Eight Reasons You Should (And Shouldn’t) Want to Work in Health Care

Are you considering pursuing an education in the health care industry? Before starting your journey through what could be one to eight years of education, consider the reasons why you want to go back to school for health care. Are they the right reasons, or should you look into investing your time, money, and education elsewhere?

Eight Good Reasons to Go Back to School for Health Care Degree

1.  I want to help others. The health care industry is an excellent industry to pursue a career helping others in; it sits right up there with education and social work.

2. I want the opportunity for advancement. Most health care jobs have the potential for advancement, right up to the eight-year medical school. If you want to be part of an industry where there’s always room to grow, the health care industry might be just the thing for you.

3. I want job security. Most health care jobs offer excellent job security due to their high demand the specialized education needed for entry-level positions.

4. I want a degree that I can do something with. All medical degrees serve an occupational purpose; you won’t graduate college and wander around aimlessly for a job title.

5. I want to work with the elderly. The elderly make a huge portion of the patients turning to health care every day; the health care industry is arguably the best one to pursue a career in if you’d like to work with older Americans.

6. I want to work with all kinds of ethnicities and cultures. Health care workers are exposed to every ethnicity and culture under the sun.

7. I want to learn something completely new. Most of the training you find for a health care job is specific and isn’t going to crop up anywhere else; if you’re interested for an entirely new career or educational path, health care is an excellent choice.

8. I want to feel proud of what I do. Even health care workers in offices report a sense of purpose in their job; if you want to have pride for your work, health care is the way to go!

Eight Bad Reasons to Go Back to School for a Health Care Degree

1. I want to make a lot of money. While doctors definitely get paid well, and technicians in the health care industry have generally high pay, this doesn’t mean that all health care positions pay well. Make sure to do your research and see if the income of your desired job is right for you. Also, remember that technicians in other industries make a comfy paycheck too.

2. I want an easy job. It might be easy to find employment, but health care jobs certainly aren’t for the faint hearted. Many health care workers put in 60 plus hours per week and claim that it’s “demanding, but worth it.”

3. I want to save lives. Slow down there, Sparky. You might be able to save lives if you go to medical school, or if you specialize in emergency room positions, but most health care workers aren’t going to be on the frontline like in television. Many health care jobs, in fact, are mirrored images of office jobs.

4. I want to make a difference in someone else’s life. Again, there are jobs in the health care industry that can fulfill this, but there are social work and education jobs that can do that as well. This isn’t industry specific and shouldn’t be expected from most health care positions.

5. I want to make a difference in my community. Some health care jobs do this, some don’t; people looking for a community impact should look at non-profit organizations before health care. Or, if you want, check out a health care and non-profit organization like Red Cross!

6. I want to retire early in life. Doctors that make six figures often practice well past retirement.

7. I want to make world-changing diagnoses. Watching a little too much House, there; even if you specialize in a diagnostics occupation, the chances of you running across a new and world-breaking virus are minimal. Diagnostic jobs are a great choice, but they’re not a King Arthur adventure!

8. I don’t want to work with people. Health care is all about helping other people, so if you envision your perfect job in a tiny cubicle, health care might not be the best option; even the office assistants are constantly interacting with patients as they schedule appointments and answer questions.