If you are interested in a career that allows you to work in the medical field, you may want to look into health sciences. While those who work in health sciences careers are not doctors, they perform many healthcare services in doctor’s offices and hospitals, as well as outpatient and inpatient facilities. Health sciences career includes dental hygienists, paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
Other careers in the health science field include radiation therapists, phlebotomists and people who work in medical billing and medical coding. Health sciences careers are appealing for many reasons. Not only are you providing care to patients, but you are also entering a career that typically does not require many years of schooling. Many health sciences careers only require an associate’s degree, while others need certification in a non-degree award program. Ultimately, the type of health sciences career that you pick will depend on your interest, and the healthcare industry you would like to work. If you would like to learn more about health sciences careers, continue to read the below sections.
Nursing Careers
One popular type of job in the health sciences field is that of a nurse. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) and registered nurses (RNs) all perform patient-care tasks, although the tasks can vary based on the level of training and education. Anyone involved in a nursing career can find fulfilling and gainful employment, as the wide array of fields and high demand for nurses provides many opportunities to those with the training and education. The required level of schooling can depend on the level of nursing, and there are many opportunities for advancement through further education and experience, depending on the type of nursing license a nurse holds.
Dental Hygienist Careers
You may associate a dental hygienist with just cleaning teeth. However, hygienists many more responsibilities. Their daily tasks include conducting X-rays, teeth cleaning, and preparing patients to see the dentist. People in this career also offer patients a variety of dental care tips. They tell patients how to keep their teeth healthy by brushing and flossing their teeth, and they apply sealants and fluoride to give patient’s teeth for an extra layer of protection. Dental hygienists typically work under a licensed dentist, but these requirements may vary by state. Depending on their shift, they may work for more than one doctor throughout a week. Dentistry is an industry that is seeing a spike in employment, as the advancement of dental equipment and practices that allow people to keep their real teeth longer. As long as there is a need for dental care, there will also be a need for dental hygienists.
Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Careers
The life of a paramedic and emergency medical technician (EMT) is fast-paced, and it can be stressful since paramedics and EMTs often help people with injuries and illnesses that can often be life threatening. However, they get the chance to assist patients in an unusual setting. Paramedics and EMTs respond to emergency 911 calls and drive an emergency response vehicle, like an ambulance, to the scene in which they are called. As they transport the patient to a hospital or medical facility, they perform any necessary medical services, like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or healing wounds. Paramedics and EMTs spend a significant portion of their long shifts on their feet or in the back of ambulances that can be taxing. Nevertheless, they provide medical services that can be life-or-death to patients if not addressed quickly.
Radiation Therapist Careers
Oncology, which is a branch of medicine that handles the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancer, requires a large medical team. One such member of the team is a radiation therapist. Radiation therapists most commonly work in hospitals, where they are an essential part of an oncology team, and they are the ones who perform radiation treatment to patients. They do so by targeting the region in a patient’s body and administering the proper dose of radiation. Radiation therapy typically helps patients fighting cancer, which means that the therapists typically deal with patients in an emotional and difficult part of their life. To become a radiation therapist, you must have the proper training, licenses, and education, since administering the wrong dose of radiation can make a patient ill. Training for radiation therapy highlights the safety precautions they must take since excessive exposure to radiation can be harmful. However, the training also teaches the joys of the job, as it can be rewarding to help patients potentially fight for their lives.
Phlebotomist Careers
A common task in a medical setting is drawing a patient’s blood, and the person who performs this task is usually a phlebotomist. Phlebotomists work in many settings, such as mobile donation centers and hospitals.
Phlebotomists draw blood for many reasons, ranging from blood tests, blood transfusions, blood donations and research. Handling people’s blood needs to be done with extreme care, since they risk exposing themselves to infectious diseases, like HIV and hepatitis. They also need to be extremely detailed-oriented, since they are handling many different blood samples from various donors, most of which most likely look the same. Nevertheless, if they take their job seriously, they will most likely always be able to find employment, as long as health care professionals need blood samples and blood donations are needed.
Medical Billing and Coding
Health sciences careers are not just limited to careers that require medical training. They also include medical billing and coding, which is an essential part of a health sciences team. Medical billing and coding are responsible for taking the information on a patient’s medical history, which has been added by doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, and transcribing the data. This data includes their treatment and insurance information. They then transcribe the data into a universal code that has been approved for the medical industry. The medical code is critical since both healthcare providers, and insurance companies use it. While medical billing and medical coding have similar job duties, they are not always the same job. Medical coders focus on the information about the patient’s medical history, while medical billers concentrate on gathering the money that is due by sending a request to the patient’s insurance company. Both careers require high concentration and attention to details, and the patience to make sure that the right information is being added.
Learn More About Health Science Careers
If you are interested in a health sciences career, you have an array of options. If you would like to learn more about the various health sciences careers, you can continue to read the following pages. You may find yourself drawn to a health sciences career that you had not heard of until now or perhaps you are getting the assurance that the career you want to pursue is the right one for you. Nevertheless, no matter what you take out of the information you read, you are one step closer to a brighter future.
By Admin –
