When choosing a career within the field of health care, or deciding whether a health career is appropriate for you, there are several points to consider. One of the first questions you should ask is how much you wish to deal with people as contrasted to objects. For many people, such as nurses, pediatricians, or occupational therapists, a warm and caring personality is one of the most desirable attributes. Others, such as medical laboratory technologists, pathologists, or medical illustrators, have little or no contact with patients. Some programs demand much more science study than others, but preparation for all health care careers involves some laboratory science study.
Competent practitioners have an obligation to their patients to give the best care available.
Some students fail to anticipate the effect of spending much of their life in the company of sick, disabled, or dying people. With the aging of the American population, much of your work may be geriatric. Many students assume that they will be working in a comfortable, middle-class setting. However, the greatest health care needs are in chaotic inner-city neighborhoods and isolated, impoverished rural areas. Health care is increasingly a group activity where a successful outcome depends upon each member of a medical team performing his or her specific function.