If you’re passionate about health and medicine, working in the field can be done without becoming a doctor first.
In fact, there are many entry-level medical jobs you can acquire that make the perfect stepping stone for individuals who wish to work while they earn a degree and certification.
All of these jobs do require some form of college and formal training, but most are able to be completed in under three years. The credits you earn while studying for these positions can also be transferred to a bachelor’s degree for those who would like to go on to become registered nurse, medical practitioners or enter med school.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
A CNA provides hands-on care that includes bathing, dressing, serving food and repositioning bedridden patients. They can also take patients’ vital signs, document any health problems to report to the supervising nurse, tend to wounds and assist nurses with medical procedures.
Most CNAs work in hospitals or nursing homes, but some may find work in a clinician’s office or as a personal home health assistant to the disabled or elderly. CNAs must complete their state’s required training and pass an exam before they are able to work. Most states’ CNA programs last 12 weeks.
Accreditation is integral to professional integrity and certification. Make sure any program you choose has been approved by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE.)
Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
A CMA is a step above CNAs, often completing one to two years of training and possibly earning an associate’s college degree before earning certification.
They are therefore qualified to perform a more robust roster of duties, including conducting patient assessments, acquiring medical histories, assisting with in-office procedures, administering intravenous shots or intramuscular injections per a physician’s orders and even performing phlebotomy work.
A CNA adopts the role of an orderly while a CMA is more of a practitioner. Both roles are important, but a CMA typically has a more diverse range of employment opportunities including clinical offices and urgent care centers.
One of the ways you can get started in this particular field is to attend an online medical assistant school. This allows students to work on getting certified without having to take time off from work and life to go to a college campus for medical school.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Paramedics provide life-saving emergency care to people, and becoming one could be the right choice for someone who is not bothered by the often graphic and high-stress situations EMTs find themselves in.
To become an emergency medical technician, someone must have a valid driver’s license, at least a high school diploma or GED and complete training. Paramedic training takes approximately 18 months; classroom education typically lasts around four months while hands-on internships are six to eight months.
All paramedics must be CPR-certified and have an active license; you can start training as soon as you complete your high school education and are at least 18 years old.
Medical Transcriptionist
For those who like a more behind-the-scenes career, working as a medical transcriptionist can provide an in-depth look at life for doctors and patients. Transcriptionists either work in an office, hospital or from home, listening to dictated audio medical reports and transcribing them on a computer. They must learn a great deal of medical jargon that ranges from general anatomical and physiological to surgical procedures and equipment.
other valuable tips:
Medical transcriptionists are supportive health professionals who ensure a physician’s documents are accurate and organized. Their role ensures accuracy in medical reporting that is imperative to proper diagnosis and treatment.
Medical Secretary
Working at the front desk of a hospital or clinic can provide you with hands-on experience greeting patients, scheduling appointments and organizing files. Although this position does not enable you to provide any healthcare, it can provide valuable experience in a medical environment while you complete training or earn a degree.
Take time to explore medical career profiles online. Take an aptitude test, and don’t hesitate to reach out to professionals on LinkedIn or other appropriate platforms to ask about their job. It’s also a good idea to explore some free medical training resources and decide whether you are interested in the type of material you’ll have to learn for a particular career.
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