Health Careers In Georgia

	: Healthcare professionals – are there more than just doctors and nurses? : Yes! The health care professionals you are probably most familiar with are doctors and nurses. But there are many other kinds of healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists, medical technologists, dentists, psychologists, and medical illustrators, to name but a few.
Even in a well-known healthcare field like nursing, there are many specialty areas that may be new to you. This guide will give you an overview of many different specialties.

: What are the positive aspects of a career in healthcare?
: There are many. Currently and in the foreseeable future, the demand for healthcare professionals is growing tremendously, so job availability and mobility are very good. Helping others is the big "plus" - most of us like to feel that we can have an impact on the lives of others. Healthcare professionals contribute to the quality of our lives, help us when we are sick, troubled or injured, and work to improve our communities.

: What about the negative aspects of healthcare? Hard work, long hours, catching a disease?
: Healthcare professionals do work hard. They are dedicated individuals who take their responsibilities seriously - they have to, because they are caring for people. Healthcare has some risks, but even where they exist there are many precautions taken to keep risk to a minimum. In fact, safety will be a very important part of your training as a healthcare professional.

: How can a healthcare professional help protect the environment?
: Several health fields are directly connected with environmental protection. Environmental health specialists test water and soil, and inspect restaurants and swimming pools. Environmental scientists, industrial hygienists, occupational safety and health specialists, and research scientists study ways that our natural and work environments affect health.

: I'm not comfortable around sick people. How could I be a healthcare professional?
: There are healthcare occupations that do not involve a lot of personal contact. Laboratory personnel, medical illustrators, health information technicians, health sciences librarians, biomedical engineers and opticians are examples of these. If you choose a career that does involve direct interaction, your training will prepare you for contact with sick or injured people. The satisfaction of using your special knowledge to help them override your initial discomfort. After all, it's the unknown that is scary, so the more you know about what you are doing, the more comfortable and confident you will feel.

: I'm in middle school. Should I be thinking about a health career now?
: It's a great time to start. As you browse through this guide, you'll see that a good academic background is important. A well-rounded course load is recommended, including the math and science courses your school offers. Even if you change your mind later about entering a health career, it's never a bad idea to learn as much as you can about science and math. To get a feel for what it's like to work in a healthcare setting, look into volunteer opportunities as well as health careers shadowing programs. Contact your AHEC or speak to your school counselor right away to help you plan accordingly.

: I've been out of school awhile but want to change directions, and there are several health careers that interest me. Is it too late?
: No. It's certainly not too late. Many adults become "career changers," moving to new career paths because their interests have changed or they are seeking new opportunities to get ahead in life. Use this manual to select some options, and contact the educational programs and professional associations listed to find out what you need to do to enter a program. You may need to take some preliminary courses, but the chances are that you could begin your new educational program without too much "backtracking." Some educational programs have evening or weekend classes for people who want to go back to school while they work. Some even have day care programs for parents who return to school.