The demand for healthcare jobs is expected to grow by 15% over the next nine years. If you’re thinking about a career in healthcare, now is the time to make the jump.
How can you do that when schools are closing down due to COVID-19? You don’t want to wait a year or two until things get back to normal. You could be missing out on a huge opportunity.
You can resort to online education. It’s a great way to get connected to the healthcare industry and get the education you need to make the switch.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about getting an online education in the healthcare industry and start your new career right away.
Find Your Field of Interest
The healthcare industry encompasses a wide range of jobs. You can become a doctor, nurse, medical coder, IT professional, office manager, medical assistant, or nurse aid.
Think about your personality and the type of work that you want to do. Do you enjoy interacting with patients and want a rewarding job? A medical assistant or nurse aid would be a good fit.
Do you like to work on your own and have a strong background in computers? Information technology might be a good fit for you.
If you’re still not sure, you can always interview people in different healthcare fields. You’ll gain an understanding of the day-to-day work and decide if it’s something you want to do.
Look for Online Education Classes
You can start to take free online classes to better understand the specifics of your field of interest. This can also help you narrow down your interests. Sites like EdX offer free courses that you can audit online.
Take a course or two to see if your field is a good fit before you start to apply.
Once you know what the field of study, look up the requirements to enroll in a new program in your field. Do you need a high school diploma? Do you need some healthcare experience?
You want to make sure you fully understand the requirements of the program before you start to apply to schools.
Enroll in a Healthcare Program
Now it’s time to enroll in a healthcare program. Start by looking for institutions that offer online learning in your chosen field. They may offer online learning in conjunction with in-person classes.
Interview Students
Take the time to interview students and alumni of the schools. Ask them what the academic experience is like. You want to know things like the availability of professors, the ability to connect with other students, and career placement opportunities.
Career Placement
You’re going through the academic program so you can get a good-paying job that’s in demand. There is a lot of competition in the job market, and the smallest advantages can make a big difference.
The program that you enroll in should have a career placement program. The school may have partnerships with local hospitals and other employers in the healthcare industry. Ultimatemedical.edu is a good example of this practice.
Support During the Program
What kind of academic support will you get during the program? Do instructors have office hours online? Can you email them with questions?
You’re going to take challenging classes during your degree program. You want to make sure that you’re not alone in figuring out hard problems.
Transferrable Credits
One day you might be interested in taking advanced classes to get a bachelor’s or master’s degree. You want to make sure that you can transfer your academic credits to a higher education institution. If you can’t you’d have to start over, which will cost you more money in the long run.
Online Study Tips
How can you make the most out of online learning? It’s certainly different from taking classes in person, and you’ll need to make adjustments. These tips will help you get the most out of your learning experience.
Get the Technical Side Down
Be sure to review the technical requirements of your school. You may find that you have to upgrade your computer or increase your internet bandwidth to get the best experience.
Treat Online Education the Same as In-Person Learning
There is no slacking in online education. It may be easy to tune out during a lecture or check social media during an online class.
You also might not feel as motivated to do your homework because you don’t have to physically hand in your work. You just upload it to the learning platform.
You need to have the same discipline and drive that you would for a live learning class. If you find yourself having trouble with motivation, review your goals for the program.
Create a Dedicated Working Space
You can’t learn while you’re sitting on the couch with one eye on the laptop and another on your TV. You need to have a dedicated learning space with no distractions. Your working space also needs to be ergonomically correct to limit physical injuries like back and shoulder issues.
Set a Study Schedule
A study schedule is important to have because other areas of your life will demand attention. Without a schedule, those other areas will distract from the ability to learn online. Your education becomes less of a priority, which leads to bad grades.
Get an Online Education Degree in Healthcare
How can you change careers when schools are doing everything to avoid in-person classes? Technology comes to the rescue. You can get an online education in healthcare, which gives you the freedom to learn from anywhere and have the tools you need to jump into a new career.
You want to know your field of study and find a school that offers much more than online classes. You want to be able to interact with other students, build a strong professional network, and get a great job as soon as you complete your program.
Do you want more useful tips to further your education? Head over to these top healthcare articles found on the site.
