Health Care Jobs Wide Open, Say ISB Panelists

Community News - Community News

Written by Muslim Link Staff

Thursday, 20 November 2008 14:33

On Sunday, November 9, 2008, ISB’s new project, the Employment and Career Counseling Service, offered a seminar entitled “Careers in the Health Care Industry”.

Two panelists working in different areas of the health care industry described the health care job market as vast, diverse, and most importantly, one of the only growing job markets in the country.

While the rest of the nation is losing several thousand jobs each month, the health care industry is adding about 10,000 positions per month, according to ISB President Bassam Sayad, one of the panelists and the director of business development for Johns Hopkins Medicine International’s Middle East and North Africa division .

The seminar opened with moderator Samer Atiya giving the small gathering – about 20 people attended – an overview of the ISB Employment and Career Counseling service.

“This [service] is for all people, and we welcome our non-Muslim neighbors to [benefit] from the talents and resources available within the community,” said Atiya.

Brother Bassam began the discussion on health care by telling the audience how he started out in pathology but came to work in the executive arena of health care.

“When we think of careers in health care, we think of two jobs – doctors and nurses. But I want to drive home the point that there is a really wide array of [jobs] to get into,” he said.

Health care is the largest sector in the United States, with 14 million workers in 2006.

Asked how the health care industry is growing while all other job sectors are shrinking, Sayad responded health care is “mainly federally funded ... medicare and medicaid are the biggest payers for health care.”

“The other factor is baby boomers are aging ... they need more service, and [with advances in treatment] people are sick for longer periods of time,” he added.

Over 60% of health care workers are allied health care workers who support doctors and nurses and medical treatment. There are over 200 allied health care positions, said Sayad.

Sayyad said most positions in allied health care require less than a 4-year degree, and many have certification tracks which can be completed in a few months.

Allied health positions include hygienists, therapists, radiology technologists, nutrition planners and dietitians, medical assistants, and home health care workers.

Sayad emphasized that the health care industry is so vast it accommodates virtually any proclivity or interest. For example, creatively minded people can work as medical illustrators or medical photographers. For people who enjoy investigating and research, a job as a pathologist, clinical associate, or lab technician might be a fit. For people with good social skills, counseling or occupational therapy might be a good fit.

“Of course, every health care field has an [information technology] tie-in,” he said, alluding to the many jobs in health care related computer technology.

Health care also needs CEOs, CFOs, accountants, office staff, legal staff, and even patient safety professionals.

The second panelist, Faisal AbdurRahman, the practice manager for Willoughby Beach Pediatrics which was a co-sponsor of the event, talked about the “front line of the health care field.”

Front desk administrators and office staff not only answer phone calls and schedule patients, but they also have to have knowledge about insurances and the billing process. A medical assistant might have to do some office work as well as draw blood, take vitals from patients, and send samples to labs. These “primary care provider front line” workers can earn $22,000-$24,000 with a high school diploma and a few courses or demonstrated experience in office work. Medical assistants typically need some coursework and can make significantly more than an office worker.

Audience members benefited from the seminar and found the information practical.

One sister – an accounting major – said she approached a college advisor for help in choosing a career path, and he asked her “what she wanted to do in life”. “That was too general and not useful, but this [seminar] was very specific and helpful,” she commented.

Riaz Hasan initiated the Employment and Career Counseling Service at ISB, hoped for a higher attendance but said it was a “good start” and was already planning the next seminar – exploring careers in the IT industry.