Considering a Health Care Career?

Posted by Kathy Quan Jun 10, 2008

It is to be hoped that you have been doing this for awhile and have some ideas. If you want to pursue a career in the health field, you should be taking math and science courses. You will need subjects such as algebra, chemistry, and biology.

You should be looking at colleges and making some decisions. Are you considering someplace close to home or do you plan to go away to school? Is there a waiting list for the major you want at those schools?

If you’re considering a career in nursing for instance, there are waiting lists at most community and four year colleges. Yes, there is a tremendous shortage of nurses and this means there is also a shortage of nurse educators so space is limited in many nursing programs. There are some that don’t have a waiting list, but they may not be in your hometown. Consider these possibilities and how they might fit in with your plans.

Do you have to take special admission or entrance exams in addition to the SAT or ACT exams? Will you have to write an essay as part of the admission packet? Do you need some experience in the health field as a volunteer or employee? Some schools especially those with waiting lists have a point system and give extra credit to students who have some experience in the health field.

These are things to find out now. Applications to colleges are typically due in the early fall which can be a hectic time. If you start writing your entrance essays now, you’ll have plenty of time to review them and polish them long before they are due. If you need to get some experience, that should be your focus for the summer.

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