During World War I, it is estimated that 9.7 million soldiers lost their lives on the battlefields. Another 9 million civilians died. However, a significant portion of these casualties did not result directly from wounds received during battle, but from complications related to infection. The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928 was of no benefit to these soldiers; but when the drug was mass produced in the early 1940’s, the lives of millions of World War II soldiers were saved when sufficient quantities arrived in time to treat Allied soldiers wounded on D-Day.
Fleming’s discovery of penicillin was a major contribution to the field of health care and led to continued research into effective, safe antibiotics. No longer were the complications of infection considered to be an automatic death sentence. Diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, strep throat, ear infections, rheumatic fever and others were easily treated with the new antibiotic drugs.
Ongoing medical discoveries have been instrumental in elevating the quality of patient care throughout the world. In the United States, the level of health care is at the highest ever in history. Life expectancy has been raised significantly. New cancer drugs and heart procedures have shifted the prognoses from hopeless to hopeful for numerous patients; and alternative or supplemental therapies are routinely integrated into patient treatment plans. Even those who are not covered by medical insurance in the U.S. may have access to public hospitals, reasonable pay-per-service medical clinics or free clinics. Over-the-counter drugs are available that did not exist a hundred years ago. Medical researchers work around the clock to seek cures for the most devastating diseases; and promising treatments are discussed daily in newspapers, magazines and medical journals.
It is no secret that health care workers are in demand; and the field of health care is expected to be among the fastest growing careers of the future, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unfortunately, U.S. medical schools must turn away qualified applicants by the thousands; and college nursing programs maintain waiting lists. The fields of geriatrics and gerontology have blossomed; and retirement communities with a medical care component are popping up all over the nation. Nursing homes are filling their beds; and hospitals are burdened with high patient loads and too few workers.
Those who wish to enter the health care field have a wide berth from which to choose. Medical research, patient care, laboratory work, diagnostic testing, patient records, health insurance and health administration are just a few of the varied positions available for those who receive proper training and education. Some careers require less than two years of education, while some highly skilled positions require more than 11 years. Some are physically demanding, like nursing; while others are not. Accredited online degree programs can provide a portion or all of the educational requirements for many of these vocations.
High school and college students who are interested in becoming doctors, nurses or researchers should successfully complete coursework in higher math, biological sciences, chemistry, physics, and advanced English composition. Latin is helpful for those who wish to become pharmacists, doctors or registered nurses. Two-year programs at junior colleges can lead to jobs like X-ray technician, licensed vocational nurse, emergency paramedic and medical receptionist. Just about any health care career choice is bound to be an excellent one.
