ealthcare students have endless possibilities when they graduate, but why wait until then? You can set yourself up for a great career if you start your professional journey while you’re still in school. This can put you at an advantage compared to your peers.
Not only will you have a degree when you graduate, but you will also have a professional resume to show. That way, you can establish yourself as an experienced healthcare professional despite only having just graduated. Follow along as we highlight the best ways to gain healthcare experiences as a student to set yourself up for success.
How to Get Healthcare Experience As a Student
Apply for Internships
Hospitals and clinics are constantly slammed with patients and often have a small staff. That’s why they are eager to accept interns. Your best bet to get healthcare experience as a student is to apply for as many internships as possible.
However, you should focus on internships within your desired field. This will give you a new, practical perspective on the career path you are pursuing. It may even make you realize that you want to pursue another avenue within healthcare.
After all, it’s better to change course while you’re still in school than after years in the field. Internships also work wonders to build your resume and help you land a job upon graduating.
Volunteer
Volunteer work is equally rewarding and educational. Not only will it pad your resume, but it will also reinforce how important healthcare work is. Hospice and EMT volunteer work is particularly rewarding as you work with patients who need care the most.
This is a great way to gain experience and build a thick skin to work in a field that can sometimes be dark. That way, it will be much easier to process the dark sides of the job once you enter the workforce. Volunteer work also looks great on a resume when you apply for jobs after you graduate.
Become a Medical Scribe
Medical scribes are unsung heroes of the healthcare world. They document the interactions between doctors and patients to help build an accurate medical record. This job requires lots of care and attention to detail, and it’s a great way to gain experience as a medical student.
Not only will you become familiar with the setting, but you’ll also learn more about patient-doctor interactions. This is a great way to learn how to eventually handle such interactions yourself. It also involves lots of multitasking, which is a big part of the healthcare profession.
Work As a Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists are critical to the healthcare world, and it is a rewarding job. They collect blood and urine samples for testing purposes. Phlebotomists also collect blood samples for charity blood drives, and that’s a great way to get your foot in the door.
Luckily, it’s relatively easy to enter a phlebotomist training program and get certified. You must gain practical experience throughout the program before you can graduate. It shouldn’t take too long to hit the ground running once you become certified.
Pursue CNA Work
Certified nursing assistants, or CNAs, serve a vital role in helping patients during their recovery. This is among the best entry-level healthcare jobs for students and graduates alike. It is a great way to learn more about patient care and build empathy in the workplace.
CAN work is a great option because it involves the technical and personal parts of healthcare work in equal measure. For example, you must monitor the patient’s levels and update their chart to maintain an accurate record. You must also interact with patients and find a balance between professionalism and friendliness.
Working as a CNA can prepare you for the fast-paced nature of most healthcare work. CNA work is also a great way to earn money before you graduate college. It can also help pad your resume if you decide to pursue another healthcare avenue.
Get Pharmacy Technician Experience
Do you plan to work as a pharmacist? If so, there’s no better way to get experience than to work as a pharmacy technician. This is a great idea even if you know you want to work in healthcare but aren’t sure which position is for you.
Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists to fill prescriptions and handle patient interactions. At the very least, it’s a good way to work on patient interactions. Anyone pursuing a healthcare position can benefit from the experience that comes with pharmacy technician work.
Every Bit of Experience Helps
Everything you can do to gain practical healthcare experience can benefit you. As a healthcare student, it’s in your best interest to get hands-on experience. Whether it be an internship or a job as a CNA, it’s worth taking on the extra responsibility to get clinical experience.
After all, a professional resume only serves to make your college degree look better. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and work in a clinical setting while you finish your education.
