protection. You must be able to assess the patient and find a good vein to use. A tourniquet is then applied to slow the blood, and the needle is inserted correctly. The tourniquet needs to be removed before the needle is taken out and disposed of, in a clearly marked container. The bleeding is stopped, the patient is out the door, and everything needs to be cleaned and sanitized. A phlebotomist tech is a professional career that will take two to four years to complete.
4. Genetics Consultant
Understanding your genetics is important to know exactly who you are, and what medical conditions you may need to prepare for. A genetics consultant will sit down with a patient and collect their medical histories, as well as their family’s information. You would connect all the dots, and everything in between, to put together a usable file. This information helps plan pregnancy, point out future issues that may be preventable, and simply counsel patients to lead a healthy, preventive life. This professional career path can take two to four years to complete.
The medical field has the potential for a vast career path that will continue to be important. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted a 16% increase in the need for these fields. A doctor, or surgeon, may seem like the limelight of the medical world. The truth is that the people behind the doctor make their careers for them. They cannot help their patients without the help of people like you. Every medical career path has a need, and they all are part of a professional working team that uses their specific knowledge to diagnose and help their patients.