Women are making great advances as doctors in the medical field. Here are other ways and careers for women in medicine that prove women are making a difference.
Throughout recent history, women have been making a major difference in medicine. Some, like Dr. Gertrude Elion, have won the Nobel Prize for contributing to the creation of drugs that would combat malaria, leukemia, and AIDS. Others, like Dr. Antonia Novello, would become the first female Surgeon General of the United States. In this role, Dr. Novello focused on women’s health issues, among several other issues.
Careers for women in medicine
There are great careers for women in medicine. No matter what you aspire to, read on to find out the top careers in medicine.
- Hospital Administrator
If you want a high-powered job in the medicine, this is where it’s at. A hospital administrator is responsible for the budget and operations of an entire hospital, nursing home, or clinic. This is usually a massive job, as it requires you to manage how patient care is delivered. In some healthcare settings, you’re also under pressure to deliver those services profitably. On a typical day, you may go over financials, hire staff members, and attend a board meeting to report on the overall health of the organization.
- Pharmacist
Pharmacists are in demand because the population is aging, creating a greater demand for medicine. Your main job is to dispense medication and give advice to patients. You also make sure that the medications don’t have adverse reactions. You can work in a variety of settings as a pharmacist. You can work in a grocery store or drugstore. You can take the leap into self-employment and start your own independently owned and operated pharmacy. It’s not an easy job to attain because you have to spend years in school to become a pharmacist. You then have to pass state board exams and get licensed to be a pharmacist in your state. Once you jump through all of those hurdles, you’ll find that it can be very lucrative and rewarding.
- Healthcare Executive
Women make up an astounding 16% of leadership positions at the administrative or executive level in medicine. That number has to change. That doesn’t mean that you can’t be in the C-suite for a hospital or clinic. You can position yourself as a role model or trailblazer in your field. There are several types of healthcare executives, from Chief Information Officer, CEO, and Chief Marketing Officer.
- Medical Administrative Assistant
A medical administrative assistant may sound like a typical clerical position, but it’s so much more than that. One moment, you’re taking the vitals of a patient. The next moment, you’re going over the medical history and then processing the insurance paperwork. No two medical assistant positions are alike. What you do depends on where you work. You may be doing strictly admin work in a hospital, but you have more responsibilities in a small office setting. Do you need more proof that this career has a lot of potentials? Look at the job outlook for medical administrative assistant positions.
- Nurse Practitioner
One of the classic careers for women in medicine is that of a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are highly skilled nurses that are a step above Resident Nurses (RNs). The day-to-day work of a nurse practitioner will depend on the area of specialty. For example, a nurse PR actioner that specializes in acute care is always on call and works to treat emergency situations. In that position, you do not understand what each day will bring. A family clinic setting will provide more stability and predictability by comparison.
In some settings, you’re almost like a doctor. You can diagnose, treat, and educate patients. You give physical assessments and order further testing from a lab.
In several instances, you’re a part of a team of specialists to treat a patient. That means that you need to have excellent collaboration skills so you can best serve your patients.
- Physician
Where women can beat men in the healthcare field is in empathy and compassion. That’s why a career as a physician can be a great option. In a world that seems less personal and less connected, people can truly appreciate a little more reassurance and empathy in healthcare situations.
In today’s healthcare industry, there’s a growing demand for compassionate caregivers, which is why a physician assistant seeking work can find meaningful opportunities to make a difference. Their dedication to personal connection can add significant value to patient experiences.
- Pharmaceutical Sales Rep.
Being a pharmaceutical sales rep is often listed as one of the top careers for women in medicine because it can offer great pay, benefits, and flexible hours. Your primary responsibility is to visit with doctors and build relationships with them while educating them on the benefits of your pharmaceutical products. There’s usually a lot of pressure to make your sales numbers, but if you’re good at talking to people and overcoming objections, that shouldn’t be a problem for you.
Position yourself as a leader
Do you want to know how you can land one of these top careers for women in medicine? Start by being a leader. It doesn’t matter if your title says assistant or CEO; you have leadership qualities to show. For example, you can take the lead by empowering your employees and those around you to make decisions. The more empowered they are, the more that they feel valued. That’s how you build an engaged workforce that stays on the job.
It’s difficult to be a woman in the healthcare field, especially in high-level positions. Men still dominate those positions. There are still options to have a thriving career in the medical field, you just have to know the best careers for women in medicine. There is a broad range of positions, from a hospital administrator to medical assistant. As with any position in medicine, if you can position yourself as a leader, you can have a long and thriving career in medicine. Would you like to know more about building a career as a woman? Come back to the blog often for more great articles and tips.
