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Health
Quarter 4 – Module 1-2
Components and Steps in
Preparing a Health Career Plan

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 Lesson Components and Steps in
1 Preparing a Health Career Plan

What’s In

Health careers refer to the different careers related to medical and other allied
health professionals. The tasks of health care workers and professional are enormous
yet rewarding because their works focus on wellness and prevention of illnesses. In
this module you will learn basic skills in designing a career path in healthcare. As
healthcare providers, you must have the skills in communicating, decision making,
problem solving, and stress management. You should also be aware of legal and
ethical responsibilities and cultural considerations in healthcare industry.

This module will help you explore the components and steps in health career
planning.

Activity 1: Components and Steps in Health Career Planning

Directions: Read each statement below then identify to what category in health
career planning they belong. Write SA for Self-Assessment, CE for Career
Exploration, DM for Decision Making and PA for Plan of Action.

1. Choosing a health career

2. Conducting interviews
3. Considering hobbies and interests
4. Considering suggestion of family
5. Creating road map towards health career goals
6. Designing plans to reach health career goals
7. Developing strategies to achieve health career goals
8. Evaluating skills and abilities
9. Exploring strengths and weaknesses
10. Job shadowing and Job temping
11. Knowing personality and experiences
12. Listing down of pros and cons of chosen health career
13. Listing health career options
14. Narrowing down of health career options
15. Volunteering and attending internship

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What is It
A Health Career Plan is an individual action or initiative in making career
choice, in growing in chosen career or in making a career shift which involves a very
important discernment.
Similarly, Career planning involves four important steps which include:

Self-Assessment, Career Exploration, Decision Making, and Plan of Action.

Step 1. Self-Assessment. This is the first step in

knowing the health career that suits you. This step requires
an honest evaluation of yourself. It is necessary for you to
know yourself. You need to understand your capabilities and
shortcomings.
The components of this step are your strengths, weaknesses,
interests, hobbies, personal experiences, family income, skills,
and competencies.
Step 2. Career Exploration. Exploring health career
options through different ways or methods is an essential step
to choosing a particular health career path to take. You can do
this through reading articles, browsing the net, attending fora,
and meetings. This stage is about knowing where to look and
what to look for. It refers to searching different careers and
work environments that suit you.
This step includes listing down of health career options,
conducting informational interview, job shadowing (on-the-job learning), job temping
(short term job), attending internship, and volunteering.
Step 3. Decision Making. Once you have assessed
yourself and explored the health career that you are interested
to pursue, you are now ready to make decisions. In this step,
you need to consider both current and future goals in life by
narrowing down your choices.
This step includes listing of pros and cons, comparing
your personal strengths and interests, choosing a specific
health career to pursue, considering suggestion of family, and
finally deciding a health career to take.
Step 4. Plan of Action. Now that you have chosen a
health career, you are now ready to make a career plan. At
this point, you will design your action plan or identify and
organize the necessary steps to achieve your desired goals.
This step includes designing a plan to reach health career
goals, identifying short-term and long-term goals, identifying
education and training requirements, developing job search
strategies, and creating road map considering
possible problems that may arise along the way.

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 There are ways to come-up with your Personal Health Career Plan. These are
textual, tabular, and graphical forms.
Textual Form

PERSONAL HEALTH CAREER PLAN

(You can write here the different activities that you will do following the prescribed
component or step in planning a health career.

You will be guided by the different questions at each step.)

Self-Assessment. (What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are

your skills and abilities? What are your interests or hobbies?
What are your life experiences that motivated you to pursue a health career?)

Career Exploration. (What career path are you going to explore?

What are the job descriptions of chosen health career? What are the methods
that you will do to search relevant information about your chosen health career
and work environments that suit your personal interests and competence?)

Decision Making. (What health career are you going to pursue? What are
the pros and cons in pursuing your chosen health career?
Why are you going to pursue your chosen health career?)

Plan of Action. (What are the necessary steps that you will do

in reaching your personal health career goals? What are your short-
term and long-term goals? What is different education and training required in your
chosen health career? What are your strategies to solve possible problems
that may arise along your way?

I am __________________________

and I will become a/an ___________________________

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PERFORMANCE TASK 1
Tabular Form

Name: _______________________________
PERSONAL HEALTH CAREER PLAN
(Fill out the required information)
Self-Assessment
Areas of Assessment Description
Strengths
Weaknesses
Talents
Interests/Hobbies
Skills
Family Income
Experiences
Others (Please specify)

Career Exploration
Description of the Reason why I am
Health Careers
Health Career interested in this

Decision Making
Rank according to
Career
choice of course Justification

Plan of Action
Chosen Career Specific action to do
(Your rank No.
1 in Decision School to School Financial
Making) Name of Course
enroll Address Mechanism

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Here is an example
PERSONAL HEALTH CAREER PLANOF GERALD AS A FUTURE NURSE

•Self-Assessment - Evaluates abilities, the financial capabilities

of his family, future tasks, assignments, among others.
Step 1

•Career Exploration - Searches the internet about the

environment and work conditions of being a nurse.
Step 2

•Decision Making - To become an Operating Room Nurse.

Step 3

•Plan of Action - To gather information on how to enroll in this

course including the school that offers the specific course.
Step 4

Activity 3: Read then Organize

Directions: Read the following components inside the box then organize the words
by placing them in the appropriate step in making a health career plan in the given
graphic organizer that follows.
Road Map Strengths Job Shadowing
Pros and cons Internship Phobia
Short-term goals Skills Interview
Reason to pursue health career Job Temping Health Career Options
Strategies Volunteering Abilities

• _________ • __________

Self- Career
Assessment Exploration

Plan of Decision
Action Making

• __________ • __________

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Assessment 1
Directions: Read each item carefully and write the letter of the best answer.

1. Vina is evaluating her strengths, weaknesses, skills and abilities. What step
in health career plan is she doing?
a. Self-assessment c. Decision Making
b. Career exploration d. Plan of Action
2. What is the second step in health career planning?
a. Self-assessment c. Decision Making
b. Career exploration d. Plan of Action
3. Christian planned to explore his health career options through on-the-job
learning in a nearby health center. Which of the following component of career
exploration is exemplified?
a. Attending fora c. Job temping
b. Job shadowing d. Searching the net
4. Lyka searched the internet, listed down career options and attended
internships and fora. What other activities will you suggest to Lyka for Career
Exploration?
a. Develop job search strategies
b. Design plan to reach career goals
c. Read articles about career options
d. Compare personal strengths and interests
5. Rudy had assessed himself and explored the health career that he is interested
to pursue. What step will he do next?
a. Self-assessment c. Decision Making
b. Career exploration d. Plan of Action
6. Which of the following is not a component of decision making in health career
plan?
a. Listing down of pros and cons
b. Considering suggestion of family
c. Choosing a specific health career
d. Designing a plan to reach career goals
7. Linda would like to narrow down her choices to decide on what specific health
career will she pursue. What advise are you going to give to Linda?
a. Evaluate skills and abilities
b. Consider suggestion of family
c. List down health career options
d. Design plans to achieve career goals
8. The following are the components of plan of action in health career plan,
except
a. Identifying short-term and long-term goals
b. Narrowing down your health career options
c. Designing a plan to reach health career goals
d. Identifying education and training requirements
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 9. Joseph is at the last step in creating his health career plan. Which of the
following components should be considered?
a. Considering hobbies and interests
b. Conducting informational interviews
c. Choosing a specific health career to pursue
d. Creating road map towards health career goals
10. Which of the following is not a form of presenting a Personal Health Career
Plan?
a. Graphical Form c. Tabular Form
b. Pictorial Form d. Textual Form

True or False
Directions: Read the following statements carefully then write TRUE if the statement
is correct and FALSE if it is not.
1. One suggested activity under Plan of Action is narrowing down your health
career options.
2. Skills and abilities are examples of components in Self-Assessment.
3. In Decision Making, you will identify necessary steps in realizing health career
goals.
4. To explore health career, you may conduct interview or read health-related
articles.
5. Attending to internship is a necessary activity in Plan of Action.
6. Self-assessment is a step which involves listing down of skills, abilities,
strengths, weaknesses, among others.
7. Short-term and long-term health career goals are components under Plan of
Action.
8. Listing down of pros and cons of chosen health career is a part of Decision
Making.
9. You can discover and evaluate yourself through career exploration.
10. Plan of Action is the last step in making a health career plan.

Module
Selecting a Health Career
2 Pathway
Career pathways are cluster of occupations that are grouped because of
shared skills. All pathways include a variety of careers that require different levels
of education, skill, and training. Selecting a career pathway provides you with an
area of focus, along with flexibility and a variety of ideas to pursue for personal
development.

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 Learners who are interested in helping others, working in a team
environment and being a part of a field with a lot of opportunities for growth are
encouraged to pursue in the health career pathways. In this career path, students
will acquire the skills to be valuable members of any healthcare team.

Moreover, sample career skills of learners are: Beginner:

• Understand how healthcare teams communicate, interact and
practice
• Learn industry standard procedures for both patient safety and
infection control Intermediate:
• Demonstrate direct patient care skills, including patient grooming,
rehabilitation and restorative care, vital signs and oxygen management
• Understand human growth and development by visiting and
observing early childhood programs Advanced:
• Learn medical terminology and study human anatomy
• Chart on real-life healthcare flow sheets to record patient data

Health career pathway is significant for it provides a guide on what to take in

order to achieve your desired goals. It is a concrete representation of your personal
health career plan. Understanding health career pathways is important because
it makes it easier for you to identify health career professionals, assists you in
choosing a health career, and helps you develop a plan on how to prepare for your
chosen health career.

There are 12 various health career pathways which you can explore. These are:

1. Community Healthcare

Specialists in this area focus on the

maintenance, protection, and improvement of
the health of all community members.
Sample of health careers in this
pathway are Barangay or Community Health
Worker, Health Coach, Community Health
Educator, Community Outreach Manager,
Family Advocate, Peer Counselor, and Public
Health Aide.

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2. Dental Health
Dental health workers deal with
various oral conditions which include
chronic mouth and facial pain, oral sores,
gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss,
other diseases and disorders that affect
the oral cavity, and risk factors for oral
diseases which include unhealthy diet,
tobacco use, harmful alcohol use and poor
oral hygiene.
Sample of health careers in this pathway are Dental Hygienist,
Dental Assistant, Dentist, Dental Nurse, and Dental Health Support.

3. Disease Prevention and Control

People who specialize in this career path
focus on communicable and non-
communicable diseases. Their work includes
immunization, screening of newborns,
promotion of breastfeeding, infant diseases
prevention, adolescent healthcare and life
skills.
Sample of health careers in this pathway
are Community or Barangay Health
Worker, Disease Detective, Nurse,
Epidemiologist, Epidemiology Assistant, and Prevention Specialist.

4. Drug Prevention and Control

People whose careers revolve around
this area seek to reduce community and
individual problems related to alcohol and
drug abuse through evidence-based
programs and policy advocacy.
Sample of health careers in this
pathway are Addiction Counselor, Addiction
Nurses, and Detox Specialist.

5. Emergency Medical Services

People assigned in this work specialize in
out-of-hospital medical care. Their skills include
first-aid procedures, emergency medical
response and immediate medical attention.
Sample of health careers in this pathway
are Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency
Medical Aid, Emergency Medical Technician, and
Paramedic.

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6. Environmental Healthcare
Management
These health workers try to establish the
correlation between and among the physical,
chemical, biological, social and psychosocial
factors in the surrounding environment. These
include monitoring the quality of environment
and impact of human activities on ecosystems
and developing strategies for restoring
ecosystems.
Sample of health careers in this pathway are Air Pollution Analyst,
Environmental Health Educator, Environmental Health Inspector,
Environmental Health Specialist or
Manager, Environmental Toxicologist and Groundwater Protection
Specialist.

7. Health Education
Those who work in this field are tasked with
promotion of healthcare and training of health
workers on managing change in healthcare. Their
work involves assessing individual and community
needs, planning, implementing and evaluating
health programs, promoting the understanding of
various health-related behaviors plus coordinating
health education services.
Sample of health careers in this pathway
are Health Education Specialist, Health Advocate, Wellness Director,
Community Health Educator, and Social Worker.

8. Maternal and Child Care

These health workers deal with complex
public health issues that affect women,
children and their families. These include
providing information on reproductive health,
family planning and improvement of health
delivery system through advocacy, education
and research.
Sample of health careers in this pathway
are Maternal and Child Health
Specialist, Midwife, Community Health Educator, Outreach Specialist, and
Pediatrician.

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9. Mental Healthcare
These medical professionals specialize in
dealing with interpersonal and intrapersonal
relationships and life skills. These include
cognitive and psychosocial development,
promotion of healthy self-esteem through
feelings and anger management
and identifying warning signs or red flags
of learning disorders, such as ADHD, anxiety,
mood disorders, stress, and bullying.
Sample of health careers in this
pathway are Psychologist, Psychiatric Nurse, Psychiatrist, Mental Health
Counselor, Clinical Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist.

10. Nutrition
Specialists in this area find ways to
balance individuals’ food and nutrition
and their impact on patient’s health.
These include meal planning, food
preparation and health and nutrition
economics.
Sample of health careers in this
pathway are Nutritionist,
Dietitian,
Clinical Dietitian, Sports Nutritionist, Public Health Nutritionist, Nutritional
Therapist, and Nutrition Educator.

11. Occupational Safety

Careers in this path are related to the
safety, health and welfare of people engaged in
work or employment. These include protecting
workers from sickness, disease and injury arising
from possible hazards of their employment and
workplace.
Sample of health careers in this pathway
are Occupational Health and Safety Technician,
Health Inspector, and Industrial Hygienist.

12. Personal Healthcare

Professionals in this field perform
healthcare related tasks in a personal care
level. These include monitoring patients;
administering and assisting in personal care
and hygiene; performing housekeeping duties;
and advising clients on related healthcare
issues like infant care, hygiene and nutrition.
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 Sample of health careers in this pathway are Physical Therapist,
Practical Nurse, Home Health Aide, and Wellness Consultant.

Now that you have already explored the 12 different career pathways, how will
you select a particular health career pathway? These are the suggested ways.

Motivation
What are your reasons for selecting this health
career?

Educational and Training Requirements

How will you be educated and trained in this
health career?

Skill Alignment

Are your skills suitable to the health career?

Role Suitability

Do you see yourself in the healthcare field?

Place of work
Will you be comfortable working in the
healthcare field?

Impact
Will you and your family be benefitted when
you work in the healthcare field?

In addition, other factors that may affect in selecting a particular health career
pathway may include

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 Job
Life
Availabilit Passion
Roles
y

Family Profession
Profession preferenc
al Finances
al Growth e and Envisionin
suggestio
g
n

Cultural
Salary Backgro Potential
und

After exploring the various career paths and selecting a particular health
career pathway based on the given factors, you are now ready to participate in a
heath career orientation program. Health career orientation program aims to
provide meaningful, relevant, updated and valuable information regarding the
health career that you want to pursue which directs and assists you in your
chosen health career path.

Health career orientation program helps you to evaluate and assess such
factors as personal needs, interests and skills, provide an opportunity to identify
and explore health careers, learn about the duties and responsibilities of health
professionals, acquire an awareness for both academic and vocational fields, and
pursue health career pathways for future education or training.

On February 14, 2019, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed into law
Republic Act 11206 otherwise known as Secondary School Career Guidance and
Counseling Act. This Act shall pursue the following objectives:

a. Institutionalize a career guidance and counselling program for students

in all public and private secondary schools nationwide in order to
provide them proper direction in pursuing subsequent tertiary
education;
b. Equip secondary education students with the capability to make
educated career decisions and expose them to relevant labor markets;
and
c. Ensure that graduates of tertiary education meet the requirements of
the government, industry, and the economy.

In this regard, schools are conducting career advocacy activities under the
career guidance program. The schools invite different professionals to share their
unique and inspiring life experiences. Other activities during the orientation

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 program are parade of professionals, lectures from the different partner
institutions, course caravan, mock interview for admission, among others.

Parade of Professionals Lectures from the

different partner institutions
Different Activities in Health
Career Orientation Program

Course Caravan Mock Interview for Admission

PERFORMANCE TASK 2
A Friend in Need
Directions: Read the different situations below then complete the table that follows.

Situation A: Nicole, a Grade 10 student, is kind and helpful to her classmates. She
excels in Science and Mathematics. In fact, she is always appreciated by her teacher
whenever she does laboratory works. She always volunteers in various civic
activities for her fellow youth and enjoys participating in different outreach
programs. Recently, she helped in the conduct of a feeding program in a nearby
barangay. Help Nicole in choosing a health career pathway to pursue.

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 Career Exploration Justification
Self-Assessment (Career path that Nicole may (Reason for selecting
(Personality, skills, be interested to pursue) or pursuing the
talents, abilities, hobbies, specific health
interests, strength and Health Specific
career)
weaknesses) Career Health
Pathway Career

Situation B: Andy is an active member of the Boys Scout of the Philippines. He is

energetic and dynamic. He loves playing volleyball and basketball. He excels in
giving first aid procedures in the conduct of fire and earthquake drills. In his bag,
he always has his first-aid kit. He can think even under pressure especially in
times of emergency. Help Andy in selecting a health career pathway fitted for him.

Career Exploration Justification

Self-Assessment (Career path that Andy is (Reason for selecting
(Personality, skills, interested to pursue) or pursuing the
talents, abilities, hobbies, specific health
interests, strength and Health Specific
career)
weaknesses) Career Health
Pathway Career

ASSESSMENT 2
Directions: Read each item carefully. Write the letter of the best answer.
1. Which among the following careers belongs to emergency medical services?
a. Epidemiologist c. Psychiatrist
b. Paramedic d. Social worker

2. What health career pathway specializes in out-of-hospital medical care?

a. Dental health c. Mental healthcare
b. Emergency medical services d. Nutrition

3. What health career pathway focuses on communicable and noncommunicable

diseases?
a. Community healthcare c. Environmental healthcare management
b. Disease prevention and control d. Personal healthcare
4. Which health career pathway deals with complex public health issues that
affect women, children and their families?
a. Community healthcare c. Maternal and childcare
b. Drug prevention and control d. Nutrition

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5. What health career pathway does a barangay health worker belong to?
a. Community healthcare c. Emergency medical services
b. Dental health d. Nutrition

6. Which is not a sample career under mental healthcare?

a. Marriage and family therapist c. Psychologist
b. Paramedic d. Psychiatric nurse
7. Which health career is not included in environmental healthcare
management?
a. Air pollution analyst c. Environmental health educator
b. Community health worker d. Environmental health inspector

8. What health career pathway seeks to reduce community and individual

problems related to alcohol and drug abuse?
a. Community healthcare c. Drug prevention and control
b. Disease prevention and control d. Health education

9. What is the main task of health professionals in occupational safety? They

deal with…
a. various oral conditions which include tooth decay and tooth loss.
b. safety, health and welfare of people in a workplace.
c. ways to balance individuals’ food and nutrition.
d. promotion of healthcare and training of health workers.

10. Which among the following professionals performs healthcare-related tasks in

a personal care level?
a. Air pollution analyst c. Disease detective
b. Dental assistant d. Home health aide

11. Kenneth is reading articles in magazines about anger management, anxiety,

stress, and mood disorder. What health career pathway is he interested in?
a. Community healthcare c. Mental health care
b. Health education d. Occupational safety

12. John actively participates in various activities in saving Mother Earth against
pollution. He is interested to take a health career. What health career pathway
will you recommend to him?
a. Community healthcare c. Environmental healthcare management
b. Dental health d. Personal healthcare
13. Manny is competent in doing first aid. What health career pathway will he
explore?
a. Dental healthcare c. Mental healthcare
b. Emergency medical services d. Personal healthcare
14. Lea is passionate in cooking and meal planning for her family. Which among
the following health career pathways should she pursue?
a. Community healthcare c. Nutrition

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 b. Maternal and childcare d. Occupational safety
15. Robert cannot decide on what specific health career pathway will he take.
What advice will you give him?
a. Adopt your friend’s plan
b. Attend a health career orientation program
c. Consider the personality and interests of others
d. Never mind what the future holds
MatchBox
Direction: Match Column A with Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
Sample Health Careers Health Career
Pathways
1. Physical Therapist and Home Health A. Community Healthcare
Aide
2. Maternal and Child Health Specialist and B. Dental Health
Community Health Educator
3. Health Inspector and Industrial C. Disease Prevention and
Hygienist. Control
4. Environmental Toxicologist and D. Drug Prevention
Groundwater Protection Specialist. and Control
5. Health Education Specialist and E. Emergency Medical
Community Health Educator Services
6. Emergency Medical Responder and F. Environmental
Emergency Medical Technician Healthcare Management
7. Sports Nutritionist and Nutritional G. Health Education
Therapist.
8. Epidemiology Assistant and Prevention H. Maternal and Child Care
Specialist
9. Addiction Nurses and Detox Specialist I. Mental Healthcare

10. Mental Health Counselor and Marriage J. Nutrition

and Family Therapist.
11. Dental Nurse and Dental Health K. Occupational Safety
Support
12. Community Health Worker and Public L. Personal Healthcare
Health Aide.

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