Now that you’ve finished your medical degree, it’s time to find a job. In hospitals or medical facilities, nothing can be more difficult and demanding as mental health jobs. That is why we often see a great demand of these jobs when we make job searches in the internet or in advertisements. Also, the increase in mental patients in most facilities and institutions contribute to the increase in demand for these jobs.
Contrary to what most people think, there are many aspects of mental health. In the field of psychology alone, there are other areas of specialization such as neuropsychology, geropsychology and health psychology. There are also school psychologists, and you can get a master’s in school counseling at this school which will prepare you for a job in a K-12 setting. Another specialization is developmental psychology, which focuses on a person’s psychological development through life. There is also what you call industrial psychology, which focuses on the mechanics of employees in the workplace.
Mental health nurses are those who have graduated the regular nursing course. During the course training, they need to specialize in mental health in order to qualify as mental health nurses.
Doctors who specialize in mental health are commonly called psychiatrists. Each state would impose personal qualifications before one can practice. For most countries, they are those who graduated the regular physician’s course, and a few years of specialization in psychiatry. There is also a field called psychotherapy, which deals more on counseling and therapy instead of the clinical aspect of treatment.
Mental health jobs can also be found in medical schools where mental health courses are offered.
Aside from those mentioned, there are other jobs in the mental health field. Some of them are medical or hospital social workers, psychiatric technicians and other hospital personnel. Some mental health centers hire other hospital personnel such as dieticians, physical therapists, pharmacists, dentists, laboratory staff, radiologists, speech pathologists, optometrists, and many others.
As for the pay, the salary range for these jobs is quite wide. Depending on a person’s education and experience, one can earn twice as much as those who work in the same position. And like jobs in other industries, companies prefer applicants who are better qualified and trained. This can be seen in their educational background and previous job experiences.
Aside from the skills necessary to carry out their jobs, an unwritten qualification is added, and that is, their ability to care for the patients, listen to their needs and extraordinary ability to communicate. Mental health patients have extra needs than ordinary medical patients. That is why there is a need for mental health workers to be more patient and understanding than workers in other medical fields.
Health care industries shall continue to expand in the coming years. This means that more mental health jobs shall be available. If you want a job in the mental health field, it is easy to find one. You just have to know where to find them. Make a search for jobs wanted within your area. You can visit the website of the medical facility or company that you wish to work in to see their job opportunities. Or you may register in a job support website. These websites not only provide you with a list of the jobs available, they also provide articles on career advice, industry news and articles, and tips on job hunting and interview.