By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    July 31, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Effective Healthcare Requires a Social Approach
    June 15, 2015
    CCBHCs
    2016 Excellence in Behavioral Health Program Design
    February 23, 2016
    conducting Clinical Trial
    5 Tips for Conducting a Clinical Trial
    April 21, 2024
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: How to Develop a Career in Healthcare
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > How to Develop a Career in Healthcare
CareerGlobal HealthcarePolicy & Law

How to Develop a Career in Healthcare

Alexandra Rivers
Alexandra Rivers
Share
11 Min Read
careers in healthcare
Shutterstock Licensed Photo - 387467353
SHARE

Developing a career in healthcare can be rewarding and it can be fulfilling. When you work directly or indirectly with patients, you get the opportunity to make an improvement and impact on their life, and this can be life-changing for them and for you too. The healthcare industry offers a lot of stability, and it also offers a lot of room for growth which can allow you to build a sustainable career. So, just how can you develop a meaningful career in healthcare, and what moves must you start making at this moment in time?

Contents
What Are You Currently Doing?Have a VisionDecide What Specialism or Area You Want to Focus OnInvest in Learning and Professional DevelopmentHave Goals and Objectives in MindFocus on ExperienceBuild a Strong NetworkYour MindsetBe Focused on ProgressionCreate a Sustainable SkillsetKnow Your Worth and Value in the Healthcare Sector

What Are You Currently Doing?

The first move that you need to make is you have to establish what you are currently doing. Are you currently working indirectly or directly within healthcare, or are you working in an industry that is completely different. When you can establish your starting point, you can get both clarity and focus, which will help you move forward. If you are currently in another industry or role, then why not establish what you enjoy about the role. You can take this valuable feedback with you into your new career. When you can establish your starting point, you can then begin to look toward the future positively.

Have a Vision

When you have established where you are starting from, you must then start creating a vision. To get the most out of a career in healthcare, you have to have a targeted vision. Knowing what you want to achieve is crucial to your growth and success. So, what does your vision look like, and what is shaping your career vision? Are you entering the healthcare industry to make a difference in the care and treatment of others, or are you looking to build a sustainable career for yourself? Your vision will guide you through the first few months in the healthcare industry, and it will provide you with the direction that you need.

Decide What Specialism or Area You Want to Focus On

A career in healthcare can cover many different areas and specialties. However, you must remember that not all of them will be right (or suitable) for you and your vision. As soon as you can, you need to decide upon what area or specialism you want to enter. When you make your decision, you can then start focusing on building relevant skills, experience, and knowledge. If you do not choose a specialism at the start of your career, you may find that you get lost knowing which option is right for you. To get a better idea of what each area, or specialism covers, then why not see voluntary experience. When you can get first-hand experience and awareness, you can then go ahead and make an informed decision.

More Read

Shaping the World’s Health Agenda: UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs
The Intersection of Speed and Safety: Understanding the Health Implications of Deportive Car Accidents
Recruiting Patients for Studies Getting Easier
White House Mobilizes Healthcare Reform Supporters
Is a Government Takeover of Health Care Underway?

Invest in Learning and Professional Development

You are your best asset, and to ensure you get the best out of yourself, you have to invest in learning and professional development. The healthcare industry is evolving and changing and keeping up with these changes and demands. You need to invest in constant learning. When you focus your attention on learning, you begin to future-proof yourself and your career, and you begin to realize the importance and value of constant development and growth. When you are investing time and money into learning, you need to look at programs that are relevant to you, both now and moving forwards. So, for example, right now, you may be looking at degree programs. However, in the future, you may be looking at completing an online FNP MSN program and taking your healthcare career even further. When you invest in learning and development, you begin to mold yourself into a true healthcare professional.

Have Goals and Objectives in Mind

To achieve career success in the healthcare industry, you need to set goals and objectives. You cannot simply walk into a role one day, and this is something that you must remember. When you are setting goals and objectives, think about short-term goals as well as long-term goals. For example, a short-term goal would be something like – Start getting healthcare experience within the next 6–12 months. A long-term goal or objective could be something along the lines of – Getting a leadership position within the next six years. When you have objectives and goals written down, you can work towards them, and you can create value and purpose in your career.

Focus on Experience

You may not need the experience to start your career in healthcare, but the experience will help. Experience (of any kind or length) will allow you to see if your expectations meet the reality of working in healthcare. Experience will also give you clarity on the industry and sector you are entering. If you can, you need to try and build your experience, as this will give you focus and clarity for your future. To build your experience, you need to look at working in the area of specialism you wish to enter, and you also need to look at general experience opportunities. Learning to deal with patients and learning about what is involved in the healthcare industry will help you prepare for your future career.

Build a Strong Network

Developing a career in healthcare is much easier to do when you have a strong network around you. This strong network could comprise other professionals within the healthcare industry, or it could comprise a mixture of professionals from all backgrounds. When you start out in healthcare, it helps to share your experiences, and it helps to talk about what you are going through and what you are thinking about. Sharing this with family and friends may not always be right, and this is why you need to focus on building a strong network of contacts. Having someone (perhaps in a similar position to you) available to chat and support you – especially in those early days is critical.

Your Mindset

You may have lots of ideas and visions about what it is like to work within healthcare. However, until you start working in the industry, you never really know. Some days are very long, and they are tough on your emotionally and physically. There will be times when you will feel exhausted and drained. Overcoming these feelings and combating them is much easier to do when you have the right frame of mind (mindset). Adopting a strong, focused, and growth mindset is what you need when you are developing a career in healthcare. If your mindset is not as strong as you would like it to be, you may end up taking criticism too personally, or you may end up taking on too emotional trauma from patients or colleagues that you work with. Working on your mindset as soon as you can ensure that you are prepared for whatever the healthcare industry has to throw your way.

Be Focused on Progression

Even though you are just starting out and developing a career in healthcare, you still need to focus on progression. If you are not focused on the future or on progression, you may well find that your career doesn’t even get off the starting block. When you focus on progression, you focus on opportunity, and you ensure that you maintain clarity, direction, and motivation. If you are not focused on progression, you may find that opportunities slip by.

Create a Sustainable Skillset

Knowledge and awareness count for a lot when it comes to developing a career in healthcare, but so too does your skillset. Your skillset will prove invaluable within your role and when you are working with others. If your skillset is not sustainable, or if it is not as strong as you would like it to be, you need to make changes. The right skill set will give you confidence, and it will allow you to focus on building a sustainable career. A great skillset will cover teamwork and cooperation, excellent communication skills, and brilliant listening skills. Knowing where your weaknesses lie and then pushing forwards and growing as an individual is important.

Know Your Worth and Value in the Healthcare Sector

You are worth a lot to the healthcare industry, and your experience and knowledge will prove valuable (no matter what specialism or area you choose to focus on). When you know your worth, and you know that you are valued, you can start to build up resilience. You need resilience to succeed in any healthcare role or career. If you are not aware of your worth, or your value, you will struggle with your confidence. When your confidence levels are lower than they should be, you may not push yourself hard enough or go for those opportunities that are in front of you. When you can see the value, you are adding to the lives of others every day (both colleagues and patients alike), you will see that a career in healthcare can be rewarding and fulfilling in many ways.

TAGGED:career i healthcare
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Alexandra Rivers
I am Alexandra Rivers, a highly experienced healthcare professional with extensive experience in hospital administration. With over 10 years of experience working in the field, I have developed a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare industry and its complexities.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Evaluating Doctor Conduct
BusinessHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical EducationMedical EthicsNewsPolicy & LawPublic Health

Taking a Fresh Look at Disruptive Physician Conduct

September 17, 2014
Health_Care_Reform_Image2-400x300
Policy & Law

Report:PPACA Would Reduce Number of Uninsured from 50 million to 26 million

February 16, 2012

Medicaid is Worse than Being Uninsured

March 10, 2011
BHM Healthcare Solutions
FinanceHospital AdministrationPublic HealthWellness

The Diagnosis That Could Have You Paying an Extra $40,000 Per Patient

April 10, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?