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Working towards a healthcare career is both scary and exciting. While you will likely be excited to enter a role that taps into your interest and passion, you might also fear failure or not living up to your wants and needs.
Yet, you can’t let worries hold you back from achieving your dreams, or you will live with much regret. If you are ready to work hard to walk into your desired profession, read this helpful guide to setting realistic healthcare career goals.
Understand Your Professional Requirements
Different healthcare positions will need different qualifications. For example, while some roles don’t require a university education, others need one or more degrees to qualify for a career.
For example, if you are interested in becoming a registered nurse in the United States, you can qualify for the role by completing an accelerated BSN. However, if you want to become a family nurse practitioner, you will first need to train as a registered nurse and then earn an online BSN to MSN-FNP at a respected institution, such as Marymount University.
If you are unsure about the education or experience you need for your dream career, browse various job descriptions to identify the certificate programs, degrees, and training required.
Establish Short- and Long-Term Goals
Next, establish both short- and long-term goals to achieve throughout your career. Typically, short-term goals are successes you want to experience within one to three years, and long-term goals may take between three to five years or more.
It will help you envision a path to success, and you will have a new focus each time you complete a goal. It will ensure you continually embrace new challenges and advance your career at a rapid rate. First, identify the key steps you will need to take for each goal set, which will make them feel more achievable. Then, make it your mission to tick each step off your list.
If you are unfamiliar with SMART goals, you must incorporate them into your plan. Smart goals are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Action-oriented
- Realistic with Timelines
Write specific goals you want to achieve and stick to a strict schedule for success. For example, you could state, “I want to complete an accelerated BSN to become a registered nurse at a hospital within 16 months.”
Consider Where You Want to Work
Healthcare practitioners can use their skills in different settings, such as hospitals, medical practices, clinics, community health centers, schools, and prisons. Therefore, identifying where you want to work cannot only support your job search but can help you focus on specific strengths to increase your employability.
Choose a Healthcare Specialty
Most healthcare practitioners often choose to specialize in a specific field. Consider the various medical interests and types of patients you would like each day. For example, you could specialize in:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular
- Geriatrics
- Infection control and prevention
- Neuroscience
- Dialysis
- Oncology
- Holistic care
- Neonatal care
- Medical surgery
- Psychiatric care
- Gastroenterology
- Ambulatory care
- Obstetrics
Assess Your Capabilities and Desires
Every healthcare setting will have different demands, pressures, and expectations. Before you create a roadmap to success, assess your capabilities. Identify your various strengths and weaknesses to ensure you will be a good fit at an organization and your desired role. Also, consider your work-life balance desires, personality, and work ethic.
For example, a hospital will require healthcare practitioners to work long shifts, sometimes back-to-back, and sacrifice events to care for patients. If this doesn’t fit your wants or needs, you might prefer to work in a medical practice or a school.
Seek Advice from an Experienced Healthcare Professional
If you are unsure if a career is right for your personality or abilities, it might help to seek advice from an experienced healthcare professional. Before you enroll in a course or apply for a vacancy, reach out to someone currently in your desired position and setting.
For example, you could cold-email a healthcare practitioner for advice to identify if it is the right avenue for your needs. Many might be more than happy to answer your questions and provide detailed information regarding the daily duties, demands, expectations, and essential qualities. It could help you make an informed decision.
Don’t Forget to Reward Yourself
Entering a new field will require much effort and determination. As you might have many tests to prep for, papers to complete, or work experience to gain, it is natural you might feel much stress and pressure from time to time.
For this reason, you must reward yourself for your large and small successes, from handing in a long paper to gaining a diploma. The little treats can help you stay motivated, as they will allow you to recognize your commitment, hard work ethic, and passion for the field. In addition, it will ensure you never lose sight of your goals.
Review Your Goals Each Year
Your professional aspirations may change as you improve your healthcare education, skills, and experience. Therefore, routinely review your goals to ensure they complement your current professional desires.
For example, you might want to push back a BSN to MSN-FNP to gain more experience as a registered nurse and increase your confidence in the role. There is nothing wrong with altering your timeline or shifting goals, as long as you feel content in your role.
Conclusion
The healthcare sector provides hardworking professionals with many benefits, from exceptional job security to a large income potential. Plus, it offers occupations for many interests and skill levels, which is why there is bound to be a career path to match your personality.
If you are eager to secure a career in the industry or want to climb the ladder to reach a senior position, set various short- and long-term goals. Also, consider if a career matches your personality and skills, and choose a degree program that suits your lifestyle, professional interests, and desired skill set. To do so, you must assess your strengths and weaknesses, talk to practitioners currently in the role, and consider where you would like to work.
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