How Do I Get Professional Experience?

So you want to be a health professional?  Do you have any …

???????

You’ve embarked on a journey toward becoming a nurse, dental hygienist, nuclear medicine technologist, or other health care professional.  You are excited to start your college career and ready to focus on your studies, but now your academic advisor has told you that you have to get experience BEFORE you get into the program that’s going to make you a certified professional.

But what about INTERNSHIPS?!?

Internships are great and you will have required internship/clinical experiences once you get into your program.  But, to get there we strongly encourage you to seek out opportunities for experience.  This is important not just to build a competitive application, but also to confirm that you’ve chosen a career field that will be a good fit for you. Getting experience also helps you build a network of potential references when if comes time to apply into your program.

So, if not internships, how do you get started? 

Shadow a Health Professional

Contact the doctors office/medical practice your family goes to, call up your dental office, etc. and ask if they will allow you to observe for a few hours. This is a great way to dip your toes in if you haven’t ever seen what the actual day to day operations of a medical office look like behind the scenes.  This is a good first step, but don’t stop here!

Volunteer!

Look for opportunities at a local hospital in a department related to your hoped for career.  For example, if you are interested in Nuclear Medicine Technology, try to volunteer in the Radiology department.

Hampton Roads/Coastal Virginia Hospitals

• • Sentara, EVMS, and Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters (CHKD) are all hospitals with great volunteer programs that are right down the street from ODU.
  • Other local hospital systems on the southside include Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital, and Bon Secours.
  • Interested in opportunities on the peninsula? Check out Sentara’s Williamsburg location or Riverside Hospital in Newport News.
  • Live outside of Hampton Roads? Check your local hospital’s website for information about volunteer opportunities and how to apply!

Volunteer with Hospice. Hospice organizations assist patients and their families by providing care to maintain quality of life in times where opportunities for treatment of a disease or illness no longer exist and life expectancy is less than six months.

• Check out Bon Secours,
• Intrepid USA Healthcare and Hospice at Home, or
• Hospice & Palliative Care of Tidewater

Look for Opportunities with Health Related Volunteer Organizations. Check out PublicHealth.org‘s page with information about why volunteering is important and how you can benefit, as well as a comprehensive list of volunteer resources to get you started.

• • The Virginia Volunteer Health System (VVHS) and Virginia Medical Reserve Corps
  • Volunteer Hampton Roads and VolunteerMatch.com connect volunteers to opportunities and charitable organizations in the local area.
  • The Virginia Dental Association Foundation offers volunteer opportunities for those interested in a career in the dental field.
  • The Red Cross is another great organization with a variety of volunteer opportunities.

Healthcare companies or organizations sometimes accept volunteers or you may be able to find a paid position:

• LifeNet Health
• Operation Smile
• Kempsville Center for Behavioral Health

Seek out Free Clinics like

• EVMS HOPES Student-Run Free Clinic,
• Western Tidewater Free Clinic,
• Chesapeake Care and
• Park Place Dental Clinic.
• The Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics has a comprehensive list.

Get a JOB!

ODU’s Career Development Services has Handshake, a system where you can search a wide variety of jobs and opportunities.

Become a Medical Scribe, which is a great entry-level position that attracts many students.  Check out opportunities with companies like:

• • Scribe America,
  • Scribekick,
  • Jordan Young Institute (an orthopedic practice in Virginia Beach),

Complete a Certificate or Licensure program that will give you even more direct patient contact and maybe even get you a paid position. Some examples include but are not limited to:

• Certified Nursing Aide or Assistant (CNA). The Virginia Board of Nursing lists all CNA education programs in the state.  Or, check out your local Community College for programs in your area, such as the Nurse Aide program at Tidewater Community College
• Sentara offers training programs to become a Patient Care Technician/Nursing Care Partner
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).  Search local Community Colleges or health care institutions for programs in your area, such as the EMS program at Tidewater Community College.  You can also check with your local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) department to see if they offer EMT training. Some cities, like Virginia Beach, offer free EMT training in exchange for a volunteer time commitment: http://www.vabeachems.com/
• Dental Assisting.  Park Place Dental Clinic has a Dental Assistant training program.

The opportunities are endless for those who really want to get a head start in their field.  So get out and get some experience today!!!