High school is often considered a stepping stone to the future that allows students to dabble in a variety of subjects to see what peaks their interest as they decide on college or career. Some students however already have an idea or even a strong passion for helping others and a career in health care is right up their alley.

But meeting the minimum requirements to graduate may not be enough.

It is widely accepted that taking rigorous high school courses in science and math are essential for anyone looking to land a career in health care regardless if that path goes through community college or a four-year university. An article published on ExploreHealthCareers.org states taking strong high school classes can help you:

• Improve your chances of getting the school of your choice
• Expand your health career opportunities
• Increase your future income

Math, science and English are essential for all high school students looking to get into health care whether it’s to be a surgeon, veterinarian, occupational therapist or hospital administrator. A health career does not necessarily have to begin in high school, since many health professionals make a switch later in life. However, if you’re in high school now is the time to start. Experts generally agree on the following:

• Two to four years of math to include geometry and Algebra II
• Two to four years of science to include biology, chemistry and physics
• Four years of English
• One to two years of computer science.

Many states do not require the suggested amount of math or English so it’s up to the student to take the additional courses. According to the American Diploma Project, high school standards are not anchored in the skills and knowledge employers and colleges now require. This results in students thinking they are ready and only finding themselves unprepared.

The benefits to tackling the difficult subjects in high school instead of waiting are numerous and actually start before graduation. Applying to college means you are competing against hundreds of other students for a limited number of spaces. Your high school transcripts show right away how serious you are about academics and a career in health care. If you are well prepared in science, math, English and computer skills, your application will stand out from the rest.

Additionally, a long term vision will ultimately pay off, literally. A study in Harvard’s Review of Economics and Statistics found “Students who take advanced math have higher incomes ten years after graduating – regardless of family background, grades or college degrees.” The American Diploma Project discovered math and English skills directly correlated to landing a job in any field that offers good pay, benefits and advancement opportunities. The bottom line is taking four years of math and science in high school puts you on a trajectory toward more than 150 possible health careers.

Finally, whether you are a high school student or looking to switch careers later in life, HospitalDreamJobs.com is your best source for news, advice and of course job opportunities. We scour the web for the best articles and all the job postings available to help you land your dream job working directly with patients or behind the scenes in a hospital, clinic, lab or office setting.

One reason why the healthcare field is so popular is because of all the different directions a healthcare career can go. You can be on the floor working directly with patients or behind the scenes ensuring the necessary processes are finely tuned and working. But the variety of jobs can also pose a dilemma if you are not clear in what you want.

A recent article on a job searching site raises a common issue that prevents the very qualified from getting their dream job. The problem? No defined objective. If your resume has an objective that is too broad or unclear, even though your education and experience may prove you to be a smashing candidate, you will be overlooked for someone who knows what he or she wants. The key to getting that interview is for a hiring manager to see a clearly defined job target along with the education and experience that support your objective.

But for many people especially those who are looking to simply get their foot in the door at a hospital or clinic, they are not exactly sure what they want. Here are three key strategies you can employ to ensure that your resume doesn’t doom you to the bottom of the pile.

1. Create an Inventory Resume

An inventory resume highlights your key areas of skill and accomplishment but doesn’t target a specific job or industry. This approach is the preferred method if you plan on sending your resume to a number of potential employers but you are not sure what openings are available. The best inventory resumes lead with a career summary that demonstrates your most marketable job skills. Avoid the common mistake of creating a general, one-size fits all objective section and using phrases like “looking for a challenging opportunity.” Show your diverse capabilities instead.

2. Develop Multiple Resume Versions

Perhaps you are a little more focused than most but are open to several different directions rather than just one or two paths. In this case, you should create several versions of your resume that target the different routes you’re willing to take. This is easily done by changing the content of your summary section by emphasizing key points for the specific goal you are pursuing. For example, if you are a nurse and are open to working in several areas of nursing that you are qualified for, then customize your resume to focus on the matching qualifications for each job.

3. Focus Your Resume

The most obvious conclusion is of course to determine a career direction. Hospital Dream Jobs can help you with that goal. Job hunting takes time and if you put in the time the better chances you have of finding the best career for you. Hospital Dream Jobs is the best source for healthcare careers and if you take time each day to review the job postings and focus on those that closely match your skillset and are most interesting to you then you can develop a targeted resume that clearly states your goals and most relevant qualifications.

It’s no secret that job growth in the health care sector is outpacing other industries, It’s one of the nation’s’ top job generator, but it’s also one of the few major industries that is producing new jobs. During the past 12 months, health care created 20 percent of all new jobs.

But the job growth isn’t in the operating room as much as it is in the areas of clerking/office and administration.

According to an article on USAToday.com,  the boon in non-patient care health careers is coming on the heels of a general restructuring of the health care industry that includes changes mandated by the 2010 federal health care law, the 2009 federal stimulus funding, new government regulations and the increase in information technology.

Cutbacks in Medicaid and other programs that affect hospital budgets are clearly not hurting the industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there has been a net gain of 95,000 hospital jobs so far this year – 13,000 of them in September and 6,600 in October. Of the 80,000 net new U.S jobs created in October, 12,000 of them were in health care. Hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, labs, home health care agencies and nursing homes are all creating net new jobs.

“We need to deal with new technology, new services, new regulations, electronic health records, and government reporting requirements on quality,” said Mark Witney, vice president for strategy for Exeter Health Resources, which recently laid off 110 nurses and caregivers but is hiring administrative workers. “A lot of this is related to the new federal health law.”

The competition for patients heats up in 2014 when hospitals will be inundated with tens of millions of now-uninsured patients the federal law will make eligible for health coverage. While Exeter is cutting nurse positions, the company is looking for billing specialists, information technology experts and program experts. Job listings at hospitals nationwide show the same trend.

The hiring trend in health care is similar to the one seen in Massachusetts after that state’s health law was signed by former Gov. Mitt Romney. Health care jobs in Massachusetts grew by 9.5 percent between 2005 and 2010, almost twice as fast as the U.S. as a whole and all driven by administrative jobs.

“Most of it was from enrolling patients who were previously uninsured,” said Douglas Staiger, an economist at Dartmouth College who co-authored a study on job growth in Massachusetts.

The Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland, for example, is using federal funding to deploy a major new electronic health record system. That hospital’s biggest need is people in IT. Overall, health care is under-computerized compared to other industries but it is impossible to determine how many health IT jobs are being created – the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t count those jobs specifically.

But for workers like Allie Woods, 29, who works at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, she didn’t even have to look for a job. Woods had several offers more than a year before she graduated from her pharmaceutical residency in June with advanced training in “informatics.” Today, she customizes computer programs to prevent adverse drug interactions and identify patient drug trouble spots before they occur.

If your dream job is in health care, Hospital Dream Jobs has everything you need to find the right health care job for you, whether it’s in the operating room, emergency room or even the IT room.

There is perhaps nothing nobler than serving your country. And for many of the men and women of the armed forces that nobility stretches even further when they combine it with a healthcare career. Navy nurses work in some of the most dynamic environments while helping the men and women fighting for our freedom and their families.

A Navy nurse career provides unrivaled experience and skills that are transferable anywhere allowing you to choose from the best nursing jobs available in civilian life. Additionally, the Navy offers excellent scholarship opportunities so spending years paying off your debts from graduate school won’t be a factor in your decision to pursue a healthcare career.

Navy nurses get ample opportunity to focus their career on a variety of nursing specialties including:

• Critical Care
• Education
• Emergency Trauma
• Manpower System Analysis
• Maternal/Infant
• Medical/Surgical
• Neonatal Intensive Care
• Nurse Anesthetist
• Nurse Midwife
• Nurse Practitioner
  • Family
  • Pediatric
  • Psychiatric
  • Women’s Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Perioperative
  • Psychiatric
  • Public Health
  • Research
  • Training Management

Navy nurses also see the world. There are more than 250 Navy and medical facilities around the world including places like Japan, Germany, Guam and of course the United States. You may be called to work at one of the National Naval Medical Centers in Bethesda, Maryland, Portsmouth, Virginia and San Diego, California or provide medical support to deployed troops aboard one of two dedicated hospital ships: The USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy.

If choosing the Navy to kick start your career in nursing looks viable there are additional perks worth considering. The Navy covers up to $180,000 of your education and students have no military/training obligation until after graduation. Current nursing students who qualify for the Nurse Candidate Program get an initial grant of $10,000 plus a stipend of $1,000 per month for up to two years.

Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 41, pass a full medical exam and be willing to serve a minimum of three years active duty among other requirements. Click here for more information on how to be a nurse in the Navy.

If you’re looking into a healthcare career then you’ve come to the right place. Hospital Dream Jobs is your source for the latest news and trends affecting the healthcare industry and we also periodically give you tips and insight into finding that perfect job. If you’re in the process of going to school or looking into a career change and wondering whether a job in healthcare is right for you, it’s always best to make a list of pros and cons and ask yourself the right questions.

In an article posted on explorehealthcareers.org, six questions are posted which we think, based on your answers, are good indicators of whether you should continue your pursuit of being a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or whatever health career you may be looking into. Check them out below.

1. Do you like to deal with people?

In some sectors, it’s all about people. Nurses, pediatricians and occupational therapists need to have what is commonly referred to as a “warm bedside manner.” If interacting daily with people, and sometimes very sick people, does not appeal to you, a career in healthcare isn’t over, you just might prefer being in the medical lab, working in pathology or even medical illustration.

1. Are you comfortable with science?

If high school chemistry was more or less a foreign language that you barely escaped with a C-, then perhaps taking college level courses of the same fare is not the best idea. Most health careers require you to be a strong science student and some require intensive work in chemistry, physics and biology, just to name a few.

1. Are you prepared to keep up with developments in your field?

Getting a diploma doesn’t mean that your education and studies are over. Most health professionals need continuing education credits and to really stay up on the fast paced changes in the medical world, you’ll need to study and learn throughout your whole career.

1. Are you comfortable in a health care setting?

If you have your sights set on working in a hospital or doctor’s office, then you’ll need to be prepared to deal with sick and dying people. If dealing with patients is not your thing, then you might want to turn your attention to pharmacies, laboratories, and medical libraries just to name a few.

1. Are you a team player?

Successful patient care requires a team working and communicating together. If you prefer working alone or don’t like being managed or managing then you might have difficulty finding your niche in healthcare.

1. What lifestyle do you envision?

If you thrive on long days and high stress, life and death decisions, then a career in the emergency room might be for you. If you’d rather have set hours with a work life balance, there are other careers in healthcare that will suit you. Carefully study the hours and demands of whatever position you are looking into, if it’s something you might have a hard time embracing then perhaps your focus should fit more with what you can live with.

And whatever career you decide on, always check out Hospital Dream Jobs for that dream career in whatever health profession you choose.

Social Networking is certainly the current and perhaps best way to land your next job or inquire about new careers. To capitalize on this current trend, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has launched GoDental. a new interactive multimedia web resource to enhance the dental education experience.

Interested in a Dental career? GoDental’s mission is to help students navigate their way through the experience of becoming a dentist by providing information directly from dental professionals. GoDental goes straight to the source in finding the latest and greatest trends and information on the world of dentistry through interactive media including:

• DentNetworks – an interactive forum that allows students to engage with peers, dental students and others about applying to dental school, what it means to be a dental student and what a career in dentistry offers.
• Blogistry – which allows GoDental members to read and comment about current news and issues affecting the dental community. Blogs, written by dental professionals and students, cover everything from tips on applying to dental school and how to finance a dental education to perspectives on current news and viewpoints.
• DenTube – an online channel with videos on current events, what dental school is like and tips for successfully completing an application to dental school.

There is even a section for future students, whether in high school or college, that provides information and resources on career options, preparing for dental school and even dental school curriculum.

“ADEA is excited to offer students, prospective students, residents and fellows the opportunity to come together under an inventive combination of multimedia, forums and community development,” said ADEA President Leo E. Rouse, D.D.S.

GoDental membership is free and members can even follow GoDental on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Go to www.godental.org for more information and to sign up.

The American Dental Education Association is the voice of dental education. Its members include all U.S. and Canadian dental schools and many allied and postdoctoral dental education programs, corporations, faculty, and students. The mission of ADEA is to lead individuals and institutions of the dental education community to address contemporary issues influencing education, research, and the delivery of oral health care for the health of the public.

Hospital Dream Jobs provides not only resources to your next job in health care but also news and insight on today’s latest trends and the information you need to get your career started.

One reason you may have chosen healthcare as a career is the ever-changing pace and the idea that every day is different from the last. But even in the excitement and fast paced energy driven drama that fuels your day, the most seasoned healthcare professional should still take some time and give their career some self-assessment. You may very well be locked in for life but if there’s one thing you should know, especially in today’s economy, it is to always have a Plan B.

Hospital Dream Jobs is not only for the healthcare professional looking for work but also the one who maybe be looking for a change mid-career. Whether you’re a fresh face in the hospital or a 30-year veteran in the operating room, review these eight tips from an article on making the best of your career featured on About.com

Love your job or find a new one.

Love it or leave it certainly rings true when it comes to doing something your whole life. If you’re struggling at work or dreading every morning because you have to get up and go to work, perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere. The beauty of healthcare is there are so many different possibilities to look at if one area isn’t the right fit.

Update your Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume.

Always have a resume updated and ready to provide to anyone who asks. The last thing you want to do is spend an entire night trying to remember employment dates and job duties of the last three positions dating back 15 years.

Join a professional healthcare association.

The best way to stay on top of your profession and the latest trends and developments is to join the professional association that is specific to your role. Joining these groups also provide you with networking opportunities and job listings.

Always network.

If you’re currently looking for work then you know the best way to land your next job is to network. And if you’re currently working it always pays to know who is who in your organization and to ensure that they know who you are too.

Engage via social media.

The best social media for career advancement, which is also a form of networking and a way to keep your resume up-to-date, is to get on Linked In. It is widely known that most companies use Linked In as a way to find their next employee and if you’re not on there someone who is will get the call. See a helpful article and Linked In and Job Searching.

Identify and partner with a reputable healthcare recruiter.

Think of this as hidden networking. Good recruiters work confidentially so you can share your professional goals and they can help you find that next step in your career without jeopardizing your current one.

Evaluate your health career goals.

The healthcare industry is changing as fast as technology so to keep up you may need to assess your career goals to make sure you’re on the right path. Are your goals manageable? Do your goals make sense right now? Whatever your aspirations may be, it is important to stay focused on the career direction that makes the most sense for you.

Find a mentor or become a mentor.

If you’re new to the healthcare field, find a seasoned healthcare worker you can trust and get to know them. This counts as networking and you’ll be better off as your finagle your way around the system and make the most of your new path in life. And conversely, if you’re a seasoned healthcare worker, perhaps what you need to kick start your passion again is to take someone under your wing. Staying in touch with the newest graduates keeps your pulse on the new technology and what’s being taught in the classroom.

Whatever your career goals may be, look to Hospital Dream Jobs to find your next job in healthcare whether it’s an entry level position leading you to higher ground or a new position where you can grow more.

Healthcare is always changing. Whether it’s new drugs, new treatments or the way care is provided, trends in healthcare seem to emerge slowly over time and the marketplace is usually the best indicator of how those trends take shape. If they are good for business and the patient, the trends stick, if not they fade away. With advances in technology and a more patient-focused approach to medicine in recent years, there appears to be five trends that are taking a foothold and if you’re not already immersed in it, they are worth taking a look at, especially if you’re in the job market, as knowing where healthcare is going may help you in your search.

The Medical Home

This concept refers to the style of care with its more extensive patient interaction and not an actual place. Dr. Peter Cardinal, a medical director with Spirit Physician Services Inc. in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania said medical homes are what a primary care doctor is supposed to be. “Because of time pressures, physicians have gotten into the habit of jumping to conclusions instead of bringing the patient into the conversation,” he said.

Becky Zook, a registered nurse and nurse care manager for PinnacleHealth System, said the provider-patient relationship is what stands out in medical homes. The approach allows healthcare providers to develop a personal relationship with the patient.

Integrative Medicine

Integrative medicine is certainly not new but its growing popularity is. This concept integrates Western medicine with alternative treatments like acupuncture, botanical remedies and dietary supplements. According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 38 percent of Americans have tried it and in a recent post on this website, more and more healthcare providers are trying it.

“I call is the best of both worlds. My principle is you do whatever is needed to help the patient, using the most recent research of both science and alternative medicine, said Dr. J. Ying Williams, who practices in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania who has integrated Chinese medicine into her care for patients.

Individualized Medicine

It seems as if new cancer treatments are found every month and one of the more common techniques to fighting this dreaded disease is identifying and formulating therapies aimed at the specific disease a person has. For example, researchers are working on individualized treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of metastatic liver cancer.

Telehealth

No more going to the dreaded doctor’s office once this trend becomes the norm. Telehealth allows healthcare providers to manage disease, prevent re-hospitalization and save money while improving patient care.

Patients, who are monitored from home and can have anything from heart disease to diabetes, answer a variety of health assessment questions each day using a self-contained computer with a touch screen monitor. Vital signs can also be tracked and all results are transmitted to a secure website where a nurse can review the results.

Electronic Health Records

The days of overflowing patient charts crammed into a bookshelf-turned-filing-system are quickly disappearing as patient records are more and more likely to be stored on a computer. Healthcare officials tout patient safety for this trend’s popularity as it puts more information in front of the doctor so better decisions can be made.

Additionally, duplicate testing is reduced, better knowledge of patient medication and the always-a-problem scribble that is common with many doctors eliminates the need for others to figure out what was written down.

Check back often on as we are your source not only for career openings in healthcare but for the latest news, insight and trends that affect healthcare and the healthcare professional. althcare is always changing. Whether it’s new drugs, new treatments or the way care is provided, trends in healthcare see

If you’re looking for a career in healthcare you’ve come to the right place – now and in the future. According to a 24/7 Wall St. article, healthcare jobs rate quite favorably for being the best paying jobs during the decade of 2008-2018. Much of this is accredited to the Baby Boomer crowd (the first Baby Boomers turn 65 this year) whose large number will increasingly need more healthcare professionals to care for them.

The jobs reviewed were taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ National Employment Matrix which provides projected growth between 2008 and 2018 for 750 major job categories. The study identified jobs that are going to add the largest number of new positions (greater than a 20 percent increase) and then selected those with a median annual income of at least $60,000.

Of the top 10 jobs identified, dental hygienists rank #9 on the list. Dental hygienists work alongside of dentists, clean teeth and assist in surgery. Total new jobs expected between the years of 2008-2018 are just under 63,000 (a 36.1 percent increase) and the position has a median income of $68,250. Those who live in Michigan, Idaho and Utah will have a leg up as these are the states with the most dental hygienist jobs per capita.

Coming in at #5 are physicians and surgeons. This career path is exploding not only from the expected increase in population (several million a year) but a high number of physicians and surgeons are also expected to retire during the 2008-2018 period. The increase in demand has been calculated at nearly 22 percent and the median income for this position is between $94,000 and $153,000. It was noted that the level of training is one of the most difficult but the potential payoff is high. Those living in New Mexico, West Virginia and Wyoming will fare better at findings jobs than in other parts of the country.

The #1 job is Registered Nurses with an expected 581,500 (a 22.2 percent increase) new jobs opening during the years of 2008 and 2018. Registered Nurses, or RNs, provide basic medical treatment, manage patient records and are the primary providers of long-term care. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, “Growth will be driven by technological advances in patient care, which permit a greater number of health problems to be treated, and by an increasing emphasis on preventive care.” Like dental hygienists, the demand for RNs is being fueled by the Baby Boomers who, as they age, will push the demand for nursing care. The median income is $64,690 and people living in Rhode Island, South Dakota and Massachusetts will have the best chance at finding a job in this field.

The job market in the healthcare industry is better than ever-with much opportunity attached. Even the experts agree.

As a healthcare provider you no doubt entered this profession because you care. You care about people, making them feel better and being an integral part of the healthcare process in making lives better. You’ve also likely encountered, thanks to technology and other issues the healthcare sector faces, that patients often seem to get lost in the paperwork shuffle.

To counter this, a growing number of hospitals are assigning Nurse Navigators. Their job is to help steer patients through the medical system maze. Nurse navigators can be nurses, social workers or other hospital staff who have been certified through programs that include training for care coordination, motivational interviewing skills and cultural sensitivity. Currently, Nurse Navigators are primarily for cancer patients who need help booking appointments, getting to appointments and even picking out a wig.

In an article featured in the Wall Street Journal, cancer patient Judith Nakamura used the no-charge service at Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, N.M. and was able to get a follow up appointment to see a surgeon in a week instead of two months, which she was originally told. Her Nurse Navigator not only stepped in to get her the appointment, but Colleen Sullivan-Moore helped Nakamura understand her diagnosis and overcome her fears. Sullivan-Moore was in the recovery room when Nakamura awoke after her surgeries.

“She was the one who answered all the questions I was trying to figure out and coordinated every step for me,” Nakamura said of Sullivan-Moore. “She really helped get me through the system.”

Nurse Navigators, or patient navigation as it is sometimes called, are being seen as one possible solution by hospitals to help make the healthcare system more clear and understandable. Patients are facing more complex treatment decisions and options than in years past and need a guide to sift through the information. Navigators can also provide tips on dealing with chemotherapy, make sure patients stay on track with their treatment plan and offer emotional support.

In Nakamura’s case, she initially ignored her doctor’s advice to contact the nurse navigation program figuring she could do it on her own. Sullivan-Moore was the one who extended the olive branch by setting up a meeting which allowed Nakamura to ask questions she hadn’t thought of when she was digesting the news from her doctor. That Nakamura said, “immediately calmed me down.”

Hospitals across the country are looking to expand the navigation role beyond cancer patients and are starting to find navigator roles for transitional care, low income patients and cultural concierges for language and other ethnic-sensitive concerns. If you have an interest in being a Nurse Navigator, contact your hospital administrator to see if a program has been set up or is going to be set up.