If you work in a medical or care sector, you’ll know how fast paced these environments can be. In fact, it’s common for fully qualified professionals to return to education as a way to pick up new and emerging skills. With online ACLS certification or a refresher course on paediatric life support, for example, medical providers can ensure they’ve got the best knowledge available to them.
Further learning is a big part of working as a doctor, nurse or paramedic. It’s recommended for surgeons, midwives, oncologists and GPs. It shows that no matter how decorated a medical provider becomes, they recognise the need for current, contemporary information. The medical industry is never static. It is always changing and, as a result, our care providers must be constantly learning and evolving.
This article explores some of the best ways for medical providers to expand their knowledge.
1. Online Courses
The most popular way to learn is with an online course in a ‘virtual’ classroom. It means all lessons and exams are conducted remotely, often at the leisure of the student. For busy professionals, it is the easiest way to fit further studies around hectic work routines. Online courses come in a huge variety of topics and disciplines, with most offering a formal qualification at the end.
2. Work with a Researcher
In the law sector, it is common for legal professionals to team up with so called ‘paralegals,’ non-practising legal experts who work in a research capacity. The equivalent for the medical industry is pairing up with postgraduate research students who can help shed light on a particular area of study. It’s a way to gain valuable information on emerging subjects and techniques without having to dedicate many months to personal research.
3. Listen to Podcasts
Another way to extend learning, in an informal manner, is to listen to podcasts. They make excellent educational tools because they can be listened to almost anywhere. For a doctor or nurse, time is scarce. It’s often hard to sit down and read a book or study for an exam. With educational podcasts, learning is added to walks between wards, dinner breaks and evening commutes.
4. Work as a Volunteer
It’s common for medical professionals, especially those still in formal training, to volunteer as part of their studies. It tends to be associated with less experienced roles, but there is no reason it cannot benefit senior figures as well. Volunteering in a different department, hospital, clinic or public health centre is the fastest way to get to grips with real life problems and solutions. It’s important to remember that care based roles are about providing mental and emotional support, not just physical.
Why Further Learning Is Always Worth Your Time
The medical and care sectors are unique. There are certainly few industries and roles that change as quickly as these ones. For professionals with a keen sense of duty and responsibility, independent learning is the best way to stop on top of new discoveries, strategies, techniques, diagnostics and treatments.