Healthcare Careers
Barbara Mackessy
Career Pathways in Health Science
• A career pathway in Georgia consists of three high school
courses within the same cluster.
• Each pathway contains a group of careers requiring
similar academic and technical skills as well as similar
industry certifications or postsecondary education.
• The National Health Science Career Cluster has five
pathways: supportive services, information and
communication services, diagnostic services, therapeutic
services, and biotechnology and pharmaceutical services.
Surgical Technicians must anticipate what
The surgeon will need next.
Hooked up to the Aaron 950 and grounding pad
so that patient will not get burnt.
Respiratory Therapy is a competitive program which
Takes only 18 students. Must pass the National
RRT Exam and state licensure.
You know how to operate all
equipment in your area.
Scan patient and scan medications, both must match before giving anything
to the patient. Computer also reminds RN’s what paperwork, charts and
assessments that need to be completed.
Histologist or Histotechnologist – studies tissues cut out
during surgery, an expert on slide preparation, Bachelor’s
Degree; Histology technician – associate degree
Must be at least 18 years old to work in the lab.
Some hospitals have a volunteer program but the
volunteers do not do hands on collection.
Medical Lab Technician – collect, type and group blood,
stain slides and sterilize equipment; 12 month certificate or
Associate Degree. They must be able to load, unload, adjust,
fix, change, take apart things in the lab.
Beckman Coulter - runs CBC in seconds
Medical Technologists- test for bacteria, drugs and
diseases; Bachelor’s Degree;
Aerospray Slide Strainer – spins and stains samples
Centrifuge – spins, separates
Phlebotomist must be very fast at sample collection. High turn
over rate for phlebotomist.
Test tube tops informs workers of what preservation and chemical reaction that
will take place in the test tube. Purple – CBC – contains self preservative to keep
cells from clotting. Red top – no additives –will clot at normal rate. Phlebotomists
collect and process blood; 1 year program or on the job training
Testing of tissue sample collected.
Clinical Nurse Specialist- is a registered nurse with
advance practice and specialization; Bachelors plus
specialty leads to Masters.
Radiologic Technician – Associate Degree produces images to be read by a Radiologist.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist view organ images and body
functions – could be 1 or 2 year certificate or Associate or Bachelor’s
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer helps diagnosis abdominal
tumors, cysts, and other abnormalities – could be a certificate,
Associate or Bachelor’s degree.
Pharmacy - computerized
Pharmacy Technician works under pharmacist with
on the job training from 6 months to 2 years.
All medications are labeled and bar coded in the hospitals for patient
protection, safety and hospital inventory
Nurses station where everything is computerized. All patient files
are on the computer, a back up is made each day of all hospital
files and stored off location.
Industrial Hygienist search for hazards, diseases and hidden
dangers to eliminate them, Bachelor’s Degree required.
Containers are labeled for the type of trash that can properly be
disposed of in each container.
Registered Nurse (RN) interpret and response to
patients, may specialize, Associate Degree required but
may be Bachelor’s Degree.
Nurses station
Nursing Assistant – answers patient calls, serve
meals and checks blood pressure, requires 90 hours
of training.
Biomedical Technician Electronic
Equipment Repairer
Case Management/ Social Service does discharge planning,
reviews every case, calls insurance and gets days approved
.
Starts with RT training at a Technical
College then take National Boards
Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses
with advanced degrees, Master’s Degree
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) provide basic care,
12-18 month program. Educational information
posted
Medical Illustrator – Bachelor’s Degree in art and/or science
plus a masters from a medical illustration program.
Radiation Therapist helps to treat cancer - 1 or 2
year certificate or Associate or Bachelor’s Degree.
Medical Dosimetrist calculates radiation
dosage with 12 months on the job training.
Radiation Oncologist is a physician specializing in
treating cancer with radiation.
Nursing Homes have recreational/activity directors
develop, plan, arranges and conducts a variety of
individual as well as group recreational and
therapeutic programs.
Dietitian – an expert in food and nutrition with a Bachelor’s
Degree plus supervised practice. Nursing home menus are posted
for the resident and visitors to see.
Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)– associate degree ;
Physical Therapist (PT) –Now a doctorate degree. Physical
Therapy is provided in house in Nursing Homes.
Hydration Aide
• Staff member makes sure that people drink
to remain hydrated.
• Training – special feeding classes
Physical Therapists
• Typically work to restore functional
mobility and strength to individuals and
their joints following injury or surgery.
• Helping people to walk again, climb stairs,
walk on ramps and curbs
• Determine what device would allow them
independence
• Requires a doctorate degree
Occupational Therapists
• Typically work to restore functional tasks
following injury or surgery.
• Work to restore activities of daily living
• May involve: bathing, dressing, transferring
from bed to chair, eating
• Requires a master’s degree
Occupational Therapist – help people regain and
rebuilt skills needed in every day life. Occupational
therapy assistant requires an associate degree and
supervised practice along with a national exam.
Nursing Home
• Administrator – licensed by state – oversees overall operation
• Nursing- Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and
Certified Nursing Assistants - monitor the well being of patient
• Business Office Staff – financial records and billing – compliance
with all state and federal regulations
• Social Service Staff – help with transition and provide ongoing
counseling and support.
• Food Service – Dietary manager – oversees all meal and snack
preparation
• Housekeeping- Laundry- Maintenance – maintaining a clean,
well serviced center, keep equipment in good working order.
Speech Language Pathologists
• Typically work to restore function with
swallowing, speaking, or cognitive abilities.
• Recommend diet changes to keep patient
from taking food/liquids into the lungs.
• Require a master’s degree
Coroner & Deputy Coroners must determine cause and
manner of death. Coroner is elected - must have a high
school diploma and one week training at the police.
academy.
Don Starnes, EMT/Paramedic director, requires a
background check, DUI = No job, random drug
testing, driving record checks
EMT – responds to crisis, national
exam after 120-220 hours of
instruction.
Paramedic – 1000 hours of
instruction, 5 full quarters, then a
national exam
Home Health
• Go to people home
• Follow physician’s orders
• Assist the physicians – see patients between
doctor’s visits
• Paid per visit per patient
• You decide how many patients you want to see
• Mileage reimbursement
• Do lab draws and give shots, vitals, weight
• Medicare requires 30 minutes per home visit
Athletic trainer demonstrates the use of
new technology in her field.
Athletic Trainers, help with physical therapy for
sports players and athletes.
Health Care Careers:
? some require heavy lifting, continuous
education, risk of exposure, may be on
call, long hours, standing, work on
weekends and holidays and requires lots
of responsibility.
Health care professionals help others!
Are you interested??
Diagnostic Services
• Cardiovascular Technologist
• Clinical Lab Technician
• Computer Tomography (CT)
Technologist
• Cytogenetic Technologist
• Diagnostic Medical
Sonographers
• Electrocardiographic (ECG)
Technician
• Electronic Diagnostic (EEG)
Technologist
• Exercise Physiologist
• Geneticist
• Histotechnician
• Histotechnologist
• Magnetic Resonance (MR)
Technologist
• Mammographer
• Medical Technologist/Clinical
Laboratory Scientist
• Nuclear Medicine Technologist
• Nutritionist
• Pathologist
• Pathology Assistant
• Phlebotomist
• Positron Emission Tomography
(PET) Technologist
• Radiologic
Technologist/Radiographer
• Radiologist
Practice sessions in the EMT/Paramedic classes.
Check out the different hospitals
before you commit
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Usually a 20% differential for night shift
Usually 12 hour shifts
Some cases are very hard emotionally
Can be very rewarding when someone with
massive trauma recovers
• Some OTJ positions are available but most are
now requiring post secondary schooling
• Add additional certification to bump up pay
increases
Is Healthcare an option for you?
Do you have the necessary
qualifications to be successful?