Health Care Careers in Demand: Insights and Opportunities

Do good and do well: health care careers Laurie Gelb, MPH, BCPA Principal, Profit by Change Seattle, WA

About me BA, Philosophy/Business, Master s in Public Health (MPH) Began health care career as minimum wage PBX operator (<$4/hour) Use both hard and soft skills every day: writing, research, analysis, conversations, influence, mentorship Former employers include Anthem, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Sanofi, Bodypoint

Past the facts, school provides: More information about what you might be good at and love Practice in good and bad choices Interaction with people doing similar things Building the awareness, diligence, empathy, resilience, and tenacity that most jobs demand

What drives job/life success? You know/care/talk about people, things and ideas beyond yourself You listen, and act on what you see and hear You can handle words, numbers and/or the unknown You re clever in some way funny, smart, kind, nimble, creative -- and know how to use it You meet deadlines, keep commitments, and protect resources

Wisdom from Dumbledore

Health care is everywhere Skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, transitional care, acute care, telehealth, hybrid models Strokes are being assessed in ambulances and at gas stations More disease is being managed at home Instead of a nurse at their bedside, or a physician in the ED, patients may be assessed by a virtual clinician, using the latest algorithms We are tracking pandemics through wastewater

Why a health care career? Medicine, dentistry and veterinary care are major success stories of humankind. We live longer, better and with more dignity. You can switch career paths without judgment, something not possible in all industries. Health care employment is projected to grow 15% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 2.4 million new jobs, more than any other occupational group This projected growth is mainly due to an aging population, now coupled with the pandemic

Dimensions of care Logistics & access (how far, how long are waits, what clinicians/facilities have capacity, is parking available, are rooms accessible for wheelchairs) Quality achieved vs. achievable Out of pocket patient cost from tolls to copays to premiums Cost to government, industry, not-for-profits Efficiency what do we get for what we put in Effectiveness how predictably do we get the outcomes we should expect Risks (like side effects, getting worse) vs. benefits

Many paths to success HS diploma or <2y college Activity aide, certified nursing assistant, home health aide, coder, sterile processing tech, psychiatric aide or tech, phlebotomist, cook Respiratory therapist, physical therapy aide, pharmacy technician, radiology tech, LVN, sonographer, dialysis tech Lab tech, BSN (incl. traveling nurse), shift supervisor, programmer, recreational therapist, dietitian, athletic trainer, medical illustrator, health educator Physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, veterinarian, dentist, therapist, pharmacist, researcher, speech pathologist, chaplain, midwife, social worker, medical physicist Associate s degree Bachelor s degree Advanced degree(s) https://explorehealthcareers.org/career- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/ explorer/

Choose your role Blueprint the future: Medical illustration, design robots, simulations, algorithms Use tech: Interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, echo lab, roving EKG, cardiovascular technologist, surgical nurse, anesthesia tech), lab tech, biomedical engineer Care with heart: Dietician, cook, bedside pt tech, chaplain, ethicist, health advocate, nurse, nurse s aide, home health aide Support the process:Transportation aide, van driver, patient escort, medical biller, medical transcriptionist, sterile processing

Choose your setting(s) Academia Industry (biopharma) Industry (medical devices) Industry (managed care) Patient-facing concerns Consulting Trade & general media Regulatory agency

If you can do it at Google, you can do it in health care Marketing, management, finance, IT, HR, operations, education, security, graphic design, social media, sustainability, law, facilities, engineering, statistics, account management, A/V, telecommunications, wellness, industrial design, R&D Plus: patient care, biomedical engineering, physician relations, basic and translational research, clinical education, patient education, discharge planning, utilization review, quality management...

What can you do all day? Support the most vulnerable Support those who support the most vulnerable Manage others, order things, write policies, clean instruments, plan menus, recruit nurses, install software, run cable, pull people from accidents, help a senior with diabetes monitor her medications, help a child with disabilities get dressed for school, evaluate strollers for kids with special needs, book appointments...

No one way to prep Bio, chem, physics, IT, speech, art, languages, business, computers, anything you can enjoy Health is about meeting people where they are and helping to do what they can for themselves and others. Contact your urban village, senior center, assisted living facility for opportunities as patient escorts, in arts programs, etc. Help seniors with tech to connect with loved ones and their passions. Participate in or observe virtual programming Visit professional Web sites to read news and perspectives, and stress-test your interest in several careers and paths

Employers look for:

Would you say you are Perceptive (a detective) Proactive (a doer) Supportive (proactive + helpful) Team-oriented (know it s not all you) Loyal (do what it takes, not a clock-watcher) Open-minded (find new solutions, work with

Engage!