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How to Get a Health Care Job Without Prior Experience

Most companies want to hire experienced professionals for senior-level positions, but there are hundreds of entry-level jobs that complement an existing skillset

By Carlos FoxPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Getting into the healthcare industry without any prior work experience is challenging, but not impossible. The healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing fields in the United States and has proven to be recession-resistant. Most companies want to hire experienced professionals for senior-level positions, but there are hundreds of entry-level jobs that complement an existing skill set. If the time has come to pursue a new career path, follow these tips on how to get a healthcare job without prior experience.

Assess Transferable Skill Sets and Be Willing to Take a Step Back

Making a career change is easier with a transferable skill set. People with backgrounds in information technology, accounting and finance, sales and marketing, or administration can easily find work in healthcare as the industry needs these kinds of skills. After getting a foot in the door, receiving on-the-job training is a great way to advance to other roles.

It’s important to keep an open mind when changing industries and be willing to take a step back. Any professional knows it takes time and experience to advance within an industry. When starting over in a new industry with little to no experience, be prepared to take a cut in pay. As experience grows and new roles are assumed, pay should increase, but it will take time.

Below are some examples of entry-level roles in the healthcare industry that require little to no experience, simply a high school diploma or equivalent, or a certificate:

Caregiver

Caregivers assist the elderly and disabled adults with daily activities either in their homes or at care facilities. They help make beds, do laundry, prepare meals, and advise families and patients about nutrition, cleanliness, and household utilities.

Medical Assistant, Biller, and Secretary

Medical assistants are tasked with office duties such as handling calls, updating medical records, scheduling appointments, and bookkeeping. Additionally, they help with medical care duties like taking patients’ blood pressure, preparing patients for exams and assisting physicians with minor procedures.

Medical secretaries are tasked with the daily management of medical offices such as appointment scheduling, training staff, ordering supplies, arranging lab procedures, and helping with physician reports. An associate’s degree and certification will be required. Medical billers take patient payments, submit reimbursement claims to insurance providers, and maintain billing records. Typically this role requires an associate’s degree and certification.

Medical offices often work with sales reps from various pharmaceutical companies and wellness providers. Supplement manufacturers, Makers Nutrition, work directly with businesses to provide customized dietary supplements. They can manufacture any kind of supplemental formula according to FDA-approved standards in any format and provide value-added services like the label and package design and quality testing.

Healthcare professionals work in tandem with insurance providers to give appropriate care to patients. Finding the right health care plan according to budget and personal needs is made easy with agile health insurance. As experts in short term health insurance and health benefit indemnity insurance plans, Agile Health Insurance provides instant approval on a broad selection of plans at affordable rates.

Nursing Assistant

To become a nursing assistant, one needs to complete a state-approved education program and pass a competency exam to become certified. Nursing assistants provide care under the supervision of nursing and medical staff. Responsibilities include escorting patients to rooms, setting up equipment, storing and organizing supplies, assisting with procedures, and monitoring any changes in a patient’s physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Occupational Therapist Aide and Psychiatric Aide

Occupational Therapist aides work in tandem with occupational therapists to provide rehabilitative services to the mentally, physically, or emotionally impaired. Psychiatric aides care for physically or mentally ill patients in hospitals or mental health facilities. Duties include bathing, dressing, and feeding patients, leading educational and recreational activities, observing patients, and reporting physical and behavioral changes.

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