If you’re an empathetic and naturally giving person, it makes total sense that the world of healthcare might be appealing to you. While you’ll never be a billionaire or live a life of carefree luxury, you get the chance to make a positive difference in people’s lives every day. And that’s worth the long hours, the sometimes unreasonable patients and all those days when it seems like your best is never good enough. Working in healthcare can be wonderful, but it can also be exhausting and thankless. If you’re already working in the field, you might enjoy reading this partly for catharsis and partly to remind yourself why you do the great work you do. Alternatively, if you’re frustrated with your current career and thinking of entering the medical profession… this will help you to make an informed choice with you eyes wide open.

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The best- A clear career path

The good news is that the healthcare industry is always on the lookout for new talent. So it’s easy and unambiguous to find out exactly how you get into the industry. Websites like CareersWiki.com provide specific information on what education and qualifications are needed for different jobs in the healthcare industry. And once you’re in, there’s a wealth of opportunity to move around and try new things!

The worst- Virtually everything the human body does is gross

When you work in healthcare, you realize what an incredible example of biological evolution the human body is, the incredible processes that we all take for granted and the miraculous things that it can do. 

You’ll also learn just how much icky, gooey smelly stuff goes on in the human body. When you look at it in enough detail… virtually nothing the human body does is pretty. Even if it is, y’know, pretty amazing.

The best- Job security is high

The healthcare industry isn’t something that’s likely to go away because people no longer need it. New technologies aren’t going to make it obsolete. People will still need it whatever party is in government and whatever the state economy. So, if you want it, you’re likely to have a job and a career for life. 

The worst- People can be jerks

While, in all fairness, this is something encountered in most jobs, people can be at their worst around medical professionals. Especially if you’re telling them to do something they don’t want to do for their own good. Patients can be a handful, but so can other medical professionals. They can get tired, grumpy, irritable, emotionally volatile and prone to power trips and workplace politics. You’ll get to see people at their best… but you’ll also see a lot of them at their worst. 

The best- You get to make a difference in people’s lives every single day

Finally, when you work in healthcare, everyone you deal with is vulnerable. Everyone you deal with needs a degree of care. And you get to give it to them. You get to show them that they are valued, that they are cared for and that someone has their best interests at heart. You’ll get to make people smile, laugh and cry every single day. And that’s enough to put a smile on anyone’s face even after a 12 hour shift.