1. HEALTH CAREERS: YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Customization – Insert your AHEC Center’s name.
© 2007 FLAHEC

2. What is a Health Career?
Jobs that maintain the health and condition of the human body (mentally and physically)
There are over 250 different health careers.
Health careers give you the opportunity to save lives and improve the health of all people.
© 2007 FLAHEC

3. Myths about Health Careers
Men are physicians and women are nurses.
All health careers require several years of education/training.
The college costs will be too expensive.
Physicians, nurses, and dentists are the ONLY health careers.
Additional Talking Points –
2007 statistics - 50% of graduating medical students are women.
2006 medical school graduates by race/ethnicity:
White 10,030
Asian 3,232
Black 1,122
Hispanic 1,063
Native American 138
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 41
Physicians, nurses, and dentists are not the only health careers available. In fact, there are over 250 different health careers.
Out of 100 health workers less than 10 are physicians.
© 2007 FLAHEC

4. Why a Career in Health? Make a difference:
Help improve lives. Help save lives.
Provide better access to health care in your community.
Help improve the standard of health care in medically underserved, rural, and inner-city communities and underrepresented populations .
© 2007 FLAHEC

5. Why a Career in Health? Job security:
Attain skills that are in high demand
Opportunities for advancement
Multiple places of employment
Earn a good living to support yourself and your family.
Additional Talking Points -
Have a job that is stable and secure:
The Health Career Industry is the second leading employer in the United States, second only to the Agriculture Industry.
Job security is excellent due to longer life spans, medical advances, increased population, and increased awareness of value of health.
Attain skills that are in high demand:
Bring in the Classified Ads section of a current newspaper. Show the students how many job openings are in the medical section.
Multiple places of employment:
Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, mental health facilities
Federal, state, local government agencies
Colleges, universities
Public organizations such as Health Departments and AHECs
Private practice
Medical supplies, equipment, pharmaceutical industries, laboratories
© 2007 FLAHEC

6. Why a Career in Health? Educational options:
Certification – (Vocational Training) CNA, LPN, EMT, Paramedic
Associate’s Degree – (2 years at a Community College) RN, radiologic tech, respiratory therapist, dental hygienist, surgical technologist, physician assistant
Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree – (4-6 years at a University) BSN, occupational therapist, physical therapist, nurse practitioner, pharmacists
Doctorate Degree – (8+ years at a University) physicians, psychiatrists, dentists
Customization – Insert career examples from the career slides you choose to use.
Additional Talking Points -
Certification – (Vocational Training) CNA, LPN, EMT, Paramedic. Vocational training can be accomplished while still in high school…usually for free!
Community Colleges – Check to see if your local community college works in conjunction with your local university to move you into a bachelor’s or master’s degree program in your chosen field.
© 2007 FLAHEC

7. Careers in Health Respiratory Therapy Public Health Medicine
Dentistry
Dental Hygiene
Mental Health
EMT/Paramedics
Surgical Tech
Medicine
Physician Assistant
Nursing
Radiology
Pharmacy
Occupational & Physical Therapy
Customization – Insert career examples from the career slides you choose to use.
© 2007 FLAHEC

8. Medicine Description:
Physicians perform physical examinations and diagnose, prevent and treat illnesses, injuries, and other disorders of the human body.
Training:
11+ years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$150,000 - $180,000
Additional Talking Points -
11+ years = 4 years as an undergraduate, 4 years of medical school, and 3or more years for residency (specialty).
Be sure to mention that the salaries listed in this presentation are average salaries for the state of Florida. Salaries may differ based upon years of experience, job location, etc.
© 2007 FLAHEC

9. Physician Assistant Description:
Perform physical examinations, diagnose illness, recommend treatment, and order laboratory tests under the supervision of a physician.
Training:
4-7 years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$47,000 - $85,000
Additional Talking Points -
2+ years: minimum requirement is a 2 year associate’s degree but some programs offer a 6 year master’s degree.
© 2007 FLAHEC

10. Nursing
Description:
Nurses have the most patient contact. They care for the physical and emotional needs of patients. They do examinations, provide health maintenance duties, and diagnose depending on their level of training, under the supervision of a physician.
Training:
CNA hours and certification
LPN - 1 year and licensure
RN/BSN - 2 or 4 years and licensure
ARNP - RN years experience + 2 years and certification
Additional Talking Points -
Certified Nursing Assistant
Licensed Practical Nurse
Registered Nurse/Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner
© 2007 FLAHEC

11. Nursing (continued) Starting Salary: CNA - $17,000 - $31,000
LPN - $31,000 - $42,000
RN/BSN - $42,000 - $63,000
ARNP - $63,000 - $83,000
Additional Talking Points –
Note how salary levels rise in direct correlation to training/education.
© 2007 FLAHEC

12. Radiology Description:
Radiologic Technologists specialize in the use of X-Ray equipment and advanced computer-aided imaging equipment such as ultrasound, Computer Tomography (CT) Scan, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to create images of the internal structures of the body for medical diagnostic purposes.
Training:
2+ years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$42,000 - $63,000
Additional Talking Points -
2+ years: some 1 year certificate programs are available, but the typical requirement is a 2 year associate’s degree and some programs even offer a 4 year bachelor’s degree.
Radiologic Technologists is a term that describes radiographers, radiation therapists, nuclear medicine technologists, sonographers, and MRI technologists.
Radiologists are physicians (MDs) who specialize in the use of radiation and non-radiation imaging equipment to diagnose and treat injuries and diseases.
© 2007 FLAHEC

13. Pharmacy Description:
Retain specific knowledge about the use, composition, therapeutic and adverse effects of medications, as well as the laws that regulate the making and selling of drugs. Dispense medications prescribed by physicians, dentists, and other authorized medical practitioners.
Training:
6 years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$64,000 - $100,000
© 2007 FLAHEC

14. Occupational & Physical Therapy
Description:
PTs work with people who have been disabled by illness or accident to restore motor skills (walking, lifting, moving) to as normal function as possible. OTs work with fine motor function (opening jars, brushing your teeth, typing).
Training:
6+ years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$52,000 - $73,000
Additional Talking Points –
6+ years: the minimum requirement for PTs is a 6 year master’s degree and some programs offer an 8 year doctorate degree. The minimum requirement of OTs is a 6 year master’s degree.
© 2007 FLAHEC

15. Respiratory Therapy Description:
Specializes in the evaluation, treatment, and care of patients with breathing problems such as Asthma or Emphysema. Respiratory Therapists work under the care of a physician to administer such therapy.
Training:
2+ years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$38,000 - $48,000
Additional Talking Points –
2+ years: the minimum requirement is a 2 year associate’s degree and some programs offer a 4 year bachelor’s degree.
© 2007 FLAHEC

16. Public Health Description:
Public health is concerned with improving access to health care, health promotion, preventing/controlling infectious disease, and reducing environmental hazards, violence, substance abuse, and injury.
Training:
years
Starting Salary:
$32,000 - $100,000
Additional Talking Points –
Public Health careers include health educators, environmental specialists, and biostatisticians. Nurses, physicians, and many other health professionals teach, practice, and help create policy in public health settings.
© 2007 FLAHEC

17. Dentistry Description:
Dentists examine, prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and abnormalities of the teeth, gums, and adjacent tissues and structures of the mouth. There are many specialty areas.
Training:
8+ years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$136,000 - $187,000
Additional Talking Points –
8+ years = 4 years as an undergraduate, 4 years of dental school, and 1-6 years for dental specialties.
© 2007 FLAHEC

18. Dental Hygiene Description:
Dental Hygienists educate individuals about their oral health. They evaluate the patient’s oral health, expose, process and interpret dental x-ray films, and remove deposits, stains, and plaque above and below the gum line.
Training:
2+ years
Licensure required
Starting Salary:
$42,000 - $63,000
Additional Talking Points –
2+ years: the minimum requirement is a 2 year associate’s degree but some programs offer a 4 year bachelor’s degree and a 6 year master’s degree.
© 2007 FLAHEC

19. Mental Health Description:
Mental health professionals help people with psychological, emotional, and social needs. Psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, substance abuse counselors, and psychiatric technicians/aides are considered mental health professionals.
Training:
years
Starting Salary:
$25,000 - $200,000
© 2007 FLAHEC

20. EMT/Paramedic Description:
Provide immediate care for sick or injured people and transport them to medical facilities. Perform basic life support skills such as restoring breathing, controlling blood loss, and treating shock victims.
Training:
EMT: hours
Paramedic: hours
Certification required
Starting Salary:
$25,000 - $38,000
Additional Talking Points -
EMT Intermediates receive additional training in order to give intravenous fluids and intubate.
EMT Paramedics provide the most extensive pre-hospital care. In addition to all previously mentioned skills, they can give oral or intravenous drugs and interpret EKGs.
Paramedic: 2 year associate’s degree is available after certification as an EMT has been completed.
© 2007 FLAHEC

21. What Can I do Now to Prepare for a Health Career?
Take as many math and science classes as possible.
Maintain a high GPA (3.0 or better).
Take your SAT/ACT tests early.
Research Health Careers –
Research community service opportunities and/or work as a volunteer.
Talk with your guidance counselors, teachers, parents, health professionals, and AHEC about a career in health.
© 2007 FLAHEC

22. Health Career Self Assessment
I enjoy health and science classes.
I do well in math.
I like helping people.
I think I would like helping people who are sick or injured.
I like to work with equipment and technology.
I would enjoy flexibility in my work schedule.
I like to work as a member of a team.
I can follow directions.
I communicate well.
I work well under stress.
I am a good listener.
I am a patient person.
I like working with my hands.
I would like to work in a laboratory.
I like to solve problems.
I take pride in carrying out instructions well.
I like having responsibilities.
I like to learn about the human body and how it works.
I can keep accurate records.
I am interested in first aid and safety.
I like to meet people.
Interaction Activity –
Print this slide off and instruct the students to check the characteristics that describe themselves. These are characteristics that describe health care professionals, do they describe you?
This can be a take-home slide. You can put your center’s logo on it and your contact information to remind them of AHEC and health careers after the presentation. Insert it into the Health Careers Brochure.
© 2007 FLAHEC