Health Science Career Introduction

1. Health Science Career Introduction By: Rachel Hillard

2. Who do you want to be? Take 5 Minutes to do the following • Make a list of your goals in life on a sheet of paper • Do you have a plan to reach your goal

3. Choosing a Career • Choosing a career involves making some complex decisions • It’s important to focus on matching your interests, abilities, and needs with a career that fits them well

4. Think about these things • What am I really like? • What are my strengths/ weaknesses? • What might I want to be doing in one year? • Five years? • Ten years? On the following student work sheet answer the questions regarding you.

12. Why Health Careers • Workers in the health field often get a high level of personal satisfaction from helping people in need. • Health care workers are in high demand and the supply is usually lower than desired • As a result: • Many jobs are available • Many jobs offer high pay • Scheduling is flexible • Job security is high • Competition is low

13. Researching Health Careers • It is important to understand • Duties of the job • Educational requirements • Job outlook • Average yearly income • Ability to progress in the career level to higher paying positions • Pros and cons of the career • Education levels

14. Different Level of Study for Education • Health Occupations education (HOE) Programs can prepare a student for immediate employment in many health careers or for additional education after high school. Post-secondary education- after high school and can include training in a vocational-technical school, community college, or university.

15. Levels of Education • Associate’s degree: awarded by a vocational-technical school or a community college . After completion of a prescribed two-year course of study. • Bachelor’s degree: awarded by a college or university after a prescribed course of study that usually lasts for four or more years.

16. Levels of Education Continued • Master’s degree: awarded by a college or university after completion of one or more years of work beyond a bachelor’s degree. • Doctorate degree: awarded by a college or university after completion of two or more years of work beyond a bachelor’s or master’s degree. • Some doctorates con require four to six years of additional study.

17. Credentials and Accreditation • Certification: Ensure that workers have the vital skills and are competent which helps to protect patients. • Accreditation: certifies that a program of study meets or exceeds a minimum standard of quality

18. Types of Credentials • Certification- states that the worker has fulfilled the education and performance standards and is qualified to do the job • Registration- the names of people who are qualified to work in a career are kept on an official list. • List is called a registry • Licensure is established by law and is mandatory • A government agency authorizes people to work in select careers. • Requirements may vary from state-to-state • Usually involves passing a state board test and maintaining certain standards.

19. Registration: is performed by a regulatory body that administers examinations and maintains a current registry of qualified personnel in a given health care area. • Examples: Registered dietitian, registered respiratory therapist, registered radiologic technologist. • Regulatory body: professional association or state board

20. Licensure: a government agency authorizes individuals to work in a given occupation. Health occupations requiring licensure can vary from state to state. • Requires that a person complete and approved educational program, pass a state board test, and maintain certain standards. • Examples: physician, dentist, physical therapist, registered nurse and licensed practical/ vocational nurse. • CEUs: continuing education units- additional hours of education in specified period of time.

21. Trends • Due to high costs, small facilities use multi-skilled workers trained to perform a variety of skills • Entrepreneur: organizes, manages, & assumes risk of business • Physicians, dentists, & optometrists who run practices • Therapist who travels to clients’ homes & deliver services • Medical billing specialist who gets info. On the internet & completes the required forms at home

22. Natl. Health Care Skill Standards • Developed to indicate the knowledge & skills of health workers at entry & technical levels • Divided into 6 levels • Health Care Core Standards • Therapeutic/Diagnostic Core Standards • Therapeutic Cluster Standards • Diagnostic Cluster Standards • Information Services Cluster Standards • Environmental Services Cluster Standards

23. Career Levels • Aide: 1 or more years of training on-the-job, in the classroom, or a combo of both • Tech: 2-year assoc. degree/ 3-4 years of on-the-job training • Technologist/Therapist: 3-4 years of college plus work experience; usually a bachelor’s degree & sometimes a master’s degree is required. • Professional: 4 or more years of college w/ a bachelor’s degree or a doctorate; often clinical training is also required.

24. Hospital/Health Care Facility Services • Operate the support department such as: • Administration • Business office • Admissions office • Central/sterile supply • Housekeeping

25. Medical Careers • Includes physicians & other individuals under the supervision of physicians • Physicians (MD) (DO) (DPM) (DC) • Physicians assistants (PA) • Medical assistants (MA)

26. Mental & Social Services • Focus on helping people w/ mental/emotional disorders or those who are developmentally delayed • Psychiatrist • Psychologist PsyD • Psychiatric/Mental Health Technicians • Social Workers/Sociologists

27. Mortuary Careers • Provide services that involve preparation of the body, performance of a ceremony that honors the deceased & meets the spiritual needs of the living, as well as cremation & burial of the remains. • Funeral directors • Embalmers • Mortuary assistants

28. Nursing Careers • Provide care as directed by physicians that focused on the mental, emotional, & physical needs of patients • Registered Nurses (RN) • Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) • Nurse Assistant • Patient Care Technician • Surgical Technician

29. Nutrition & Dietary Services • Promote wellness & optimum health through the knowledge of nutrition • Dieticians (RD) • Dietetic Technician (DT) • Dietetic Assistant

30. Therapeutic Services • Provide care for patients through a variety of treatments for injuries, physical, mental, & emotional disabilities • Occupational Therapists & Assistants • Physical Therapists & Assistants • Pharmacists • Massage Therapists • Respiratory Therapists • Speech-Language Therapists • Athletic Trainer

31. Veterinary Careers • Provide care for all types of animals • Veterinarians (DVM or VMD) • Veterinary Technician (VT) • Veterinary Assistant

32. Vision Services • Provide care to prevent & treat vision disorders • Ophthalmologists • Optometrists (DO) • Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (OMT) • Ophthalmic Technicians (OT) • Optician (OA) • Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician

33. Organizations • A professional organization is a group that exists to further a certain career. • Their goal is to protect the interest of the public as well as those of the professionals. • Civic & Community organizations exist to enhance the well-being of all people in an area through volunteer service actions. • Organizations • Provide a place for people who share the same interests to meet & exchange info. • Allow members to grow in their leadership abilities, citizenship skills, & confidence • Strengthen members’ thinking skills, such as creativity, decision-making, & problem-solving. • Support networking opportunities that can lead to job contacts.

34. Student Organizations • Aim to enhance the students’ education in both its quality & impact • Strive to help the students build knowledge, skills, attitudes that will lead to success in the workplace • Often sponsor special competitions w/ the goal to encourage pride & excellence in work • Often award scholarships to make sure that deserving students can get the further training they need

35. Health Occupation Students of America • Organized in 1976 as the only organization dedicated to meeting the needs of students pursuing a career in health care

36. Dental Careers • Dental workers focus on the health of the teeth and the soft tissues of the mouth. • Repairing or replacing diseased or damaged teeth. • Treating the gingiva (gums) and other supporting structures of the teeth

37. Employment places • Private dental offices • Laboratories • Clinics • Dental departments in • Hospitals • Schools • Health departments • Government agencies

38. Specialty Areas • Endodontics- treatment of diseases of the pulp, nerves, blood vessels, and roots of the teeth; often called root canal treatment • Orthodontics- alignment or straightening of the teeth • Oral surgery-surgery on the teeth, mouth, and jaw • Periodontics- treatment and prevention of diseases of the gums, bone, and structures supporting the teeth.

39. Pedondontics- dental treatment of children and adolescents • Prosthodontics- replacement of natural teeth with artificial teeth or dentures

40. Levels of Work Dentist Dental hygienist Dental laboratory Technician Dental assistant

41. Dentists • Doctors who examine teeth and moth tissues to diagnose and treat disease and abnormalities • Perform surgery on the teeth, gums and tissues • Work to prevent dental disease • Supervise the work of other dental workers

42. Dental Hygienists • Work under a dentists • Perform preliminary examinations • Remove stains and deposits from teeth • Expose and develop x-rays • Preventive or therapeutic treatment • Help maintain good dental health • Some states are authorized to place and carve restorative materials, polish restorations, remove sutures, and administer anesthesia.

43. Dental Laboratory Technicians • Make and repair dental prostheses • Dentures • Crowns • Bridges • Orthodontic appliances

44. Dental Assistants (DA) • Work under the supervision of dentists • Prepare patients for examinations • Pass instruments • Prepare dental materials • Take and develop x-rays • Teach preventive care • Sterilize instruments • Perform dental receptionist duties

45. Diagnostic Services • Perform tests or evaluations that aid in the detection diagnosis and treatment of disease injury or other physical conditions • Employed in • Hospital laboratories • Private laboratories • Doctors offices • Clinics • Public health agencies • Pharmaceutical firms • Research or government agencies

46. Electrocardiograph Technicians (EKG) • Record electrical impulses that originate in the heart • Used to help diagnose heart disease • Stress tests (record action of the heart during physical activity) • Holter monitors (ECGs lasting 24-48 hours) • Thallium scans (nuclear scan)

47. Cardiovascular Technologist • Assist with cardiac catheterization and angioplasty • Monitor patients during open-heart surgery • Monitor patients during implantation of pacemakers • Perform tests to check circulation in blood vessels • Perform echocardiograms

48. Electroencephalographic Technologist (EEG) • Records the electrical activity of the brain • Neurologist uses to evaluate diseases and disorders of the brain. • Brain tumors • Strokes • Toxic/ metabolic disorders • Epilepsy • Sleep disorders

49. EEG Technologist • Perform nerve conduction tests • Measure sensory and physical responses to stimuli • Polysomnographic technologists- specialize in administering sleep disorder evaluations

50. Medical Laboratory Technologists (MTs) • Also called clinical laboratory technologists • Work under the supervision of pathologists • Study tissues, fluids, and cells of the human body the help determine the presence or cause of disease. • Perform complicated chemical, microscopic and automated analyzer/ computer tests