How To Get An Entry Level Job In The Medical Field

How To Get An Entry Level Job In The Medical Field: Hospitals, Clinics and Labs

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If you have always dreamed of working in the medical field, be it at a doctor’s office, in a hospital, clinic, or a lab, there are certain steps that you should take under advisement, to make yourself the ideal candidate for the job.

This article aims to shed light on the studies you should look at but also highlight more personal characteristics that you should have to thrive in the medical field.

 

Place of Work

You first need to be clear about which area you want to work in. The medical field is vast, so you need to be specific from the get-go. 

If you are looking to work at a doctor’s office, as either a receptionist or an entry-level nurse, there are certain courses you must first complete. 

Ideally, receiving your BA (bachelor’s) in administration would be suitable for a receptionist, and then going to nursing school to become an RN (registered nurse) is also a great step. 

If you’d like to work in a laboratory as a research student or perhaps a research assistant, then you either need to be enrolled as a Chemistry, Biology, or Science student so that you can enter the facility or apply as a research assistant after completing a BA in one of the aforementioned fields. 

You could also consider doing an internship which is a flexible lab solution to get your foot in the door of a laboratory. 

Working in a hospital or clinic is the next step up. Here there are many jobs on offer, you can either try for one of the security jobs, which has less to do with the medical field but is still a vital aspect of a hospital. 

You could also consider working in the cafeteria, which is helpful for the patients, nurses, and doctors alike in terms of sustaining them and an often overseen but important area of a hospital. Or, if you’d like to be more hands-on, again, you could try for a BA in business so that you can help the nurses with admin or become an entry-level nurse yourself with a nursing degree.

 

Personal Characteristics

The medical field is known for its demanding hours and physical and mental workload. 

Regardless of how small or big you think your role is, whether you are answering phones to make appointments at a doctor’s office, measuring out chemicals in a lab, or running around a clinic trying to tend to a patient – the work can be overwhelming. 

This is why it’s important to note a few personal characteristics so that you can see whether you are the right fit.

 Being punctual is one of the most important aspects of all of these jobs. Doctors, nurses, patients, and lab researchers all work on a strict schedule. 

The work is too specific and important to make mistakes due to tardiness or being in a rush. 

If you are a punctual person and respect time, that is already one great step on how to survive in the medical profession, regardless of your specific role.

The world of medicine is known for one main thing: long hours. You need to know this from the get-go so that you come prepared. 

You will either spend countless hours sitting, trying to answer phones and make appointments, or you will spend hours on your feet trying to help as a lab assistant or security guard at a clinic. 

All the jobs entailed in the successful running of a medical professional are filled with long hours. 

You need to be able to stay focused. All these jobs are demanding, so you need to have a long attention span. 

It’s dangerous if you are someone who finds it hard to concentrate for long periods or if you are forgetful.

The ability to stay concentrated, even when stressful situations arise, is one of the most important tools at your disposal.

 

Closing Thoughts

Finding a job can feel like an arduous endeavor. Finding one that you’re also passionate about can be even more difficult. 

But if you found any of the above information interesting, then perhaps a job in the medical field is one for you. 

If you are someone who likes to take care of people, you are organized in nature, and have endurance and stamina – then you should be just fine.

 Don’t forget to take some time for yourself too, though. The working hours of clinics, labs, and hospitals can be extremely tiring. 

It can be mentally draining to work such long hours and to have to perform at such a high standard daily. 

The precision that these medical institutions demand can be hard to keep up with, which is why it’s important to identify beforehand that the job is tough and that you are going to need to take time off. 

Knowing this beforehand will make it feel like less of a knock when you do indeed need to take some time away from work. 

 

Blake
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