You don’t need to be a doctor or nurse to work in health care. Health care has career opportunities for everybody – there is an abundance of clerical and administrative professions in the industry, which require virtually no clinical training.
If you are organized and have strong multitasking ability, consider working in administration in hospitals and medical offices. Stenberg College offers three health care professional programs, Nursing Unit Clerk, Hospital Support Specialist and Medical Office Assistant, to help you gain a supporting staff role within a year.
1. Nursing Unit Clerk (NUC) Diploma
Nursing Unit Clerks are coordinators. They keep their patient care department organized and are on top of everything. NUC wages start at $22.23/hour (+12.2% in lieu of benefits).
“The biggest role of the unit clerk is to know what’s happening in the unit. Most days start with checking the order, prioritizing urgent tasks and processing orders, and managing admissions for new patients. You feel like you’re spinning on your toes all the time!” describes Taylor Davidson, Nursing Unit Assistant at Fraser Health and Stenberg College NUC graduate.
2. Hospital Support Specialist (HSS) Diploma
Emily Forshaw, Stenberg College Hospital Support Specialist graduate, shares what she likes the most about the career: “I like when the phone rings and I get the satisfaction of helping a patient reschedule or book. I enjoy when the fax machine has something for me to look up and find in the system. I love what I do and where I am; it is a thrill every single day.”
Stenberg College offers B.C.’s only HSS Diploma to prepare students for various supportive roles including Hospital Admitting/Registrations Clerks, Diagnostic Imaging Clerks, Health Records Clerks and Hospital Switchboard Operators. HSS wages start at $18.16 – $21/hour.
3. Medical Office Assistant (MOA) Diploma
Medical Office Assistants are the jacks of all trades! They perform various clerical and limited clinical tasks such as measuring vital signs, preparing patients for physical exams and assisting paediatricians. Other duties include preparing surgical trays, bookkeeping, organizing patient charts and data, and arranging hospital admission and lab services.
Physician offices and other healthcare practices, including chiropractors, dentists and optometrists, hire MOAs. MOA wages are up to $19/hour.
The education you will receive at Stenberg will prepare you to provide the best care possible as a proud health care professional. 98% of Stenberg graduates are hired within six months of program completion. For more information about our health care programs, visit stenbergcollege.com.