https://www.caringsupport.com/
Caring Support serves as a central resource for healthcare workers and employers to easily connect and communicate, accelerating and simplifying the hiring process while saving time and money.
Good Stuff Happens in 1:1 Meetings: Why you need them and how to do them well
What Healthcare Career Is Right For Me.docx.pdf
1. What Healthcare Career Is Right For
Me?
Choosing a career in healthcare does not automatically mean that you are headed to
medical school to become a doctor or nursing school to become a nurse. There is a
wide range of careers available within the administrative, diagnostic, and therapeutic
healthcare sectors. The trick is finding the right niche that matches your interests, skills,
and abilities.
Going back to school can be expensive and will be very time-consuming. While there
are numerous grants, scholarships, and bursaries that you can apply for to help you
financially, there will be costs to you as well. Your studies will also take a large
commitment of your time to attend classes and study as well as work any practicums or
work placements.
When considering what healthcare career is right for you, you first need to ask yourself
this:
“Am I mentally and financially willing and able to commit to furthering my education?”
2.
3. Are There Healthcare Careers That Don’t Require
A Degree?
If going back to school is not something that you can afford to do right now, or at all,
there are still healthcare careers that you can work in without having a degree. Below
we have broken down healthcare careers that you may be able to get into with no
education, certificate, diploma or degree.
High-school Diploma/GED (or less):
Caregiver/Home Health Aide
Job Description: Assisting clients in all activities of daily living and personal care,
assisting with light housekeeping, food shopping or other errands, escort to doctor
appointments, preparing meals within the client’s diet, meeting the safety needs of your
client, medication reminders, engage and enjoy conversation with your client.
Skills Required: Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation, ability to follow and
carry out client care plans, pass a criminal record check
Education Required: High-school diploma (however, this can also be flexible
depending on your ability to do the required tasks as well as pass the criminal record
check)
Salary Average: $19.72 per hour
Certificate Programs:
Medical Transcriptionist
Job Description: Listen to voice recordings that physicians and other healthcare
workers make and convert them into written reports.
4. Skills Required: Experience and knowledge of office equipment (computers, copiers,
scanners, phones, etc.), minimum typing speed of 70 words per minute (wpm), excellent
English skills, strong attention to detail, discretion and listening skills as well as be able
to pass a criminal record check.
Education Required: A high school diploma or equivalent. Some places will require
that you have a certificate in Medical Transcription, however there are companies and
organizations that will train the right person without having to have a certificate.
Salary Average: $42,095 per year
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Job Description: Provide pre-hospital emergency care to patients with injuries or
medical illnesses and transport them to hospitals or other medical facilities
Skills Required: Physically fit, ability to work under pressure and in stressful situations,
service, and care skills, planning and analysis skills, public safety and security
knowledge, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: Completion of a one- to three-year college, hospital-based or
other recognized paramedical or emergency medical technology program is
required (Gov. of Canada, 2022)
Salary Average: $34.00/hour
Diploma Programs:
Retail Pharmacy Assistant
Job Description: Give general assistance with daily pharmacy activities. Take
prescriptions from clients in person and over the phone. Measure and mix drugs
according to prescriptions. Package, label and dispense medications.
Skills Required: Attentive, organized, detail oriented and dependable, must pass a
criminal record check
5. Education Required: Retail Pharmacy Assistant Diploma (6 months -1-year program)
Salary Average: $36,075 per year
Dental Assistant
Job Description: Prepare patients for dental examinations, order dental and office
supplies, prepare dental instruments and filling materials, reception, and clerical duties,
sterilize and maintain equipment
Skills Required: Personable, good oral and communication skills, attention to detail
and cleanliness, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: High school diploma and/or Dental Assistant Certificate (8
months – 1 year program)
Salary Average: $24.00/hour
Medical Admin Assistant
Job Description: Medical Admins provide a variety of administrative assistance to
medical offices and clinics. Their days include (but aren’t limited to) booking
appointments and managing the calendars of multiple medical professionals,
completing forms and insurance claims, prepare other documents as needed and even
supervision of other staff members.
Skills Required: Attention to detail, clear communication, reading, and writing skills,
good with digital technology, team player, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: Medical Office Administrator Certificate or Diploma (1 – 2 year
program)
Salary Average: $22.00 per hour
Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist Assistant
6. Job Description: Assist professionals such as audiologists, speech-language
pathologists, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists in the
assessment and treatment of clients in public or private clinics
Skills Required: Excellent written, interpersonal, and oral communication skills, ability
to take direction from multiple professionals, eye for detail and possibly the ability to lift
a certain amount of weight depending on the type of professional you would be working
with, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: College Diploma (2 Years)
Salary Average: $22.00/hour
Licensed Practical Nurse
Job Description: Licensed practical nurses provide nursing care usually under the
direction of medical practitioners, registered nurses or other health team
members (Gov. of Canada, 2022).
Skills Required: Excellent written, interpersonal, and oral communication skills, ability
to take direction from multiple professionals, eye for detail, good with technology and
medical equipment, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: Completion of a vocational, college or other approved program
for licensed practical nurses is required (2 Year Program)
Salary Average: $28.00/hour
What healthcare careers require a degree?
There are a lot of healthcare careers that require an Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or
Doctoral degree. These programs are usually 4 – 8 years (or more) in length and
require significant time, mental and financial preparedness to complete.
Once completed you can find a fulfilling healthcare career as one of the following:
Social Service Worker
7. Job Description: Social and community service workers administer and implement a
variety of social assistance programs and community services and assist clients to deal
with personal and social problems. They are employed by social service and
government agencies, mental health agencies, group homes, shelters, substance abuse
centres, school boards, correctional facilities and other establishments (Canada, 2022).
Skills Required: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and written skills,
organizational skills, service and care skills, planning and analysis skills, public safety
and security knowledge, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: Social Service Worker Degree (4 year program)
Salary Average: $23.00/hour
Registered Dietician
Job Description: Implement and oversee nutrition plans and food service programs for
individuals, hospitals, home health-care agencies, community health centers and more.
Skills Required: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and written skills,
organizational skills, service and care skills, planning and analysis skills, public safety
and security knowledge, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: Bachelor or Masters Degree (4 – 7 years program)
Salary Average: $37.50/hour
Registered Nurse (RN)
Job Description: Provide care to patients, administer medications, assist in surgery,
supervise other nurses, monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and
changes in patient's conditions and so much more. RNs can find employment in private
or public organizations or even self-employed.
8. Skills Required: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and written skills,
organizational skills, service and care skills, planning and analysis skills, public safety
and security knowledge, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: 4-Year Nursing Degree
Salary Average: $40.00/hour
Family Doctor (General Practitioner)
Job Description: General practitioners and family physicians diagnose and treat the
diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients. They provide primary contact
and continuous care for the management of patient's health. They usually work in
private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Residents in
training to be general practitioners or family physicians are included in this unit
group (Gov. of Canada, 2022).
Skills Required: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and written skills,
organizational skills, service and care skills, planning and analysis skills, public safety
and security knowledge, must pass a criminal record check
Education Required: Degree, Masters, Doctorate (8 years+)
Salary: $216,864/year
Can I Still Have A Rewarding Healthcare Career If
I Cannot Pass A Criminal Record Check?
It is really hard to get a job in healthcare while having a criminal record, but not
impossible. Looking into record expungement while volunteering where you can,
seeking further education, and building great community references will give you the
best chance at a healthcare career.
9. How Can I Find Healthcare Jobs With Top
Employers In Ontario?
That’s easy. All you have to do is create your FREE Caring Support account, completely
fill out your profile and start checking out the available healthcare jobs in your area!
Please note: Not all healthcare career paths are listed in this article. This is just a
general overview of some of the careers that are possible. It is still imperative to do your
own research and consult with appropriate financial and educational professionals
before committing to any program.
Source: https://www.caringsupport.com/blog/what-healthcare-career-is-right-for-me