Health 10

Learning Material
(unit 4)

PLANNING FOR A
HEALTH CAREER
UNIT 4

What is a career?
A career is an occupation or profession that requires special
training.
Health careers are designed to familiarize students with the
various careers in the medical profession and allied health
services. Students will learn skills necessary for their career
path, which in this case is in healthcare. These include working
with others, communication skills, legal and ethical
responsibilities, cultural considerations in healthcare industry,
problem solving, decision making, accepting personal
responsibility, and self-management.

 Health career Planning refers to an individuals plan to make a

career choice, growing in the chosen career or making a
career shift. Career planning involves the very important step
of self-assessment.
Self-assessment is necessary to understand ones capabilities
and drawbacks. The various career options should be
explored in detail to find a fit between ones abilities and the
opportunities provided by a career option. It involves
continuous learning and improvement to build and grow in the
chosen career path.
YOULL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLES LIVES
Good salary
Job Security
Do work that interests you
Find a health career that fits your educational plans
A clear path to advancement
Work with people (or not)

What are the components and

steps in making a health career
plan?
1. Self Assessment - Discover your
personal strengths through self-assessments
(values, interests, personality, testing, skills,
etc.

2. Career Exploration - You can

explore different careers and work
environments through career fairs,
online research, meetings, internships,
alumni connections, professional resources.
3. Decision Making - Before you decide on
taking a career that works for you, you can
evaluate and narrow down your options through
listing the pros and cons, comparing your
personal strengths and interests, and deciding
which career fulfills both current and future
goals.

4. Plan of Action - Plan achievable goals

and develop strategies to reach your goals,
organize your goals into smaller steps,
identify actions for each step, utilize helpful
people and resources, review and adapt your
plan regularly

HEALTH CAREER PATHWAY

Career pathways are clusters occupations

that are grouped because of shared skills.
All pathways include a variety of
occupations that require different levels of
education, skills, 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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Makes it easier for you to

identify health career
professions

Assist you in choosing a health

career

Helps you a plan on how to prepare

your chosen health career

What are the examples of

Health Career pathways?
1. Disease Prevention and Control
People who specialize in this career path
focus on communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Their work includes
immunization, screening of newborns,
promotion of breastfeeding, infant diseases
prevention, adolescent healthcare, and life
skills.
Sample Careers:
Community Health Work
Education and Research

2. 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.
3. 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, healthcare of
pregnant women and their children, and improvement of health
delivery system through advocacy, education and research.
Sample Careers:
Midwifery
Community Health Educator
Outreach Specialist

4. 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 Careers:
Social Work
Clinical Psychology
Psychiatry
Guidance Counseling

5. Community Healthcare
Specialists in this area focus on the maintenance, protection, and
improvement of the health of all community members.
Sample Careers:
Barangay/Community Health Work
Rural Sanitary Inspection
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 Careers:
Air quality monitoring
Soil science analysis
Hazardous and solid waste management
Environmental noise control
Radiological assessment

7. 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 Careers:
Drug Enforcement
Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
8. Nutrition
Specialists in this area find ways to balance individuals food
and nutrition and their impact on patients health. These
include meal planning, food preparation and economics.
Sample Careers:
Clinical Dietetics
Food and Nutrition Management
Public Health Nutrition
Education and Research

9. 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
bahaviors plus coordinating health education
services.
Sample Careers:
Education and Research
Community Health Work

10. Dental Health

Dental Health workers deal with various oral
conditions which include chronic mouth and
facial pain, oral sores, periodontal (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 Careers:
Dental Hygiene
Dental Nursing
Dental health support

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 Careers:
Occupational Health and Safety Technician
Health Inspector
Industrial Hygienist
12. Emergency Medical Services
People assigned in this work specialize in out-of-hospital
medical care. Their skills include first-aid procedures,
emergency medical treatment and transport of patients, rapid
emergency medical response and immediate medical attention.
Sample Careers:
Emergency Medical Aid
Paramedic

MEDICAL AND ALLIED

HEALTH PROFESSION
Along with medical professions,
there are hundreds of allied
health professions which
complete the workforce in
contributing to the whole-person
care of patients, support to
healthcare professionals, and the
efficient operation of healthcare
organizations.

Medical and Allied Health

Professions
The medical profession is a group of individuals
qualified to practice medicine. Allied health
professions, on the other hand, are lines of work that
still deal with healthcare, but are distinct from
medicine.
They have distinct and specialized knowledge and
skills that actively work with people accessing health
and disability that are offered services across a
range of settings. These professions include clinical
laboratory or medical technology, physical therapy,
occupational therapy, dietetic services, medical
record personnel, radiologic services, speechlanguage pathology and audiology, and respiratory
therapy.

Who are the medical and allied

health professionals?

Allied health professionals are healthcare

practitioners with formal education and
clinical training credentials through
certification, registration and/or licensure.
They collaborate with physicians and other
members of the healthcare team to deliver
high quality patient care services for the
identification, prevention, and treatment of
diseases, disabilities, and disorders.

These professions may be

categorized into either
technicians or
Therapists/Technologists.
Technicians are those who
undergo training to perform
specific procedures. They
are required to work under
the supervision of
technologists or therapists.
This category includes
physical therapy assistants,
medical laboratory
technicians, radiological
technicians, occupational
therapy assistants,
recreation therapy
assistants and respiratory
therapy technicians.

Health Care Provider- a

person who helps identify,
prevent, or treat an illness
or disability
Health Care Practitioner/
Provider- an independent
healthcare provider who is
licensed to practice on and
provide general and/or
specialized care to a specific
area of the body.
Allied Health Professionals- a
trained healthcare provider
practicing under supervision
of a physician or healthcare
practitioner. They include
pharmacists, dental
hygienists, physical
therapists and nurses.

Therapists or technologists have more

intensive training, which includes acquiring
procedural skills. They evaluate patients,
diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans,
and understand the rationale behind various
treatments in order to judge their
appropriateness and potential side effects.
They also assess patients responses to
therapy and make appropriate decisions about
continued treatment or modification of
treatment plans. Furthermore, they are
licensed to perform these tasks.

Allied health professionals

provide services and engage in
activities which include:
a. prevention - keep illness or injury from
happening
b. assessment/evaluation - appraisal of
the condition based on the patients
subjective report
c. identification/diagnosis - analysis based
on signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings
d. treatment - management and care of a
patient or the combating of disease or
disorder

e. rehabilitation/habilitation - treatment designed

to recover from injury, illness, or disease towards a
normal condition as possible
f. advocacy - a method by which patients, their
families, attorneys, health professionals, and citizens
groups can work together to develop programs that
ensure the availability of high-quality healthcare for a
community
g. promotion of health and well-being - the
process of enabling people to increase control over
their health and its determinants, and thereby
improving their health
h. education - the process of sharing and gaining
knowledge
i. research - the diligent inquiry or examination of
data, reports, and observations in a search for facts
or principles

What are the allied health

professions that we presently
have in the Philippines?
These are the common allied health professionals practicing
in the country with available education and professional
training.
1.

2.

3.

4.

Audiologist identifies and rehabilitates hearing

impairments and related disorders
Chiropractor - diagnoses and treats neuromuscular
disorders, with emphasis on treatment through manual
adjustment and/or manipulation of the spine.
Clinical psychologist - assesses, diagnoses, treats and
helps prevent mental disorders
Dietitian / Nutritionist - promotes good health through
proper diet and treatment of diseases

5.

6.

7.

8.

Emergency Medical Technician also known as

ambulance technician; responds quickly to any emergency
and life-threatening situation to immediately treat serious
injuries, physical or mental trauma to increase a patients
chances of survival
Guidance Counselor - assists students with personal,
family, education, and career decisions and concerns; also
helps them develop job-finding skills and other life skills
needed to prevent and deal with problems
Health Educator - specializes in health education and
promotes the development of health knowledge, life skills,
and positive attitudes toward the health and well-being of
students
Massage Therapist - performs the scientific
manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the
purpose of normalizing those tissues; uses manual
techniques that include applying fixed or movable
pressure on affected parts of the body

9.

10.

11.

12.

Medical assistant performs, under the direction of a

physician, various routine administrative and
nontechnical clinical tasks in hospitals, clinics, and
other similar facilities
Medical technologist performs a variety of tasks on
body fluids, from simple blood tests to more complex
tests to uncover abnormalities in the body, and
underlying causes of illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS,
diabetes, and cancer which are not easily detected
through physical examination
Midwife - professionals with the expertise and skills in
helping women maintain healthy pregnancies, assist in
or perform childbirth delivery, and help in womens
recovery process through the postpartum period
Nurse - trained to provide care for people who are sick
or injured; monitors patients health and records
symptoms, assists physicians during examinations and
treatment, and administers medications.

Occupational therapist - uses purposeful activity

and interventions to maximize the independence
and health of any client who is limited by physical
injury or illness, cognitive impairment, psychosocial
dysfunction, mental illness, or learning disability
14. Orthotist/Prosthetist makes and fits prosthetics
or artificial parts for the human body
15. Paramedic - gives emergency medical treatment or
assists medical professionals in emergency
situations
16. Pharmacist - prepares and dispenses medication
prescribed by licensed health professionals; also
provides information to patients regarding drugs,
and consults with healthcare professionals on
advances in drugs or medicine
13.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Radiologic Technologist/Radiographer healthcare professionals who perform imaging

procedures, such as x-ray examinations, Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans and Computed
Tomography (CT) scans (health careers.org)
Physical Therapist - examines, evaluates, and
treats physical impairments through use of special
exercise, application of heat or cold, and other
physical modalities
Speech Language Pathologist - diagnoses and
treats patients with functional and organic speech
defects and disorders
Phlebotomist - professionals with special training
in phlebotomy or drawing blood from patients

21.

22.

23.

Radiation therapist - administers radiation therapy

services to patients and observes patients during
treatment; other duties may include tumor
localization, patient follow-up, patient education, and
record keeping
Respiratory therapist - specializes in the promotion
of optimum cardiopulmonary function and health;
regularly deals with various chronic respiratory
diseases, such as asthma and emphysema
Social Worker - investigates, treats, and gives aid to
people with social problems and helps people with
mental illness, serious health conditions, financial
difficulties, substance abuse problems, domestic or
child abuse, unwanted pregnancy and other social
problems

There are also allied medical

professions whose specialized training
is available in other countries.
1.

2.

3.

Cardiovascular technologist - uses imaging

technology to help physicians diagnose patients with
cardiac (heart) and peripheral vascular (blood vessel)
ailments
Clinical officer - performs general medical duties such
as the diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury,
recommendation and interpretation of medical tests,
performance of routine medical and surgical procedures,
and referral of patients to other practitioners
Dental hygienist - specializes in the removal of
calcaneous deposits and stains from patients and
provides additional services and information on
prevention of oral diseases

4.

5.

6.

7.

Diagnostic medical sonographist - uses ultrasonic

imaging devices to produce diagnostic images, scans,
videos, or 3D volumes of patients anatomy
Kinesiotherapist - develops and monitors exercise
programs to help people regain muscle strength and
function lost due to injury or disease
Neurophysiologist - specializes in the diagnosis of
conditions affecting the nervous system such as
neuromuscular diseases, epilepsy, and nerve
entrapments
Medical dosimetrist - designs treatment plans for
patients by means of computer and/or manual
computation to determine a treatment field technique
that will deliver the prescribed radiation dose while
taking into consideration the dose-limiting structures

Medical radiation scientist - performs complex

diagnostic imaging studies on patients and plans and
administers radiation treatments
9. Music therapist - uses music within a therapeutic
relationship to address a clients needs, such as facilitating
movement and physical rehabilitation, motivating the
client to cope with treatment, providing emotional support,
such as an outlet for expressing their feelings through
music
10. Nuclear medicine technologist - performs imaging
procedures using radioactive drugs and materials to make
diagnostic evaluations of the anatomic or physiologic
conditions of the patients body, and facilitates therapy
with the use of unsealed radioactive sources
11. Orthoptist - investigates, diagnoses and treats defects of
binocular vision and abnormalities related to eye
movement; involves seeing patients of all ages from
infants to the elderly
8.

Pedorthist - are foot orthotic and orthopedic

footwear experts trained in the assessment
of lower limb anatomy and muscle and joint
function
13. Perfusionist - assists in performing
procedures that involve extracorporeal
circulation, such as during open-heart
surgery or hypothermia
14. Surgical technologist - a member of the
surgical team who serves as a scrub
technician or as a circulator
12.

PRACTITIONERs
PERSPECTIVE
NAME: JENNIFER A. ROMBO
POSITION: GUIDANCE SERVICE SPECIALIST 1
DEGREE/INSTITUTION: BS PSYCHOLOGY/
PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA
MAJOR: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Implements Guidance Program which includes:
1. Counseling
2. Testing
3. Placement
4. Information Services (conducts orientation)
WHAT I LIKE MOST OF MY JOB:
It is fulfilling because I am able to help other people and I have interaction
with students.
WHAT I LIKE LEAST ABOUT MY JOB:
It is emotionally draining; sometimes I cant help but be affected by my
students concerns.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE PREPARING TO BE A COUNSELOR...
Develop genuine

NAME: ED HERPERT D. BRIONES

CURRENT POSITION/TITLE: Unit Head /
Guidance Service Specialist 1
EMPLOYER: Philippine Science High School
Main Campus
DEGREE/ INSTITUTION: Bachelor of Arts; Master of
Arts / University of the Philippines - Diliman
MAJOR(s): Psychology; Educational Psychology
MINOR(s): None
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Supervises and oversees the implementation and operation of the units
programs
Coordinates and oversees inter/intra-office activities
Performs guidance services and counseling to students
Prepares intervention programs and reports
Conducts career learning programs and orientations
Administers, scores, and interprets psychological tests to personnel and
faculty applicants
Administers, scores, and interprets aptitude tests and personality tests to
students
Administers diagnostic exams to freshmen students
Administers admission tests to incoming freshmen

WHAT I LIKE MOST OF MY JOB:

My everyday interaction with the students is one of the things I like about
our job as Guidance Counselors. The conversations with the students
provide
learning experiences that are not actually discussed inside the classrooms.
Through
counseling, the students are able to share their concerns, heart aches,
struggles,
failures, joys, successes, and achievements. If I am able to help them in
one way
or the other, I become a part of their triumphs and its very fulfilling.
Consequently, I
believe that I have contributed in the holistic development, maturity, and
character
formation of my students through the guidance programs, counseling
sessions and
group dynamics.
WHAT I LIKE LEAST ABOUT MY JOB:
Sometimes, listening and absorbing too many concerns and stresses of the
students and parents cause compassion fatigue thus, making us helpless
at times.
RECOMMENDATIONS for those PREPARING to be a GUIDANCE
COUNSELOR:
Any person who aspires to become a Guidance Counselor should possess a

NAME: LORRAINE G. DE GUZMAN

POSITION:CTM Operations
Pharmacist/
Zuellig Pharma
DEGREE/INSTITUTION: M. S.
Pharmacy
(36units) /University of Santo
Tomas
MAJOR: Pharmacy

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
In-charge of the day to day operation of Clinical Trial Material Business
Unit
Back-up personnel for CTM Operations Supervisor
communicates with the principals, local and overseas
communicates with the internal clients
ensures that all depot project instructions are followed per principal and
per protocol
ensures confidentiality of every transaction
participates in teleconferences
supervises receipt of inbound shipments
ensures smooth dispatch and delivery of clinical trial materials from depot
to site
especially those under cold chain
spearheads investigations if deviations from outbound shipments occur
makes weekly report for assigned principals
ensures all orders are processed within the timeline
WHAT I LIKE MOST OF MY JOB:
compensations and benefits; working environment
WHAT I LIKE LEAST ABOUT MY JOB:
working hours since overtime work happens almost everyday
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE PREPARING TO BE A PHARMACIST...
Pharmacy is a good pre-med course if you are planning to pursue medicine. If
not, you can choose other fields but not limited to community, hospital,
manufacturing/
industrial, academe, pharmacovigilance, clinical trialist. clinical research associate
and safety data analyst.

HEALTH CAREER
ORIENTATION
PROGRAM
Are you interested to know what
causes illnesses? Would you like to
help people get and stay healthy in
any
aspect of health?
Medical research, scientific research,
and technical breakthroughs have
made
the health science industry one of the
most exciting and personally
rewarding
fields to explore. And the most
popular
jobs in this cluster include those of:
doctors, dentists, nurses,
chiropractors,
pharmacists, radiology technicians,
and

A Health Career Orientation is an

activity based career
exploration
to broaden your knowledge
about
careers in the health field. Health
career orientation 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 of a wide
variety of educational training
and
resources for both academic and
vocational fields
pursue health career
pathwaysfor