Careers in the medical field and salaries

Browse: > An Overview of Careers and Salaries

Working as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) can be a good long-term career, or a transitional position between other jobs. While CNAs are required to have a certain level of training and professionalism, the barrier to entry for the job is much lower than for many positions in the medical industry. Whether you want the job for the long haul, or just want to test the waters, working as a CNA might have something to offer you.

How to Get a Job as a CNA

1. Take a training course. These take only a few weeks, and will let you meet the legal requirement of 75 hours of state-approved training before you can work as a CNA.
2. Apply for jobs. There are a lot of job openings for CNAs, and a high rate of turnover because of the relatively low pay compared to other medical professions. You shouldn’t have any trouble securing a position once you’ve received certification, though if you’re particular about what type of facility and which part of the country you work in, your job search might be more difficult.

Career Mobility for CNAs

While being a CNA offers a good salary and the satisfaction of helping people in medical need, it may not be a very desirable long-term career path for someone who wants to be deeply involved in the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury. For many CNAs, their current position is just a jumping-off point for a more involved career in medicine. Whether that means working as a CNA to pay for nursing school, or assisting in various offices to see what type of medical career they’re most interested in, CNA work can help students gauge their interest in different types of medical work without having to commit to a long, expensive degree program at first.

Becoming a CNA can be a great way to break into the medical industry. The stats collected by The Bureau of Labor Statistics show an expected increase in job availability, and pay has increased in the past several years. The following information from The BLS offers some insight into the employment situation for CNAs in the near future.