Dream Job

Let’s find your dream job! You will do research to find your dream job in the health field and what type of education and skills you will need to get this job. The purpose of this activity is to help you gain a better understanding of how your intended major, future education goals, and skills need to be applied to the career you want. 

  1. To get started, complete the following quiz: https://advance.appily.com/careers/healthcare/quiz 
  • What were your results? 

The ideal role that I was given was a scientist. The career paths I got were medical lab science, clinical pharmacologist, medical pathologist, and toxicologist. 

  • Did they surprise you? Why or why not? 

The results didn’t surprise me because one of the career paths I got was my major. I have also always wanted to be a scientist so my ideal role being a scientist was more reaffirming than surprising. 

  1. Find at least 3 job postings that you would be interested in applying to that requires the degree you are currently pursuing or a degree you’re interested in pursuing. Examples of where to search: Indeed.com, LinkedIn, USA Jobs, Glassdoor, or just Google the job you want to find! Copy and paste the job postings below. Answer the questions under each link in complete sentences. 

The median salary for a medical lab scientist is $62,681. The lowest salary is $39,135 and the highest is $101,142. 

  • How much experience would be required to apply for that job?

Most people who apply for this job have some sort of higher education like a degree, completion of a certified program, or a certificate in the discipline. Some people may also need experience in a healthcare setting, however that is not a requirement. 

  •  What degrees, certifications or training is required?

To become a medical lab scientist you will need a bachelor’s degree in medical technology or clinical/medical lab science. Some other science related degrees will also work. Others can complete a clinical laboratory or internship program based in a hospital or get a national certification as a medical technologist, clinical lab scientist, or medical lab scientist. After you go through school, you have to become certified through an accredited body like the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). Some states may require their own licensure as well. 

  • What skills are and tasks are involved in performing the job you have found?

 Medical lab scientists must be good communicators and have proficient eye-hand coordination, dexterity, and visual acuity so that they can perform and analyze tests. As a medical lab scientist, you will be tasked with examining and analyzing blood, bodily fluids, tissues, and cells through different instruments in the lab. They also relay their results to the doctor and track patient outcomes.

The median salary for a forensic pathologist in Virginia is $217,444. The lowest salary is $41,144 and the highest is $317,256. 

  • How much experience would be required to apply for that job?

It takes about 13 years of experience to apply for this job which includes an undergraduate degree, med school, a residency, and a fellowship.

  •  What degrees, certifications or training is required?

To become a forensic pathologist you need to complete a pre-med bachelor’s degree, med school with an MD or DO, a 3 year residency, pass the American Board of Pathology exam, and complete a fellowship in forensic pathology after certification in anatomical and clinical pathology. 

  • What skills and tasks are involved in performing the job you have found?

As a forensic pathologist your job is to determine mechanism, cause, and time of death for people who died unexpectedly or violently. You are tasked with collecting and analyzing evidence from the body, performing autopsies, evaluating crime scenes in relation to the death, studying the medical history of the patient, and confirming the identity of the deceased. Sometimes you have to testify your findings in court as an expert witness. The skills needed to do all of these things include training in toxicology, ballistics and ballistic wounds, trace evidence, serology, and DNA technology. Other skills include attention to detail, record-keeping, dexterity, an analytical mind, and communication. 

The average salary for a neurologist in Virginia is $344,743. The lowest salary is $82,784 and the highest is $396,569.

  • How much experience would be required to apply for that job?

To become a neurologist you need at least 12 years of experience through education and an optional additional three through a fellowship.  

  •  What degrees, certifications or training is required?

To become a neurologist you need four years of undergraduate school, four years of med school, one year of internship, 3 years of residency and another optional three years of fellowship. You must also become board certified. 

  • What skills are and tasks are involved in performing the job you have found?

As a neurologist, your job is to diagnose, treat and manage disorders of the brain                    and nervous system. They are tasked with giving different neurological tests to their patients,    giving patients neurological exams, as well as taking a history from the patient. The skills needed to do this job include good communication, effective listening, dexterity, problem-solving, critical-thinking, and reading comprehension. 

Reflection: From the 3 job postings you found, choose one job you want the most. Why does this job appeal to you the most? What skills do you already possess that would help you to get this job? Identify skills you are still building or need more experience performing. Discuss options to sharpen or learn the skills you will need to gain.

The job I want the most is a forensic pathologist because it’s the most interesting to me. I have always been interested in crime related things and as a forensic pathologist I would be getting to experience that first hand. While the patients forensic pathologists see are no longer living, the patients’ families and friends are, and bringing them closure and clarity through my work is another compelling factor for me. I also feel like two days on this job would never be the same, and I would constantly be experiencing new things which is something I want in a job. Some skills I already have to help me get this job are attention to detail, an analytical mind, and dexterity. I need more work in communication and record keeping, both skills I plan to sharpen through being more outgoing and attempting to learn how to index and categorize records.