The healthcare sector is teeming with a variety of different jobs outside of the established medical doctor’s field. It takes a large pool of staff to run hospitals, clinics, and medical labs. Thus, each staff member may need specific training, education, and qualifications that apply to their position.
Additionally, as medical science and technology advance each year, new types of jobs emerge in the market that demand skillsets from other working sectors. Think about medical billers and coders, telehealth service providers, and medical assistants who need to know how to operate developing medical software.
With all these requirements for healthcare jobs in Washington DC and others, it can become confusing to discern which qualifications you need. As such, you’ll need to understand what’s expected from you at each level of this job market.
Here are the qualifications you’ll need when applying for healthcare jobs in the DC metro:
Undergraduate Degrees
While there’s no official requirement for a specific qualification, it’s recommended that you have an undergraduate degree at a minimum. This can either be an associate’s degree earned at a community college or higher learning institution where they’re offered or a bachelor’s degree at a university.
These programs should form the basis of your post-school education so you can continue building on your learning if it’s requested by your chosen field. Furthermore, the undergraduate degrees themselves don’t need to specifically be within your chosen discipline either.
You can still qualify for some healthcare jobs in Baltimore metro, for instance, if you’ve majored in business management and administration, biology, and health sciences, no matter what the actual degree is. This is particularly applicable to healthcare staff jobs such as medical receptionists, healthcare assistants, managers, and certain medical lab technicians.
Graduate Programs
The more specialized healthcare jobs that concern giving practiced care to patients will require you to have completed a graduate program to apply. A master’s degree is a higher level of education and training than an undergraduate degree for similar healthcare jobs.
These are often public health jobs such as nurses, supervisors, therapists, medical chemists, practitioners, researchers, physicians, and technicians that work in fields with specialist doctors, physicians, and pathologists. You’ll certainly have better options when applying if you have a master’s degree related to medical and physical sciences.
Doctoral degrees offer you the best chances of getting a healthcare job in the sector because it’s the highest academic qualification. If you have an MD or Ph.D, you can apply to be a clinician in dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, and all the other related medical doctor and healthcare specialties.
Licenses And Certifications
Naturally, your education is only the first section of the qualification you need to get into the medical sector. Many healthcare jobs require that you have the relevant certifications or licenses for the position you’re applying for. These are to verify your credibility and skills as a medical practitioner, administrator, or technician and confirm that you’ve been approved by an authorized organization.
Licenses are obtained once you’ve completed specific education programs and earned your accreditation. They’re awarded by a governmental agency of your state and will often need to be renewed after a certain time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that about 65% of healthcare jobs need a license to qualify for healthcare positions.
Certifications, on the other hand, are awarded by a governing board of that specific health sector and not a governmental agency. This is the case for paramedics and EMTs. Although certifications aren’t a formal requirement for applying to all healthcare jobs, some prospective employers might require you to have one. Even in situations where it’s not required, having one could still increase your chances of being a successful job seeker by landing the job you want. Certificates can impress recruiters and make your resumé more competitive and desirable.
Internships And Experience
As healthcare involves the welfare and care of vulnerable people, many jobs will need you to have had previous experience to apply. This is the case for mid to senior roles. Internships can equip you with the real-life scenario that you’ll be exposed to when you start working in those environments. They’re also meant to help train you in a safe and realistic environment so you can hone your skills and be prepared for medical work.
Many educational programs have internships in place for students to participate in as part of the learning and licensing package. This is especially the case for jobs where internships are mandatory before employment. Having said this, there are still entry-level healthcare jobs you can apply for. These are often positions with administrative duties where you can be promoted as you get trained and become more skillful.
Conclusion
Getting a healthcare job in the DC metro requires that you have an undergraduate degree as a start. This can be for positions that fall into the medical administration, management, and public care positions at a medical center. For jobs that need more specialized education and skills, you’ll need to have graduate degrees and a license or certificate to qualify for the role you’re applying for.
Some jobs, particularly the senior and expert level positions, are seeking applicants with previous experience so they don’t have to provide training once you’re hired. As a tip to remember, the more accomplished your qualifications are, the more options you’ll have available to apply to your preferred healthcare area.
About the Author
Claire Dizon is a healthcare specialist. She conducts webinars and podcasts to share her knowledge and expertise in her chosen field. Claire enjoys surfing and scuba diving in her free time.