Selecting a career path is often difficult because most people don’t know if the job they pick is going to be a good match for their personality. The highest paying jobs are often the ones that require significant levels of effort to attain.
Working in the Medical Field
The U.S. medical field is growing at a rate that is considered faster than average. There is currently a small shortage of physicians in the United States. Demand for nurses, pharmacists and medical researchers is also increasing. Working in the medical field can be highly lucrative, but those that decide to do this will usually have to spend a significant amount of time finishing school in a specialized area of medicine.
Demand for Nurses is Increasing
Demand for registered nurses is expected to grow 15% by 2026. Nurses administer patient care. They work closely with doctors and other medical professionals. Nurses aren’t paid as much as doctors, but the entry requirements are much less daunting. The first step involves completely an accredited registered nurse program. Future nurses then need to pass the NCLEX-RN examination. They then apply for a license through the state.
The first step involves completing an accredited nursing program, such as one of those offered at the GMercyU School of Nursing .
Becoming a Pharmacist
Pharmacists aren’t just distributors of prescription drugs, they also compound drug dosage and advise patients on how to take the medication. Becoming a pharmacist can be a rewarding career, but it requires many years of studying. A typical pharmacist program takes four years to complete. Pharmacists are typically paid well. The average salary for a pharmacist is $121,500. A director of pharmacy at a store like Walgreens can earn as much as $160,000 per year.
Becoming a Doctor
Doctors are reasonably compensated for their work, but it usually takes them a full 11 or 12 years before they get to earn competitive wages. Students that are thinking of going to medical school should first earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Most medical schools don’t care about the undergraduate degree you earn. It might be better to get a biology or chemistry degree because this will cover some of the prerequisite courses you have to take. Potential doctors need to take courses like biology, chemistry, genetics and physics.
It’s very important to pass the MCAT, and especially to get a score that is considered competitive. The AAMC suggests students study for at least 350 hours before they take the MCAT. Medical schools will also look at factors like science GPA. A GPA of 3.5 or better is usually required. Medical schools may also want to see:
- Extracurricular activities related to medicine
- Experience working in a hospital
- Experience shadowing a real doctor
Osteopathic medical schools are considered slightly less competitive. They receive the same medical training, but they also get additional training in osteopathic medicine. These students still need to complete the same prerequisites that an allopathic medical school requires.
All doctors will need to demonstrate that they are willing to put in the time and effort required to get into medical school. They’ll also need to maintain high grades in medical school if they want to be matched into an ideal residency program. Potential doctors will be able to choose a specialty near the end of their fourth year of medical school.
