Chapter 3 Healthcare Occupations

CHAPTE

R

Section 3.1 Career Search

Section 3.2 Overview of Careers

Finding the Right
Occupation for You
3

SECTION

Career Search
3.1

Section 3.1: Career Search

Interests

⚫
Your interests are the subjects or activities that attract
your attention and that you enjoy doing or learning
about.

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Most people spend half their life or more working, so
choosing a career that will bring you satisfaction
makes good sense.

⚫
If you discover that many of the tasks associated with a
particular occupation are not interesting to you,
reconsider your choice, and research careers that use
and build on your interests.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Values

⚫
A value is the importance that you place on various
elements in your life.

⚫
Recognizing your values also helps you prioritize your
work-related values, some of which are described
below:

⚫
Job security. Having a steady, long-term job.

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Leisure time. Having time outside of work.

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Wages. Being paid well for your work.

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Recognition. Having a job that commands the
respect and admiration of others.

⚫
Creativity. Having a job that allows you to express
yourself or use your imagination.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Values, continued

⚫
Advancement. Having opportunities for promotion
and advancement to more challenging
responsibilities.

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Work environment. Being able to work in a space
where you are comfortable, such as outside, or in an
office.

⚫
Flexibility. Being able to choose your work
schedule, such as 9 to 5 Monday through Friday or
shift work.

⚫
Challenge. Having the opportunity to perform
difficult or important tasks.

⚫
Leadership opportunities. Managing or supervising
the work of other Abilities people.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Abilities

⚫
An ability is something you do well or your talents.
You have many abilities.

⚫
Most people have both specific abilities—such as
playing the guitar or repairing machines—and more
general abilities that help them succeed in life, such as
being a good listener or being able to manage your
resources well.

⚫
It is much more pleasant to work in an occupation that
uses your abilities.

⚫
It is important to evaluate your abilities as you embark
on your career search.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Developing a Career Plan

⚫
Once you have identified your interests, values, and
abilities, you have taken the first step in developing a
career plan.

⚫
A career plan is a tool that shows you how to achieve
your career goals.

⚫
Your career plan should be specific, realistic, and
attainable.

⚫
It should include a long-range career goal as well as a
series of short-term milestones that will help you get
there.

⚫
Every once in a while, you should revisit your career
plan and make adjustments or corrections.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Career Self-Assessment

⚫
A career self-assessment includes a prioritized list of
skills, interests, and abilities.

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The career self-assessment is a series of questions that
when answered honestly and objectively, helps you
identify your specific skills, interests, and abilities.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Resources for Analyzing Careers

⚫
The 16 career clusters—developed by the National
Association of State Directors of Career Technical
Education Consortium (NASDCTEc)—are a good place
to start to identify career opportunities.

⚫
Your guidance and career counselors have books,
computer programs, videos, and lists of useful Web
sites that provide information about types of careers.

⚫
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a
government agency responsible for tracking
information about jobs and workers; their Web site is
bls.gov.

⚫
One of the best ways to learn about different careers
is from someone who is employed.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Academic Plan

⚫
An academic plan is a document you use to set goals
for the things you want to accomplish while you are in
school.

⚫
Your years in school teach you skills and information
you need to get and keep a job, and provide an
opportunity to prepare for a career.

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Start your academic plan by writing a statement that
describes your long-term ultimate goal.

⚫
The goal should be specific and should include career,
education, and lifestyle goals.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Career Outlook

⚫
Your career plan should include an analysis of the
outlook for the selected career or career cluster.

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A job outlook provides statistics and trends about
whether the job is in an industry that is growing or
shrinking.

⚫
The Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the
BLS is a comprehensive resource for trends in specific
occupations.

Section 3.1: Career Search

Developing a Vocational Portfolio

⚫
A vocational portfolio is a tool you will use to
document, organize, and maintain the materials you
collect and create as you plan your career.

⚫
A portfolio demonstrates to college admissions officers
and potential employers your ability to plan, organize,
and create a final product that showcases your
knowledge, skills, abilities, and interests.

Section 3.1: Career Search

SECTION

Overview of
Careers
3.2

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Career Clusters

⚫
In an effort to classify occupations within all major
industries, the National Association of State Directors
of Career Technical Education Consortium
(NASDCTEc) developed 16 career clusters.

⚫
Within each of the 16 clusters are related job,
industry, and occupation types known as pathways.

⚫
Each pathway offers a variety of careers you might
choose.

⚫
The Health Science career cluster is described as
“planning, managing, and providing therapeutic
services, diagnostic services, health informatics,
support services, and biotechnology research and
development.”

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Therapeutic Services

⚫
Careers focus on changing the health status of the
patient over time.

⚫
Employees in this pathway work directly with the
patient, providing care, treatment, counseling, and
education information.

⚫
Because they work one-on-one with patients, they
must possess strong oral and written communication
skills. Likewise, they use these skills to coordinate
patient care among other team members.

⚫
Examples of occupations in this pathway are physical
therapist, respiratory therapist, athletic trainer, and
dental hygienist.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Diagnostic Services

⚫
Employees in this pathway use tests and evaluations
to detect, diagnose, and treat disease, injuries, and
other physical conditions.

⚫
Diagnostic service workers must have strong oral and
written communication skills with both patients and
other professionals/departments in the health care
facility.

⚫
Because they are often responsible for positioning,
transferring, and transporting patients, they must
understand the principles of body mechanics.

⚫
Examples of occupations in this pathway are medical
lab technicians, pathologists, and radiology
technicians.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Health Informatics

⚫
This pathway covers many different levels of health
care careers, including:
⚫

health care administrators who manage health care
agencies

⚫

individuals who manage patient data and information

⚫

those who handle financial information

⚫

those who work on computer applications related to
health care processes and procedures

⚫

those who develop programs to guide excellence in
health care delivery

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Health Informatics, continued

⚫
Workers in this pathway must be able to evaluate and
analyze health and medical information and employ
methods for the confidential communication of it to the
appropriate parties.

⚫

This often involves a comprehensive understanding of
information systems and managing the collection,
processing, distribution, and storage of electronic data.

⚫

Examples of occupations in this pathway are admitting
clerk, health care administrator, medical librarian, and
transcriptionist.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Support Services

⚫
Employees in this pathway help to provide a safe,
supportive environment for the delivery of health
care.

⚫
Careers range from entry level to management and
include technical and professional occupations.

⚫
Workers in this pathway must have strong
organizational skills and be able to follow established
procedures for tasks that ensure and promote safety
and quality within the health care facility.

⚫
They must know how to use and manage available
resources.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Support Services, continued

⚫
Problem-solving and decision-making skills are often
called in to use to ensure legal, regulatory, and other
guidelines are being followed.

⚫
Examples of occupations in this pathway include
dietary technicians, social workers, and hospital
maintenance engineers.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Biotechnology Research and

Development

⚫
Careers in this pathway involve bioscience research
and development as it applies to human health.

⚫
Employees may work to find new treatments for
diseases, improve diagnostic testing, or create new
medical devices to assist the patient.

⚫
Strong math and science skills are a must for workers
in this pathway.

⚫
Employees must be able to apply mathematical
concepts and use statistical and scientific data in the
research and development of biotechnological
products.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

Biotechnology Research and

Development, continued

⚫
They must have a solid understanding of
biotechnology areas, including recombinant DNA,
genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and genomics.

⚫
They must possess a basic understanding of
laboratory procedures.

⚫
They must also understand the ethical, moral, and
legal issues related to biotechnology.

⚫
Examples of occupations in this pathway are
biomedical chemist, microbiologist, pharmacist, and
toxicologist.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers

The Future of Health Care

Occupations

⚫
The health care industry is one of the largest
industries in the country, with nearly 22 million jobs
projected for 2022.

⚫
It is expected to generate almost 30 percent of new
jobs from 2012–2022, which will make it the fastest
growing industry overall during that time period.

⚫
13 of the 20 fastest growing occupations are in the
health care field.

⚫
The growing demand for health care workers is due in
part to a rapidly aging population, growth in the
overall population, implementation of the Affordable
Care Act, and advances in technology.

Section 3.2: Overview of Careers