Andrea Santiago Archives - Keppie Careers

Resources for those considering a career in healthcare

Miriam Salpeter — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:49:39 +0000

Yesterday, I shared the story of Terry Ramey, the auto worker studying to become a nurse from Encore.org, a resource for anyone thinking of making a change to a satisfying career that will allow them to help others. If Terry’s story inspired you to consider a career in healthcare, I am delighted to share extensive advice Andrea Santiago, about.comâ€s guide to health careers.

I asked Andrea to comment on what people should think about when considering a shift to a career in the health field. This is her very generous response!

Immerse yourself in the medical practice environment as much as you can – e.g. volunteer at a hospital, get a job answering phones at a local doctor’s office, anything you can do.Â This will help you to (a) learn about different roles before you invest in additional education etc (b) begin learning about the industry – picking up skills, “lingo” etc. and (c) begin meeting people in the industry who can help you network and/or serve as mentors, guiding you through the process of applying to schools or certification programs if needed, and/or applying for new roles etc, and (d) get on-the-job training etc.Â I know many people who start out answering phones at a doctor’s office, who then are trained on billing/coding, back office functions, OR who are given on the job training to work as medical assistants, etc.Â Most offices do not require certification for medical assistants especially if they know you have been trained etc.

Some of the more entry-level jobs to look for (in terms of not requiring a great deal of advanced education) are: medical assistant, medical receptionist, medical translator (usually Spanish is the most in-demand language needed – so obviously must be bilingual for that), phlebotomist (person who draws blood – can also get OJT for this but can take a short course to learn it if you feel more comfortable doing so), and home health aide (one of the top fastest growing segments of the healthcare industry is home health – expected to grow in # of jobs by over 50%!Â That is huge)

Also, LVN/LPNs (licensed vocational nurse/licensed practical nurses) are going to be one of the fastest growing careers of the decade, according to the BLS (more info on my site – stats, details etc) and this only requires a high-school diploma or equivalent and a relatively short course.

Most of the above jobs are examples of jobs you can get relatively easily, and/or work while you go back to school for something more advanced/more lucrative, if that’s what your goal is.Â Also, this is a great time to go back to school, especially if you don’t have your bachelor’s degree yet. There are many government programs right now for people to get assistance with tuition, and some of the programs are not even needs based, so definitely check those out – one program is for people who have been laid-off from a job, or have some other qualifying event.

Another tip – look for transferable skills and focus on obtaining additional education/experience to supplement/target for the health care industry – for example, if you are in IT, start studying/learning about healthcare IT (another rapidly growing segment of healthcare, due to EMR) and/or look for a way to get experience or knowledge that would make you marketable in healthcare IT – network from people in health care and find out what skills/certifications their facility is seeking etc.Â The same goes for accounting/finance, administrative professionals, salespeople, etc – look for ways to transfer your skills.

That being said, you can’t just jump into the new field (healthcare) without putting forth the effort to learn the ropes either through a few classes or via networking etc – for example, if you’re in sales, you can’t just start blindly applying for medical sales jobs and expect that to work in this market – you’ve got to have an edge, find some way to get medical experience or knowledge, even if it’s on a volunteer basis.Â Go on a ride-along with a medical sales rep, start networking with medical industry professionals, maybe even get a job working in a doctor’s office so you can show the interviewer that you understand the client because you worked in a doctor’s office for 6-12 mos, or whatever – also by working in a doctor’s office you’ll meet the reps who are coming through selling various drugs and equipment and you can start networking with them etc.

If you do want to go to school for an advanced degree to be a nurse or doctor, there are many great resources online – lots of nursing scholarships and other ways to pay for med school – I have a couple articles on my site about it:

http://healthcareers.about.com/od/financinghealthcareers/a/payforcollege.htm and http://healthcareers.about.com/od/financinghealthcareers/qt/SaveOnTuition.htm

But also you can check out the ANA (American Nurses’ Association) for additional resources on nursing and for med school info, one of my favorite resources is the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges).

And here are a few other general articles/resources on my site relative to breaking into the healthcare industry:

Other resources for allied heath careers:

ExploreHealthCareers.org – resources and information about ALL types of health careers as well as links to resources for funding.

American Medical Association – provides a directory and a list of accredited educational programs

Do I need a college degree for a health career? Terrific advice and resources from About.com’s Health Careers expert, Andrea Santiago

Allied health career profile, what to expect in allied health – more from Andrea at About.com.

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Thinking about making a change for a career in healthcare?

Miriam Salpeter — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:14:39 +0000

As part of my new “Altruistic Tuesdays” series, today, I am pleased to highlight a story from Encore.org:

Terry Ramey started working on an assembly line at a Ford plant outside Ann Arbor, Mich., when he was in his 20s. “I’m third-generation auto,” he explains. Like his father and grandfather, he figured he would retire from the same job.

But after more than 13 years, the monotony of the line, the physical toll it took on his body, and the auto industry’s uncertain future started Ramey thinking about leaving. “The quality of life, even though I made a good living, was terrible.”

Not too long afterward, Ramey happened to be the first on the scene of a highway motorcycle accident. He was calm, able to help the injured man – and surprised that he got so much satisfaction from doing it.

When Ford offered an “education buyout package” – a chance to attend school for four years and receive up to $15,000 in annual tuition money and half his annual wages – Ramey jumped at the chance.

Even though he had never been to college and he was 40 years old, Terry enrolled in a four-year nursing program. He plans to become a nurse by age 44.

Have you ever thought of making a change – a big change – in your career? The healthcare industry consistently ranks in the top growth fields year after year. Is this a field of interest to you?

Andrea Santiago, about.com’s guide to health careers, reminds us, “There are lots of health care jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree, and some don’t even require an associate’s degree.” She cautions, “However, keep in mind that generally, the more education is required for the job, the higher it will pay, just as in any other industry.” (Stay tuned for much more advice from Andrea about transitioning to a health career tomorrow!)

Encore.org offers a variety of resources if you are considering making a change to a career in healthcare. Follow THIS link for details about jobs in high demand, information about being an RN and resources for scholarships and financial aid.

Healthcare is not your career of choice, but still think a major change to a non-profit is on the horizon? You may want to visit:

Encore career finder

Learn more about Encore Careers

Stay tuned for more stories that may inspire you in my next “Altruistic Tuesdays” post!

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Use parties and other festive opportunities to your advantage for job hunting

Miriam Salpeter — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:33:56 +0000

Have I mentioned how great it is to turn to a terrific social network for ideas to share with you? Yes – I guess I have! Today, advice about job hunting during the holidays from two terrific experts who both write for About.com…Alison Doyle and Andrea Santiago….

Alison Doyle, author of About.com’s guide to job searching suggests:
View every holiday event you attend as a networking opportunity and accept all the invitations you receive, both personal and professional. You never know who may be able to help. Friends and family, as well as business acquaintances are typically more than happy to assist. A word of warning – don’t overindulge. You don’t want to be remembered as the guest who had one too many drinks.

Andrea Santiago, a medical recruiter and author of About.com’s guide to health careers reminds her readers that the holidays are a prime time for networking. She suggests keeping at your search by focusing on these possibilities:

Travel – You never know who could be standing next to you in the security line or sitting in the seat next to you on the plane! Be prepared to strike up a conversation.
Parties and Gatherings – Be prepared to meet new people, no matter if you’re gathering at your Aunt’s house, your in-laws, or at a friend’s holiday party. Remember, the people you meet don’t even necessarily have to work in the healthcare industry in order to be valuable contacts.
Down Time – Depending on your travel and celebration plans, you may have more down-time than usual during the holidays. If you have extra time off from school or even from a current job if you’re employed, or downtime in between travels or waiting to board a plane, use this time to do some on-line networking, or maybe read a helpful book.

For much more advice about job searching during the holidays…

Part 1 – My suggestions and a free ebook offer

Part 2 – Walter Akana – Take care of yourself

Part 3 – Anita Bruzzese – Stay ahead of the crowd

Part 4 – Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Unplug and embrace rest

Part 5 – Wendy Enelow – Ideas for employed and unemployed job seekers

Part 6 – GL Hoffman – Use time to research and prepare

Part 7 – Meghan M. Biro – Use the holidays as a time for self assessment

Part 8 – Craig Fisher – Recruiters don’t ease up during the holidays – neither should you

Part 9 – Ronnie Ann – Take advantage of other peoples’ resolutions

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching? Ã‚Â If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

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