As we all are aware, the entire world is witnessing one of the severe Pandemic of a lifetime. This COVID-19 pandemic has again brought the focus on the Healthcare sector. All developed countries, as well as developing countries, struggled to face this pandemic, many countries’ healthcare systems got slashed either in the first wave or second wave. Now, all countries are making tremendous efforts to improve their Healthcare Infrastructure with skilled healthcare professionals.
Second wave of Coronavirus hit India also harshly, with more than 4 Lakh cases per day and around 75000 Critical patients in a day was the heading of many newspapers a few days back. Fighting with COVID-19 is like a War like situation, only difference being here the enemy is invisible to us and replicating at faster pace. That may be the reason we called Frontline Healthcare workers as COVID Warriors. When there is War at the border, the Government opens ample opportunities for youth to join the army, similarly many Governments are opening its gate for unemployed youth to get trained and join the Healthcare sector. “Should Youth seriously consider this open gate and step in?” is the confusion in many of the youth’s minds.
About the Healthcare Sector
Healthcare Sector is the most promising sector to make a career from almost over the period of more than 10 decades. Healthcare is considered as a basic necessity besides the Food, and Education sector. Government keeps pertinent eye on various Public Health parameters to improvise and prove the country’s progress. National Health Mission is a documented policy which mentions the goals and objectives to achieve at country level over the period of 5 years. The Healthcare Sector has huge opportunities in terms of various job roles like Healthcare Nursing staff, Allied Health professionals, Community Healthcare Workers, Hospital and Healthcare Administrators, Public health Officers, Patient Care Attendants, and Hospital Hygiene Assistants. This is the sector which has been consistently growing at the pace of 10-12% for over the period of 3 decades in India.
What Does it Mean for Youth?
Having said all the above factors, the question still comes to this view from a macro level, what is that as an individual will you get by making a career in this sector?
- Skill based profession: Most of the people consider Healthcare as one of the qualified, and professional courses. Yes it is, but more ever it is a Skill based profession. Once you acquire skills, sharpen and refine them, then whether you have or not higher certification, you will still be considered a prime saver in an emergency. You have skills you will get the job. Besides, this is the sector where a blend of professionalism, qualification and skills will take you to high rise.
- Stability: Healthcare is a pertinent need, and is part of the service sector. Healthcare services are directly proportional to a country’s population. Besides this, the average lifespan of a country also plays an equivalent role, more the average life span, more healthcare services will be available. All countries aim to improvise or maintain the average lifespan of the population. So that means Healthcare services will be consistently in demand, and that gives us the assurance of job stability and job opportunities all the time. Whether there is any recession like in 2008, or a pandemic lockdown like in 2020, the healthcare sector is always among the active recruiting sectors.
- Career Progression: Healthcare technology is developing with each passing day. Once developing vaccines was supposed to be an extended and long duration task, but now technology has enabled the launch COVID-19 vaccine within 12 months. A 64 Slicer CT scan which was a rare technology used, has become one of the common CT scanners now. This advancement brings opportunities for healthcare staff to continue upskilling and progress ahead. Allied Health professionals can start from intern and reach upto manager and supervisor roles in a span of 5 years.
- Dignity: Healthcare sector is considered as one of the most dignified sectors. This is the sector where as an active worker you will start earning respect from day one. You might relate to this when we refer to nurses as “Sisters”, Technicians as “Brothers” and Caregivers as “Aayas”.
- Satisfaction: This is the sector where besides monetary benefits, you will also get inner satisfaction of serving humankind. That’s the reason this sector is considered as one of the noble sectors. When you save someone’s life, or when a patient gives you blessings and wishes, that gives you inner satisfaction and motivation to stay in services.
- No Threat: Even though the Healthcare sector is becoming more technology driven, this is the sector where technology will be never considered as a threat. For instance, Artificial Intelligence can take up a few roles in the near future which are mechanical in nature, but the human body and Medicine is a complex algorithm, where no two people or patients can have exactly the same picture. They can be similar but not same, that means very complex to bring in Artificial Intelligence. Second most important aspect is Mental wellbeing support is part of healthcare service provided, that can be only brought by manual intervention. No patient would like to be taken care of by robots, as when they are in pain robots cannot give them moral support to face the illness.
- Security: Healthcare sector is the sector which provides security at the workplace. This is the place which is operational 24×7, is supposed to have a mandatory security system and all the cameras in place to closely monitor, enabling the staff and patient security.
- Work Life balance: People have doubts that being in the Healthcare sector, there is no work life balance and they have to work 24 by 7. But this is partially true. There are very few job roles which need to be on call 24 by 7, like in Obstetrics, Emergency Medical Technician, Cardiac, Neuro, Respiratory and Anaesthesia departments or technology. Besides this there are still many roles where you have options and flexibility to choose your rota, schedule and shifts for planned leaves. This flexibility is also possible due to the large number of workforce working in the same department or same hospital, which may not be possible in other setups.
- Span to Settle: Many youth have doubts that most of the healthcare sector courses are long term courses. Again this is partially correct, Medical courses may be long term courses. Medical staff constitutes max 25% of hospital staff. Other course options are available in paramedics of diploma and certificate level, which are of 2 years, 12 months or 6 months of time. Short term courses are the best option for those who are in need of a job and want to settle within 6 months.
- Work Culture: Most of the Hospital or Healthcare Work culture is relatively stress free. Reason being most hospitals have employee friendly policy and holiday calendar where youth can select the holidays as per his own tradition and wish. Many hospitals provide medical insurance coverage and benefits, and celebrate all regional and national festivals at the workplace. Most important aspect of Healthcare services is still a job where job descriptions involve counselling, caring, serving and working in a team, as opposed to other setup where you have to work as an individual and alone.
Healthcare sector has wide options of careers from Allied health professionals, Medical graduates, nurses, patient care attendants, Medical equipment technician, Medical Record Technician. To know more details about such courses, please visit our SMART Healthcare Academies for Healthcare – Know More
