The healthcare industry is an integral part of our society and the betterment of it. Health workers spend a significant amount of their time for the improvement of the sick and help uplift the community. But while it is an essential field, it is also the one which we do not discuss enough. There are not many people who talk about the health sector commonly. And because of this communication gap, we see a lot of fake information revolving around this noble field.
Whether it is fake news about some disease or myths about health workers, there is a wide range of misinformation that has been misguiding people for a long time. To clarify your concepts, we will debunk some of these misconceptions today. Here are some of the most common misconceptions about the healthcare industry.
1. You Need To Study All Life To Start Your Career.
While it is true that medicine is a challenging field, we sometimes tend to exaggerate it as well. Yes, doctors have to study a lot and give many exams to make a stable career. But no rule stops them from working while studying. In fact, the majority of health workers join the industry only after completing their bachelor’s. After that, they work and study alongside to make progress in their field.
Following are some examples:
- ER physicians can get their ABEM while they are working as physicians.
- Nurses can do their nursing master’s programs online while working in their facilities.
- Medical assistants can work under physicians with little experience
2. Doctors Know All Medical Issues
One of the biggest problems about the healthcare industry is the “one doctor, all solutions” assumption. When you look into this field from afar, you can’t see how vast it is. A lot of people assume that healthcare is limited to certain subjects and all the doctors learn the same things.
In reality, healthcare has various specialties. And after medical school, each doctor chooses his subject of specialty and later practice it. So, when you visit an eye specialist, it is highly probable that he won’t know why you have joint pain. That is why we have to understand and appreciate the diversity of this field.
3. Doctors Have To Do All The Work In The Hospital
A lot of people believe that doctors carry out all the procedures in medical facilities. And this concept is even more solidified because of popular television shows. You might remember some scenes from your favorite dramas revolving around the medical field that doctors do every minor procedure. But in reality, there are many more professionals who contribute to the welfare of the patients.
For example, doctors are not responsible for collecting blood samples. Similarly, they do not spend all their duty hours monitoring the blood pressure and temperatures of patients. These are the jobs of the attending staff and nurses. Likewise, physicians don’t do radiologic exams and laboratory work. In a healthcare facility, each department has different tasks assigned to the relevant professional, and all of them work to restore the health of their patients.
4. Everyone Has To Work Odd Hours In A Healthcare Facility
Another misconception that medical shows have seeded in our youth is that everyone in the healthcare industry works long hours. Although it is true to some extent, there is still a lot of confusion in this regard. Yes, some professions require all-nighters, but not everyone in a hospital has to work 18 hours a day. And those who do, get professional training to get used to their busy routines.
As discussed above, the healthcare industry is vast and contains many professions, and each domain has its unique time schedules. For example, emergency staff has 12-hours shifts, but nutritionists only visit their patients once or twice to report the progress. So, if you want to pursue a medical career, your duty hours essentially depend on you. If you choose a profession in critical care, you won’t have a fixed routine. But if you decide to work in a career with minimum emergencies, you can work in flexible hours.
5. All Healthcare Professionals Have To Deal With Patients
Opposite to what many believe, not every healthcare worker needs to contact a patient. Usually, many health workers do their job from the background. For example, pathologists study patient’s specimens and diagnose the disease using different tools. Later, they make reports and send them to the doctors so that they can work on them.
In all of this process, they never go and talk with the patient. Instead, they indirectly connect through labs and reports. But even then, they play an essential role in patient care. So, if you thought healthcare is all about patient communication, now you know that it’s only a misconception.
Conclusion
There are many myths fluttering around regarding the healthcare industry, and we have tried to clarify some of them above. If you have any misunderstanding about this important field, we suggest you look for further answers with authentic sources. Do your research, look for the background, and then make decisions based on what the factual information tells you.
