Professional Career Action Plan HCS 449 September 15 2014 Professional Career Action Plan Introduction Classes are coming to an end and it is time to pursue a future in health care Not all of the work involved in determining a career path are solved in school The education is complete now what The degree obtained is a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration what does that mean There are hundreds of different jobs available in health care administration Proper planning research and preparation will lead to positions that match your interests and qualifications Professional Goals My number one professional goal is to learn more about setting goals creating a professional action plan and determining my professional strengths and weaknesses I have always heard how important setting goals is but for the first time I am starting to believe it This class is one of my most valuable and the information is going to be important in my future endeavors Some of my goals will be to evaluate my current position by determining what I like about it what I do not care for if things could be changed or if I should change positions Networking is another goal I will track my accomplishments for short term and long term goals I will use the internet to keep up to date on current positions that I am qualified for and the average pay scales this will help to assure me that I am getting paid adequately I will keep my skills updated and will work on public speaking and I will always make sure my personal life is not ignored Hopkinson n d One long term goal for me is to learn Spanish I purchased the Rosetta Stone program and I will complete this program after graduation I am giving myself one full year to finish this goal so I can do it the right way Having the ability to speak Spanish will be a wonderful asset on my resume that will help me to stand out among other candidates Future Career in Health Care According to the U S Bureau of Labor Statistics the healthcare industry currently employs over 16 million people across the wide range of health related occupations and this total is expected to exceed 22 million by 2020 Additionally the health related employment opportunities are in no way restricted only to individuals interested in the art of medicine itself Top Master s in Healthcare Administration n d para 1 There are so many options for a health care administrator in health care today and in the future I am not sure what job title I will ultimately obtain While filling out my professional career action plan outline I found three job titles that interest me Medical and Health Services Management Training and Development Management and Top Level Executive Although the top level executive would probably require that I complete my Master s degree Current Job Skills I am currently a Financial Counselor for a nonprofit hospital and I work directly with patients and their families insurance companies insurance billers charity organizations collection agencies and multiple medical professionals I counsel patients and families regarding the current cost of care insurance coverage payment options and financial assistance Salary com for Business 2014 Customer service is one of my strongest job skills including strong interpersonal skills pertaining to the delicate subject of finances Some of my other skills are patience professionalism knowledge of the health care environment strong organization skills excellent communication skills personal and professional accountability strong analytical skills detail oriented problem solving skills work independently and multiple business office skills Skills Needed To obtain a position in Medical and Health Services Management I would need more education regarding cost containment cost efficiency and productivity Many positions in this field require a master s degree but some people do get promoted with only a bachelor s degree Education Portal 2014 To obtain a position in Training and Development Management I would need to study instructional design behavioral psychology or educational psychology and computer science This position and a position as a top level executive will require further education probably a master s degree Plans to Achieve Professional Goals I have to build my self confidence by facing my fears and through education Creating my professional action plan is the key to achieving my professional goals in a timely fashion I will seek out advice from my professional mentor who is a director at the hospital where I work and I will become more involved in the community When I am finished with school I will have more time to concentrate on researching certifications that will help me to succeed Benefits of Career Action Plan A career action plan can help you develop a stronger clearer vision for your professional future With this plan you can take practical steps toward seeing that vision become a reality You do not have to already have a certain level of success to make a career action plan In fact this type of career planning can help you with everything from making a career change to discovering what you want to do in the first place Switzer 2010 Para 1 Creating a career action plan is a guide to my future and will help me stay on top of my goals Creating short term goals is something I haven t considered doing before but I realize that when I am able to check off short term goals on my way to completing my long term goals it will help me to feel like I have accomplished more References Education Portal 2014 Health services manager Job description requirements Retrieved from http education portal com articles Health Services Manager Job Description and Re quirements for Becoming a Health Services Manager html Hopkinson J n d The 7 career goals you need to succeed Retrieved from http www salary com 7 career goals for new year Salary com for Business 2014 Financial counselor healthcare skills competencies Retrieved from http skills salary com Job Financial Counselor Healthcare Switzer C 2010 October What is a career action plan Retrieved from http www livestrong com article 270574 what is a career action plan Top Master s in Healthcare Administration n d Choosing a career path in healthcare administration Retrieved from http www topmastersinhealthcare com faq choosing a career path in healthcare administration