Despite being a tremendously rewarding industry, working in healthcare may be challenging. Some of the toughest hurdles for healthcare professionals are long hours, mortality, and complex patient care settings. Stating that maintaining adequate working conditions and preventing burnout are only two of the many issues the healthcare sector as a whole confronts.
Let us have a look at some of the major challenges encountered by healthcare professionals in securing a desired job:
Competitive Environment: In order to stand out in the face of intense competition, your application must be nothing but outstanding in the eyes of the recruiter. With an academically brilliant track record and extensive extracurricular activities, only a select few are truly able to make the cut.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, as individuals across various sectors faced unprecedented challenges, the healthcare industry too faced its own set of obstacles. In the present job market, the shift toward remote work has become a prevalent factor. Nowadays, doctors and healthcare providers have embraced online consultations. While this may sound like an easy and straightforward task, in reality, it requires the acquisition of an entirely new skill set, which can be an arduous and demanding process.
Networking: Poor connectivity can sometimes cause people to miss out on excellent job opportunities. It is not always feasible to stay active on all the available job portals simultaneously. Having a strong network and leveraging references can be advantageous in securing job opportunities. However, if one's network is limited, this issue can arise.
Required Licensing: Occupational groupings, including healthcare, community and social services, and related organizations, have a disproportionately high number of workers who possess the necessary qualifications but lack the required licensing. This discrepancy ultimately becomes a barrier to recruitment, hindering the employment process. Obtaining the necessary licenses can be a time-consuming endeavor that demands significant effort and dedication. Unfortunately, in recent times, the requirements for licensure have become increasingly complex.
Difficult hiring process: Many healthcare organizations continue to use conventional hiring procedures. The use of the methods mentioned before is justified by the small to nonexistent margin for error.
However, the medical field is very skill-focused, and healthcare employment demands a high level of attention to detail. To discover the best applicant, recruiters must use stringent testing procedures, screening procedures, and thorough evaluations. Such hiring processes take a lot of time and energy. Additionally, recruiters could save time and effort on a procedure that has a low success rate. In addition, given the constant competition for the best people in the healthcare sector, recruiters must reply to applications as quickly as they can.
Today, more individuals than ever before hold college degrees. The degree itself no longer has the same significance as it once did. Essential skills such as public speaking, project management, leadership, and more are now necessary to thrive and excel in various professional domains.
Language and location: For healthcare workers, job opportunities can be scattered across various locations, especially for fresh graduates without prior experience. For healthcare workers, it is crucial to have practical, hands-on experience that goes beyond theoretical knowledge. As a fresher, finding jobs in cities can be quite a difficult task. The language barrier is one of the challenges that healthcare professionals face, particularly in postings located in remote villages or small cities. Recruiters often prioritize candidates who are proficient in the local language specific to the area.
Personality and Communication Skills: Strong communication and soft skills have become essential in every field, including healthcare. However, many healthcare workers struggle to develop these skills due to the demanding academic pressures they face. As a result, they may often encounter challenges when seeking employment, as these skills are considered necessary for success in the industry.
Ghosting by job recruiters: Ghosting occurs when a recruiter, who initially displayed interest in your application, suddenly stops communicating with you during the hiring process. While recruiters can be valuable resources for promising candidates, they also have obligations to the companies they assist in recruiting. Due to time constraints or urgent hiring deadlines, recruiters may not always have the opportunity to personally notify applicants who were not selected for the position.
Companies hire internally: Companies are increasingly prioritizing internal hiring, which reduces the number of positions available for external applicants.
Regular promotions and job fillings from within the organization can limit job opportunities for external candidates, thereby restricting options for individuals seeking employment with the company.
Career Gap: Having a gap in employment can raise concerns among employers, who may perceive it as a lack of dedication or dependability. Employers could see a break in work as a lack of dedication or dependability. They may question your commitment to your career and inquire about the reasons behind the period of unemployment. However, the impact of the gap varies depending on its length and cause. A lengthy period of unemployment without a valid reason may be viewed differently than taking a few months off for travel, for example. Burnout in the healthcare sector eventually causes a gap that may be seen as a drawback.
How Healthcare Professionals are Still Advancing (Conclusion):
Despite obstacles, a variety of evidence-based initiatives can significantly improve the lives of healthcare professionals. Having said that, many medical professionals are beginning to take care of themselves, finding interests outside of work, and choosing to work fewer 24-hour shifts, thus emerging as a viable choice for medical professionals looking for a more flexible and stress-free schedule.
Now let us have a look at how MedBound and MedBound List can help in tackling some of these issues:
1. The competitive environment and career gaps.
The Medical Education Cell of MedBound and The MedBound Times, a health journalism platform by MedBound, offer various skill development and clinical internships ranging from clinical case discussion internships, medical internship programs, discussion hub internships, medical content writing internships, and mentorship programs to healthcare students where one gets to interact with healthcare experts and work on multiple projects.
Have a look at some of the internship programs offered by MedBound:
Link:
Medical Internship Program (MIP):
https://l.medbound.com/riTnJYwTRB6BTmb37
Discussion Hub:
https://l.medbound.com/nFuDHoLSxZ4rCMGb6
CCD Internship (Clinical Case Discussion Internship):
https://l.medbound.com/2MTRkmjMSi58GTsd7
Medical History taking Internship:
https://l.medbound.com/sowsh1TYx29uWa5d8
Health Communication Internship:
https://l.medbound.com/Y92AFYLFx9x43wXE9
By maintaining an impeccable academic record and actively engaging in extracurricular pursuits and participating in skill-enhancing activities, one can improve their chances of being noticed among a highly competitive pool of applicants.
So, SIGNUP - REGISTER - LEARN - GET CERTIFIED!
2. Changes in the job market?
Professionals and recruiters are increasingly relying on online frameworks for recruitment. It is essential to highlight your accomplishments, showcase your unique strengths, and demonstrate the breadth of your experiences in order to capture the attention and admiration of recruiters.
The MedBound List (MBL) Portal can help you create a hassle-free online resume and also assist you in reaching out to some of the top recruiters.
MedBound List assists candidates in creating online resumes that allow for easy customization and updating, allowing them to tailor their information to specific job opportunities and highlight relevant skills and experiences. With the help of the MBL portal, one can keep track of their job applications and also reach out to recruiters for updates.
CLAIM YOUR FREE ONLINE RESUME NOW!
MedBound List Link:
1) Sign up at MedBound:
https://web.medbound.com/auth/user-sign-up
2. Click on 'List' after logging in:
https://web.medbound.com/community/content-profile-type
3. Create your resume
4. Explore Internship and Job opportunities at MedBound List
3. Personality and communication skills?
The Health Leadership and Public Speaking Forum by the Medical Education Cell of MedBound is a huge leap toward developing personality and communication skills. By becoming members of the forum, the candidates can participate in various confidence-building workshops and live speaking sessions in the presence of mentors and experts.
Click below to learn more about the Health Leadership and Public Speaking Forum and its tiers.
Health Leadership & Public Speaking Forum
4. Networking in Healthcare
Building a strong professional network enhances the chances of receiving job referrals and accessing hidden job opportunities. It is crucial to continuously expand and cultivate professional relationships, leveraging every available opportunity to increase networking connections and enhance job search prospects.
MedBound is a Chicago-based networking and socio-educational community comprising over 12 thousand verified healthcare professionals and students. As a member, you gain access to a global network of clinicians and healthcare experts, providing opportunities for interaction, sharing opinions and ideas through Bounds, participating in discussions, connecting with potential businesses and recruiters, and enhancing your skills through internships offered by the Medical Education Cell of MedBound.
Edited By: Dr. Darshit Jagdish Patel