A Foot in the Door
Health Care Career Resources
Entry-Level Medical Careers
Research trends and salary expectations:
By Allison Caldwell
Occupational Outlook Handbook bls.gov/ook/healthcare
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or those out of work, out of school, or just out looking to get a foot in the door toward a promising new career, Columbia’s health care systems offers several entry-level positions with ample opportunity for growth. As two of the largest employers in the Midlands, Palmetto Health Alliance and Lexington Medical Center have several entry-level listings on their websites (just visit the Careers tab on the sites listed below). Employment managers Davis Bourne and Tina Flint explain how to get ahead.
Working Your Way Up “There are several entry-level jobs available now for those with medical or administrative backgrounds,” says Flint, employment manager for Lexington Medical Center. “Several positions are ideal for those who are still in school and want to advance. No matter what job you’re applying for, the fastest way to get a response is by applying online. We have a whole team of recruiters who check for applicants every day, and online applications help streamline
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get ahead
the interview process.” “If you can get in the door with minimum qualifications — high school diploma or equivalent for some, certification or a certain amount of experience for others — we provide in-house opportunities to add skills and training for dual-role positions,” says Bourne, employment manager for Palmetto Health. Along with environmental technicians, business office associates and medical coders, Bourne and Flint report that patient
Search for local job opportunities: Lexington Medical Center lexmed.com/careers Palmetto Health palmettohealth.org/careers Find relevant courses of study: Centura College centuracollege.edu, 754-7544
support technicians and certified medical assistants are in demand in both hospital systems. Both jobs share similar duties. Nationally, medical assistant jobs are expected to grow 34 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. “Our patient support tech is the most basic of five qualifications, and one of our largest employee populations that offers the best opportunity for entry-level applicants,” says Bourne. Once you get in the door, there are opportunities to acquire new skills and to combine them, Bourne says. “The five skills are nurse tech, unit
ECPI University ecpi.edu, 772-3333 Midlands Technical College midlandstech.edu, 738-8324 Remington College remingtoncollege.edu, 265-4398 Research other entry-level health care positions: Home health aide Medical secretary Medical billing/coding Massage therapist Medical transcriptionist Physical therapy assistant Occupational therapy assistant Dental assistant
secretary, phlebotomist, EKG tech and monitor technician,” Bourne says. “The most common dual-role combinations are patient support/nurse tech, nurse tech/unit secretary and nurse tech/phlebotomist.” Flint says several schools offer programs for certified medical assistants, and that Lexington Medical Center doesn’t recommend one school over another. “It’s definitely a hot job, but applicants do need an accredited certificate of completion,” Flint says. Basic first aid knowledge and current CPR certification are also preferred.
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