These days, we rightly celebrate the fact that moms can get out in the world and work. No longer are we tied to the stove and at someone else’s financial disposal! But, let’s get real – PEW research reveals that up to 54% of working women still take more responsibility when it comes to things like their children’s schedules.
These facts mean that moms are actually working harder than ever, and our home responsibilities inevitably factor in our career decisions. Even if you once had dreams of a high-flying, top-of-your-field career, you’re now inevitably limited to working within childcare hours.
This isn’t so much of a problem if you want to work in a field like marketing, where office hours largely still apply. But, what if you’ve got your sights set on a career in healthcare? While more moms than ever are currently switching to nursing careers, they face working 12+ hour shifts as a result. And, that’s not always practical. Luckily, more comfortable 9-5 roles in medicine do exist, and they can help you to achieve your career goals, even as a busy parent. Let’s consider the top options.
# 1 – Pharmacist
While it’s true that there are 24/7 pharmacies in settings like hospitals, many community-based pharmacists will only work around 40 hours a week, or the equivalent of a 9-5 role. Admittedly, some pharmaceutical jobs will require you to be on-call even out of hours but, according to Randstad, many pharmaceutical employers are open to flexible or part-time working arrangements as required.
Admittedly, becoming a fully qualified pharmacist isn’t a quick process, and will require you to complete a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree program. However, this needn’t spell curtains for moms, because programs are available online with limited in-person requirements.
# 2 – Medical Receptionist
It’s quite possible that you dreamt of wearing a stethoscope around your neck rather than sitting behind a desk, but medical receptionists get plenty of experience in patient care, all while working far shorter hours than most general practitioners.
Receptionist roles also have the benefit of tending to be more flexible and even include fully remote options, which means you could juggle both home and work a lot more easily during this stage of your life. What’s more, medical receptionists don’t particularly need any qualifications. You could immediately start gaining hands-on healthcare experience, even when your kids are young.
# 3 – Medical Researcher
Medical researchers study, research, and refine chemical compounds like these Science.bio liquid solutions to drive notable healthcare change, and guess what? They often do so on a 9-5 basis.
Admittedly, all labs have different schedules, and there are certainly 24/7 labs out there. Workloads and overtime expectations may also increase closer to project deadlines. Generally speaking, however, medical researchers stick to around 40 hours a week. There are even part-time jobs available that could take you a long way from the long and grueling shifts of patient-facing nursing work or similar.
If you’ve held off your dreams of a medical career for fear of long hours, then it’s time to reassess with these top 9-5 options.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 