Choosing the Right Health Career

There are more than 200 health career occupations, not just the familiar nursing and physician professions. Each is important in providing health care in a many different work settings, such as homes, hospitals, clinics, offices and laboratories. With such a wide variety of possibilities it may be difficult to choose the right health career for you. The American Medical Association has information about the different health profession careers. An online resource such as Career Zone , O*Net , or Career InfoNet may also help you decide on a career.

Health professions tend to focus on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. Ask yourself if one of these areas interests you more than others. Some careers involve working "hands on" with people, while others contribute valuable behind-the-scenes skills.

Spending a few hours in a local library, school career center, researching on the Internet, or best of all, talking to others who work in the career field is a very important part of choosing a career. The El Centro College Allied Health Admissions personnel and individual program coordinators are also a good source of information to help guide your career choice. Contact information for these individuals is found on each program's individual web page.

Ask yourself some questions to find out your personal preferences. For example, ask yourself:

• What do you really want to do?
• Do you prefer working independently or with a team?
• Do you want to work with sick people? Would you prefer working with data or specimens?
• What kind of work environment suits you? Do you want an action-packed career? Or would you prefer one more relaxed?
• What skills do you already have? What do you need to learn?
• What are your short-term goals? What are your long-term goals?
• What kind of financial future do you want?
• Where do you want to live, in the country or city?
• Do you want a certificate, an associate's degree, a bachelor's degree or higher? A certificate or associate's degree from El Centro College can be a stepping stone to higher education opportunities.

El Centro College's unique Health Occupations Core Curriculum courses serve an important role in many of our programs. These courses help undecided students choose the career just right for them. If you decide a career is not for you and wish to change programs or return for more education, you do not have to repeat these courses which are shared by many of our programs.

Different professions may emphasize different aspects of healthcare more than others. The careers may also be categorized this way and all are offered at El Centro College. For more information visit each program's web page:

• Nursing:
  • Registered nurses
  • Vocational nurses
  • Peri-Operative nursing

• Allied Health:
  • Technologists
    • Sonographers
    • Echocardiographers
    • Invasive Cardiovascular Technologists
    • Radiologic Technologists
    • Respiratory Therapists
    • Surgical Technologists
• Technicians
  • Biotechnicians
  • Medical Laboratory Technicians
• Aides
  • Medical Assistants
• Technical, support and service occupations in various specialized areas
  • Paramedics
• Administrative, Clerical:
  • Medical Transcription
  • Medical Staff Services

Last updated April 24, 2007