Why Work in Health Care

As health care organizations prepare for 2023, it is no secret that our workforce continues to experience a crisis. Since the height of the pandemic, frontline health care workers have left the health care field at unprecedented rates.?

As a nurse and health care leader, I understand why so many individuals are leaving the field. And I don’t begrudge anyone for making this decision.?

Despite the challenges, I believe that a career in health care is beneficial, rewarding, and worthwhile. Working in health care to really impact people and their lives has been one of my life’s greatest privileges.?

To all current health care workers, it is my sincere hope that you continue to stick with us. I hope you can find joy in what you do and in how you impact those you serve. To all prospective health care workers, I hope that you consider a career in health care. And to all former health care workers, I hope that you consider coming back.

Here are some of the benefits of working as a health care professional.

Change People’s Lives

By working in health care, you can directly change the trajectory of people’s lives. Whether it is an emergency or a primary care visit, there is no greater feeling than watching as the care you administer helps restore a patient to good health or ensure their long-term wellbeing.

It is important to remember that patient care is never the domain of a single individual. It requires the dedication of an entire team of people, from administrators and nurses to physicians and specialists.?

In one way or another, every health care worker is in the business of improving health and saving lives.

Reshape Society from the Ground Up

By improving the health of just one person, you can make a positive difference that will be felt in that person’s community and for generations in that person’s family. Now imagine the impact you can have as a health care professional who ensures the good health of thousands of people throughout your career. Especially if you work in underserved communities, your direct support of those people will be multiplied and felt by countless more individuals who benefit from your patient’s long-term and uninterrupted career, their active participation in the economy, and the educational opportunities they are able to invest in for their children.

Since the social justice reckoning that was sparked by George Floyd’s murder and the disproportionate death toll experienced by communities of color during the pandemic, we have seen a significant uptick in medical school applications from aspiring Black doctors. In the 2021-2022 school year, Black student enrollment in medical schools increased 21%. After witnessing the devastating impact of the pandemic on Black communities, so many people of color determined that the best way they could make a difference in the lives of Black men and women was to enter the health care profession.?

Learn How to Think and How to Lead

During my career as a frontline worker, I held every position available to a nurse. In these positions, I learned to think on my feet. I learned how to lead. I learned how to collaborate with others. I learned how to communicate effectively with my patients and my coworkers, from my fellow nurses to doctors and hospital administrators.

Ultimately, I chose to leave the clinical setting to pursue a career as an executive leader. I wanted to affect our health care systems the same way I had worked for so long to change the lives of individual people. I truly believe that I was only able to find success as a senior executive because of the skills I developed as a nurse.

There is no better place than health care to realize your potential as a professional and as a human being. Whatever you hope to accomplish in your career, experience in health care will empower you to achieve those goals while making a real difference in the lives of real people along the way.

If you are looking for a career that is personally fulfilling and essential for our society, I cannot recommend a career in health care more highly. It has been a tremendous experience for me, and I know that it will be for you.

Your services in our industry are desperately needed. And just as importantly, the experiences you will have, the knowledge you will develop, the skills you will acquire, and the perspective you will gain will stay with you for the entirety of your life.