Physician: Alternative Careers

Transcription

1 Physician: Alternative Careers A guide for newcomers to British Columbia

2 Contents 1. Physician: Alternative Careers Employment Outlook Retraining Searching for Jobs Volunteering in the Field Helpful Resources Physician: Alternative Careers In BC, physicians (general practitioners [GPs], family physicians) diagnose and treat the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients. They also look for health risks and address health prevention (immunizations, treatments, etc.) You may find that your international training and experience as a physician are not immediately accepted in B.C. The skills you have acquired as a physician (patient care, communication, interpersonal and analytical skills, compassion and understanding) can be used in these alternative careers: health care administrator (NOC 0014) health policy researchers / analysts (NOC 4165) public health inspectors (NOC 2263) residential care worker / health care aide (NOC 3413) Alternative Careers: Health Care Administrator (NOC 0014) Health care administrators work to ensure that health service centres operate efficiently and provide proper care to patients. They work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, drug abuse treatment centres, home health care agencies, and long-term care facilities. Duties include: develop policies and procedures and make sure they are followed plan and coordinate departmental activities handle budgeting and accounting manage staff members evaluate patient services and develop medical programs Requirements: Post-secondary degree in relevant discipline (e.g. health care administration, health information) Last updated: June 30,

3 Skills: strong communication, decision making and leadership skills Wages: median hourly wage: $40.38 Source: Health Policy Researchers, Analysts (NOC 4165) Health policy researchers and analysts conduct research, produce reports and administer health care policies and programs. Duties include: Monitor and evaluate health care programs operated by government departments and agencies or private organizations Compile and analyse statistical information provided by private and public health care institutions and organizations and produce reports Assist in developing government health policy by reviewing relevant literature, conducting interviews, collecting and analysing statistical data, and providing advice to senior managers and officials on issues such as health promotion, regulation, standards and financing Requirements: Post-secondary degree in health science, hospital administration or other relevant discipline Skills: Understand health and medical terminology Conduct research Strong planning and leadership skills. Wages: median hourly wage $ Inspectors in Public and Environmental Health and Occupational Health and Safety (NOC 2263) Also referred to as: public health inspector, environmental health officer, occupational health and safety officer, health standards inspector. Inspectors evaluate and monitor health and safety hazards and develop strategies to control risks in the workplace. They inspect restaurants, public facilities, industrial sites, municipal water systems and other workplaces to ensure Last updated: June 30,

4 compliance with government regulations regarding sanitation, pollution control, the handling and storage of hazardous substances and workplace safety. Duties include: Inspect the sanitary conditions of restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and other public facilities or institutions Conduct surveys and monitoring programs of the natural environment to identify sources of pollution Collect samples of water for analysis; measure physical, biological and chemical workplace hazards; and conduct safety and environmental audits Investigate health and safety related complaints, spills of hazardous chemicals, outbreaks of diseases or poisonings and workplace accidents Requirements: International applicants who have either an international credential for public health inspection, OR, 2 years relevant post secondary course work may apply for a two year program, Public Health Inspection, offered through BCIT. Program includes 12 week practicum ( See also Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI): Skills: Strong communication and problem solving skills Wages: median hourly wage: $ Residential Care Worker / Health Care aide (NOC 3413) Also referred to as health care aide, home care aide, home health aide, home support worker, long term care aide, personal care aide, personal care attendant, resident care aide, or resident care attendant. This position supports individuals in all areas of daily living: personal hygiene, meal preparation, routine housekeeping and mobility assistance. Duties include: provision of assistance in patients activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing and grooming and eating performing basic personal care under the direction of a nurse taking basic measurements, temperature and pulse observation and monitoring patient status and reporting changes to supervisor moving physically challenged patients with specialized equipment Last updated: June 30,

5 Requirements: Secondary school education Criminal record check Tuberculosis screening Skills: Resident care aides require physical stamina and strong interpersonal skills Sensitivity and patience are also crucial qualities for creating a comfortable environment for patients Resident care aides have excellent observational skills Ability to carefully follow direction, policy and procedure. Wages: median hourly wage $ Medical Laboratory Assistant (NOC 3212) & Medical Laboratory Technologists (NOC 3211) You may also wish to investigate working as a medical laboratory technologist or medical laboratory assistant. Currently, medical laboratory technologists (MLT) and medical laboratory assistants (MLA) are not legally required to obtain registration /certification to work in BC. However, most employers seeking a medical laboratory technologist (MLT) require CSMLS certification (Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science); most employers seeking a medical laboratory assistant (MLA) require BCSLS certification (BC Society of Laboratory Science). Both CSMLS and BCSLS have detailed criteria for completion of education programs prior to certification. There are a few limited situations where individuals may apply for Prior Learning Assessment and to write a challenge exam. For details on the certification process, see: Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS): Certification of Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT) BC Society of Laboratory Science (BCSLS): Certification of Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) Last updated: June 30,

6 Ontario Society of Medical Laboratory Technologists (OSMT): Challenge exam for foreign trained applicants leading to certification as Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) Health Match BC: a free health professional recruitment service for publicly funded health care facilities. After registering with Health Match BC, the allied health services team can review your training and experience to determine if you are likely to qualify to work as a medical laboratory technologist. Technologists.aspx For details on the type of work done by a medical laboratory technologist (MLT), see: For details on the type of work done by a medical laboratory assistant (MLA), see: More opportunities to Consider: Medical research Occupation medicine Medical and health care product sales Medical managers or administrators Medical advisors or counselling Medical communications Health and /or mental Health patient advocate Government Department of Health (example: health planner or policy analyst) Last updated: June 30,

7 2. Employment Outlook Changes in the economy have little or no impact on the health care industry, as occupations in this industry group generally provide essential services. The health care and social assistance industry group is mainly affected by demographics and government policy. Employment growth in hospital services will be the slowest within the health services industry, due to controlling hospital costs and increasing use of outpatient clinics and other alternative care facilities. Employment growth and workers leaving the industry or transferring to other occupations create job openings. Source: Health Care Administrator (NOC 0014) Job Openings Outlook in BC (NOC 0014) Source: Health Policy Researchers, Consultants and Program Officers (NOC 4165) Job Openings Outlook in BC (NOC 4165) Source: Last updated: June 30,

8 Inspectors in Public and Environmental Health and Occupational Health and Safety (NOC 2263) Job Openings Outlook in BC (NOC 2263) Source: Residential Care Worker / Health Care aide (NOC 3413) Job Openings Outlook in BC (NOC 3413) Source: Last updated: June 30,

9 3. Retraining You may want to consider upgrading your skills to increase your employment options in this field. The following courses may improve your current skill set: BCIT School of Health Sciences, Health Care Management Health Leadership, Advanced Certificate B.C. Institute of Technology (BCIT) two year, part-time program offered through distance/online learning. The goal of the advanced certificate is to produce health care graduates who are acquainted with health care leadership issues Kwantlen Polytechnic University: Professional Communications for Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHP) Program will improve communication for entry into professional practice, improve pronunciation, expand health and idiomatic vocabulary, improve written skills for documentation, increase awareness of communication styles and understanding of culturally expected behaviours of the Canadian health care system shared/assets/iehp_brochure_june_ pdf Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Open Learning: Medical English Provides an opportunity to develop or strengthen your understanding of medical terminology as it is used in a Canadian health care context. Case scenarios, dialogues and discussions related to body systems, medications will be used to develop language skills. Internationally educated health care providers will be able to acquire career-specific language development. Thirty week program, webbased instruction Last updated: June 30,

10 4. Searching for Jobs BC Government Job Postings British Columbia public services employment opportunities B.C. Health Authorities (select link for each region and then go to Careers ) Regional services including publicly funded hospitals and residential care facilities B.C. Provincial Health Services Authority Job Postings Lists jobs available in specialty institutions such as BC Transplant, Women s Hospital, BC Children s Hospital Health E Careers Health Match BC Health Match BC is a free health professional recruitment service funded by the Government of British Columbia Providence Health Care Indeed.ca Privately funded residential care facilities Last updated: June 30,

11 5. Volunteering in the Field Volunteering in health care facilities can help you to explore a new career and learn more about the health care system in BC. You will meet new people and build a network of contacts that can lead to information on job openings and inside connections with potential employers. The following organizations accept volunteers in hospitals, residential care facilities, adult day centres, palliative care and other community settings. Canadian Red Cross see Community Support Initiatives Fraser Health Authority Providence Health Care Vancouver Coastal Health Authority VOLWEB.ca Community Care Facilities, BC Ministry of Health Other volunteer opportunities may be available from individual care facilities across BC: Last updated: June 30,

12 6. Helpful Resources Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia Doctors of BC Health Care CAN Health care associations across Canada, leadership, innovation and research. Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors Canadian Home Care Association Click on Career Advice at for help on: resumes & cover letters getting Canadian work experience networking for employment online social networks Canadian workplace culture Questions? Please ask the Information Staff in the Central Library, Vancouver Public Library or telephone Please note that the information in this guide is also available online through the Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre website at This project is made possible through funding from the Government of Canada with support from the Province of British Columbia Last updated: June 30,