A healthcare career is rewarding, with daily challenges and good progression opportunities.
However, many people who enter the profession can find themselves stuck. Many are unsure of where to go next, trying to figure out how to advance onto the next stage of their professional life.
Here are some suggestions to consider that may help you progress in your healthcare career.
Consider Education
The next generation of healthcare talent will always need good guidance and tutorship. If you are passionate about sharing your skills and encouraging others, education might be a fantastic route to pursue.
A Doctor of Education program can be an enriching experience that can lead to roles within education or leadership roles within a healthcare profession.
Remember that, nowadays, there are multiple approaches to learning, so do not be put off if you feel intimidated by public speaking to large crowds. Your healthcare facility may be looking for professionals with the experience to mentor early career new starts.
This would not require public speaking. Similarly, you may be able to use your skills to construct and develop educational resources and programs that are based on more hands-on experiences rather than lectures.
Education can be a very rewarding profession with a fair degree of job stability too.
Move Around The World
If you have a medical degree from a reputable university then you might be able to transfer your skills to another part of the world. Working internationally opens you up to many more opportunities and career prospects.
As the cost of living can vary from country to country, this is also a clever way of ensuring a good quality of life for you and your family.
If you do want to think about emigrating, then research the career prospects in your chosen country and be prepared to relearn skills as they may have a different approach to what you are used to.
If you are very ambitious, then you could even move to more than one country throughout your career.
To aid your prospects of landing a job overseas take time to learn more than one language and highlight your bilingualism as a major strength you could add to any healthcare team.
Move Into Research
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a medical scientist is over $88,000 and there is higher than average job prospects in this field.
While this may not be as much as a doctor or dentist might earn, there are good career opportunities in this field.
You could progress to running your lab or set up in business for yourself, conducting healthcare research on commission from other organizations.
Research may also be a viable option if you are looking for less shift work and more regular hours.
Ask Your Superiors
According to Global CEO coach, Sabina Nawaz speaking to the Harvard Business Review, “asking for a promotion makes you feel vulnerable.”
However, if you have a good working relationship with a superior then they will understand you have potential and wish to make progress in your career.
Asking about opportunities will keep you in their mind whenever a spot does become available.
They may also be more likely to offer you skills development or other training opportunities that can help you move up the job ladder. Being clear about your ambition will help to position you to fulfill those ambitions.
Specialize
Most healthcare professionals will have specific fields they work within. However, every field has further opportunities to narrow.
For instance, a paediatrician works only with children but that is still a vast specialism.
Becoming a specialist paediatrician looking at sleep is a much narrower scope of interest.
By becoming a niche specialist you can find opportunities offering advice and consultation to other professionals who are dealing with patients with specific conditions.
However, be aware that your specialism should be something you feel incredibly passionate about.
If you are not driven to work in your chosen field, it will be hard to keep focussed and determined to continually develop your skills and knowledge.
Finally, remember that the healthcare industry is fast-paced with discoveries and technological developments happening all the time. If you want to keep ahead of other candidates, then keeping abreast of the latest technology is crucial.
As a healthcare professional you should always be learning. Every new piece of knowledge or skill developed will put you into a better position for a promotion or career move.
- DISCLOSURE – This post has been written by an outside source
