5 Ways to Make a Difference Working in the Medical Field

When it comes to choosing which career path to follow, people look at a variety of factors. The career should be one that offers a livable wage, one that a person is passionate about, and one that allows them to experience professional growth. For many people, however, there is another consideration. This is the idea of making a difference. Finding a career that allows someone to use their passions and skills to make the world a better place is an important part of the equation. This is what draws people to fields like education, the military, emergency services, and medicine. 

Many people are drawn to the medical field because of the wide variety of ways to make a difference in the world, and the ways in which this field intersects with many others. Here are five of the careers in the medical field that allow someone to make a difference.

Nurse Anesthetist

A certified registered nurse anesthetist is an important part of the medical team. They work with a variety of other professionals in the medical field to ensure that, during and after surgery, the patient is receiving their anesthesia in a safe way. This is a job that is very important, as it involves not only putting the patients under with anesthesia but also monitoring patients while they are under the anesthesia. During surgery, a patient should feel no pain, and this is something that the CRNA is responsible for watching out for. They are responsible for administering the correct dosage and keeping the patient under during the procedure. This is a job that might seem like a simple task, but it can make a significant impact in people’s lives. Having a friendly anesthetist who explains things to the patient and lets them know that they will be watching can provide significant amounts of comfort.

Registered Nurse

A registered nurse is a crucial part of the medical field and one that many of the other fields build upon. To become a successful nursing educator, for example, it is helpful to have experience as a registered nurse or an RN. An RN works with patients and doctors. They look for symptoms and report on symptoms, help clean and cover injuries, and discuss medicines, diets, and other topics with patients. For many patients, they see the RN for longer than the doctor, making this a position where it is certainly possible to make a significant impact on people’s lives. 

This is also a field with many different branches. There are nurses that specialize in working with children, working with mental health patients, working with people in hospices, working in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, nurses that work in schools, and emergency nurses, who work in the emergency room. The job of an RN is variedbut can touch the lives of everyone who encounters them. If someone is looking to make a difference, a career as an RN is something to consider.

Nurse Educator

If a registered nurse wants to move to another environment, like the educational environment, there is a career for that too. A nurse educator is a registered nurse who has taken advanced clinical training and has a degree like an MSN in education. An MSN is a Master of Science in Nursing Degree, which allows nurses to develop their teaching skills as a nurse educator, helping to train new nurses. They can work to develop new curriculums and training programs and work at hospitals and universities. Some of them write textbooks. While this is a job that has less interaction with patients, it is a chance to help shape the medical profession from within, making a difference in the lives of students, who will go on to make a difference in the lives of their patients.

Physical Therapists

Physical therapists are responsible for helping people who have suffered from an illness or an injury. These medical professionals work with a variety of patients to help them regain their former skills. First, the physical therapist figures out what each individual person needs, and then creates a program to help them get to their goal. A physical therapist needs to be sympathetic and understanding, while also strict. This gives their patients support and a push to do better and keep trying. A physical therapist needs to have both of those qualities in order to be successful at their job. Being a physical therapist, however, offers a professional a chance to make a difference and see changes occur right before their eyes. 

Phlebotomist

Health care professionals have a wide variety of skills. This ensures that their patients are receiving the best care possible. When it is time for blood to be drawn, there is a specialist who does this. This person is a phlebotomist and they are responsible for drawing blood for a variety of tests, including to determine blood type. A phlebotomist is responsible for making sure that their equipment is properly cleaned, that the samples are stored and labeled correctly, and that they are transported to the lab. Phlebotomists are responsible for drawing the blood through a process called venipuncture. After the area is disinfected, a needle is inserted into the vein to draw the blood. For many people, having blood drawn is a stressful and frightening moment at the doctor’s office, so a phlebotomist is not only helping by preparing the samples for tests, they are also able to help frightened patients.

It is important to remember that, while everyone may have a desire to help the world to the best of their ability, not everyone possesses the skills required to work in every job in the medical profession. There are many other fields that offer a chance to help the local community, however, and a variety of jobs within the medical field itself. If a person is passionate about helping others and making a difference, as well as good with people and science,and can work well in stressful situations, it might be worth it to take a closer look at the healthcare profession.