Medical Professions: Getting A Career You’ll Love
When I was younger, I was never interested in having a career in any of the medical professions. I’m not quite certain why I never really thought about it. That is, it never crossed my mind until my mother was admitted to the hospital when I was 12 and diagnosed with cancer.
I was in shock of course. My mom wasn’t old — she was still in her early 40s and was fairly active. But within three years of her getting diagnosed with cancer, I was witness to her transformation from a woman full of life to someone who was but a mere shadow of what she once was. It wasn’t easy. She passed away when I was just 15 years old. As young as I was, I distinctly remembered how caring and kind everyone who worked with her were.
The doctor, nurses, technicians, and receptionists — all of them were so very kind to my mom and made sure her every visit was as comfortable and easy for her as possible. They worked tirelessly to provide the best possible care for my mom — from drawing blood to radiation treatments. She had the most wonderful counselor who patiently helped her try on wigs when her hair started falling out because of all the radiation treatments she was undergoing.
As I mentioned, a career in any of the medical professions didn’t enter my mind before my mom’s cancer diagnosis. However, after my mom died, I realized that I can make a difference in other people’s lives by being in a profession where I can truly help other people.
During my junior and senior years of high school I read up on everything I could find about all of the different kinds of jobs in the medical fields. I looked up as many fields as I could and learned about their pros and cons — from nursing to x-ray technicians and laboratory work. I found that every one of them demanded a certain degree of dedication and training.
After finishing high school, I couldn’t decide if I should try to get into nursing school or be a medical technician. However, I remembered my mom’s last days at the hospital. The nurses gave her incredible care so even though I knew it was going to take me longer to become a nurse, I decided to enter the nursing field.
The next step I took was look for the right nursing program. I settled on the program offered by a local college so I wouldn’t have to go away and leave my dad and younger siblings. At first, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to afford getting an education in one of the medical professions. However, my local college told me I can apply to many grants and scholarships in my field. I was able to find financial support and my dad even chipped in.
It took me four years of training, and some of the courses were brutal, but I graduated with honors, received my nursing license, and now I work on a daily basis with individuals who, just like my mother, are fighting for their lives, and while I cannot save every one, maybe, just maybe, the last years, months or days of their lives were a little better because I was there.
I highly recommend getting a career in one of the medical professions, especially if you want to be in a job that provides service to other people. It’s not just a job but a vocation that’s incredibly satisfying.
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