FACS: Health Care Career Activity (HS)

Summary

The goal of this activity is to get students thinking about the variety of different health care careers that are available (please emphasis medical careers only -- some students get confused and write down other types of careers).

Materials

Instructional Procedures

Each student will need a piece of paper and a writing utensil.

 If I have a toothache, who do I go see? Is there only one person in the room? Who hands the tools and sets up the room?
o Dentist, Dental Assistant

 Who do I see if I need my teeth cleaned?
o Dental Hygienist

 Who do I see if I need braces?
o Orthodontist

 Who do I see if I need glasses? Is it the same person I see if I have an eye disease?
o Optometrist, Ophthalmologist

 What if my cat gets sick? Sometimes there is more than one person in the room to help with the animal -- who is that?
o Veterinarian, Veterinary Technician

 What kind of doctor do I go see if I get cancer?
o Oncologist

 Who are the people who type all of the doctor's notes into the computer?
o Medical Transcriptionist

 Who is the person who manages all of the doctors and everything at a hospital?
o Managers, Administrators, etc.

 Who are the people who process the patient's bills?
o Medical Billers, Medical Coders

 Who do I go see if the doctor gives me a prescription? Is there only one person behind the counter? Who helps fill all the medication orders?
o Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician

 Who comes to get me if I get hurt in a car accident? What if the person who comes to get me can't give me the medications I need or can't intubate me to help me breathe -- who will help me then?
o Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic

 If I break my leg and go to the hospital to get it fixed, who takes the pictures of it? Who reads the picture to figure out what's wrong?
o Radiology Technician, Radiologist

 What if I get acne -- who do I go see?
o Dermatologist

 What if I'm going to have a baby -- who do I see? What if I want to go to a birthing center instead of a hospital to have my baby -- there is a special nurse who can help me -- who is she/he?
o Obstetrician, Certified Nurse Midwife

 What if I have a problem with my foot -- who will I go see?
o Podiatrist

 When I'm at the doctor's office, who is the person who greets me and gets my chart ready?
o Medical secretary, receptionist, unit clerk

 What if a car accident made my back hurt -- who will adjust my back?
o Chiropractor

 Who is the person who will give me massages to help my muscles relax?
o Massage Therapist

 Who is the person who takes my blood pressure and weighs me?
o Medical Assistant, Nurse

 Who is the person who comes to take my blood?
o Phlebotomist

 Who are the people who test my blood to figure out what is wrong?
o Medical Technicians

 What if I have surgery -- who is in the operating room? Who hands the tools to the doctor? Who puts me to sleep?
o Surgeon, Nurses, etc; Surgical Technician, Anesthesiologist

 What if I am an older person and live in a nursing home -- who bathes me, feeds, me, dresses me, etc?
o Nurse Assistant

 Who brings me my medicine in the nursing home?
o Medication Assistant, Nurse

 What if I need to regain some of the movement I used to have before my accident -- who helps me learn and do exercises to help increase my strength?
o Physical Therapist

 Who are the people who teach me how to have fun again after an injury or illness?
o Recreational Therapist

 What if I have had stroke and can't use one of my arms -- who teaches me how to dress myself, cook for myself, etc?
o Occupational Therapist

 What if I lose one of my arms or legs -- who is the person who makes me a new one? This person would also make me a back brace if I needed one.
o Orthotist, Prostestitist

 Who teaches classes to people to help them learn about their disease or learn to stop smoking?
o Health Educator

 Who can I go talk to if I have an alcohol problem?
o Psychologist

 What if I have a mental illness and I need to get a prescription to help me -- what kind of doctor do I see?
o Psychiatrist

 Who are the people that develop new vaccines or medications?
o Biotechnologist

 What if I am a newborn baby and not breathing very well -- who comes to help me? This is the same person who would give me a breathing treatment if I have asthma.
o Respiratory Therapist

 What if a person dies and they don't know why -- who figures it out?
o Medical Examiner, Pathologist, Pathology Assistant