Skip to main content

Planning for Your Best Medical Career in 2022

Written by: Alex Brown
Published on: Nov 11, 2021
Category:

Medical Career Planning 2022

2022 is on the horizon. Could next year be the year you enter the healthcare profession? The landscape of healthcare delivery has been continually disrupted for two decades. Never more so than in the past two years.

If you’ve decided that next year a healthcare career is what you want, now is the time to plan for exactly what you’ll be doing. Planning for a career in healthcare is more important now than ever. The way healthcare professionals care for patients is changing, affecting how jobs are performed. Then there is a growing demand amidst a shrinking talent pool, affecting the role, location, and pay scales of jobs that will be available.

With multiple factors impacting the evolving world of medicine, let’s look at a few key hacks to planning for a successful healthcare career.

Career Planning Hack #1: Which role do you want to fill?

Plan to take a career path that will be satisfying as well as rewarding. Start by looking back on why you want to enter the medical field. What experiences have you had that make you interested in medicine? Which roles fulfill the reasons you want to become a healthcare professional. Then investigate the responsibilities, reporting structures, scheduling, and other aspects of those positions before you commit.

Career Planning Hack #2: Which careers are in demand?

Healthcare professionals are typically in high demand overall. But which positions look poised to be attractive to healthcare organizations? Explore current and future trends through online research at U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and medical industry sites such as the American Medical Association.

You can also learn about potential career demand through personal networks, career fairs, professional associations, and other resources.

Medical Professional

Career Planning Hack #3: Where are your strengths?

Look for healthcare positions that leverage the best parts of you. Understand your strengths based on your preferences, values, interests, personality, and so on. Think hard on questions such as “Who am I?”, “What tasks do I enjoy doing?”, “What am I good at?”, and “Where do I fit best in a team?” Answering questions like these will help shape your decision about which role would be successful.

Career Planning Hack #4: Are you prepared for a medical career?

A career in medicine is rewarding and challenging at the same time. Recruiting experts advise healthcare job seekers to do the research necessary to truly understand the demands, expectations, benefits, personal growth opportunities, and rewards of the position you’re interested in.

Ask yourself “Am I ready for this?” think about the day-to-day realities of your new career, but include the industry demands as well. For example, are you comfortable with new, disruptive technologies? Do you mind keeping up with continuing education units (CEU)? If necessary, are you prepared for a rigorous medical school experience?

Healthcare pros who have enjoyed sustained, personally fulfilling careers in the medical profession commonly say “My job chose me.” The connection between a job and personal satisfaction is real – and important. So carefully consider your move into healthcare by following these career hacks. Good luck!