You don’t need an MD to work in a hospital. Hospital jobs consist of both clinical and non-clinical jobs and there are opportunities available for almost anyone. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find independent companies leasing space in a hospital. You won’t be working directly for the hospital, nevertheless the hospital is a place where there are many budding opportunities. For example, you may be able to find a job at the McDonald’s that just opened in the main lobby of your local hospital (I know, it’s ironic that you can get a double cheeseburger at the same place you’d go for a triple bypass). Another example is working for the company contracted to provide cleaning services for your hospital.

Hospitals are host to many different types of departments and profit centers, each of which are run almost like an independent entity. This structure is what provides the many different roles available to fill in a hospital.

Most hospitals are home to the following departments:

Radiology/Imaging
Surgery
Intensive Care Unit
Emergency Room
Labor and Delivery
Nursery
Cardiac Care
Lab
Pharmacy
Morgue
Gift Shop
Cafeteria

The job opportunities provided by these departments can be split into ‘clinical’ or ‘non-clinical’.

The following are examples of clinical jobs available in hospitals:

Physician (ER doctors or surgeons)
Nurse (RN, LPN, CRNA, or CNS)
Technicians (Radiology Technician, Ultrasound, etc..)
Medical Assistants
Pharmacists
Medical Lab Technician
Dietician

The following are examples of non-clinical jobs available in most hospitals:

Case manager or social worker
Accountants
Human Resources and Recruiting
Executive positions (CEO, CFO)
Information Technology
Administrative Assistants

So why would you want to work in hospitals?

If you like working with people, and being around a lot of people, working in a hospital can be appealing. The average hospitals employ several hundred employees and have a constant flow of new patients. In addition, and more importantly, health care is a growing industry and provides a level of job security that is highly valued in today’s economy.

Why wouldn’t you want to work in a hospital?

Hospitals are not known to be the most progressive places to work. Other than medical technology, hospitals haven’t changed much over the years.   And of course, keep in mind that you will be exposed to thousands upon thousands of very sick people every year.

In conclusion, with over 6,500 hospitals operating in the United States, they provide job opportunities at every level, and you probably won’t have to commute very far to find one. Just remember, no matter what it is that attracts you towards working in hospitals, it won’t be very hard to find one.

Friday 23 October 2009