Health Care Professions

The growth and diversity of careers and career pathways within medicine and health care can be confusing, yet it reflects the evolution of modern medicine which relies upon a myriad of different specialists each able to contribute their own particular skills to the care and wellbeing of the patient or client. Careers within the NHS are many and varied, with opportunities to train not only as nurses and doctors but also as dieticians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech and language therapists. These are only a portion of the huge number of careers that are available to suit all tastes and abilities whether it is in medicine or support and technical staff there is something for everyone who is interested in health care. The use of rehabilitation in order to effect recovery and rebuild lives in a way that is meaningful to the client is foremost on the agenda for every therapist. But it also offers tremendous scope to the would-be practitioner, whether their interest lies in physical medicine or mental health, or a mixture of both. Occupational therapists for example, work in all sectors of the National Health Service including acute admission units; short and long stay units and community roles. Occupational therapy attracts mature students who may have had diverse backgrounds before choosing to study. An interest in psychology and communication may well be an incentive to study speech therapy. Speech and language specialists work in private practice as well as the NHS. Their work is varied with clients who might involve a child who has a cleft palate in the morning and then an adult suffering from Parkinson's disease in the afternoon. Nursing and midwifery have always offered a varied career path, with options to train further in health visiting or district nursing, research, and specializations within medicine and psychiatric nursing.