Which Path to Pick? Deciding on the Best Careers in Medicine

Did you know that healthcare employment through the next decade will grow 14 percent? Considering that the average growth for all occupations is only five percent, now is a good time to pursue one of the various careers in medicine.

The trouble is, with so many careers in medicine to choose from it can be difficult to make an ideal path.

Should you become a physician? After all, who wouldn’t want to pursue this prestigious career? But you could also become a pharmacist or a nurse or a medical assistant.

It’s understandable that you’re overwhelmed with choices, but we’re here to help. Continue reading to learn how to decide on the best careers in medicine.

Know Your Options

Yes, there are many career paths in medicine, but you aren’t going to consider all of them. This is why you need to know your options.

Create a list of all medical careers and pick out the ones you’d love to pursue. Of course, it’s not wise to randomly select the careers you’d want to pursue. Get some professional advice.

If you’re in high school, for instance, the school’s career counselor can help you narrow down to about three medical careers. The counselor probably already has a fair picture of your interests and passions, so you can count on them to help you make ideal picks.

Are You Really Book Smart?

Look, most medical careers are generally for people who’ve got the brains; students who come top of the class.

When you’re looking for the best medical career to pursue, it’s important to consider where you rank academically. For instance, it’s hardly possible to become a neurosurgeon if you’re the kind of student that struggles with math and sciences. You have to be sharp and intelligent to pursue this career.

That being said, there are good medical careers you can still pursue even if you’re an average student. For instance, you could become a medical assistant or pharmacy technician.

Know the Qualification Requirements

While medical careers are knowledge-intensive, some are more demanding than others. Do you have the determination and grit to pursue your preferred career?

Let’s say you want to become a physician. You’ll have to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree, then complete four years in medical school. At the very least, you’ll pursue eight years of professional education.

Are you mentally prepared for such a lengthy stay in college?

You need to consider the qualification requirements for each of the careers on your preferred list. Not only that but you also need to factor in any continuing education requirements after you’ve been licensed to practice.

Finding a Specialty

Unless you want to become a general practitioner, you’ll need to specialize in a certain field of medicine. Perhaps you can become a dermatologist, radiologist, neurologist, or surgeon. The list is long. If you’re thinking about surgery as an option, find out more about some additional courses you can pursue to advance your career.

The Best Careers in Medicine: Have Your Pick

Careers in medicine are challenging, fulfilling, and richly rewarding. However, you need to find a career path that’s right for you. Hopefully, this guide has helped to point you in the right direction.

Need more career tips? Keep reading our blog.