What is the difference between a “job” and a “career?” Your job is where you work to earn a paycheck. Your career is the journey that encompasses all your jobs, experiences, and training.
What is a Career Pathway?
Jobs or occupations that have similar features are grouped into career clusters. A career cluster can divide into smaller groups of jobs that use similar skills. These smaller groups are called career pathways. Each career cluster may contain several career pathways.
You can start in an entry- or lower-level job in a career pathway. With more education and experience, you can move up within that pathway. You can look for a new job or a promotion within the same career pathway if jobs are available. This way, you can continue to build on your previous experience and skills in your career. Advancing in a career pathway increases your chances of moving into higher-paying jobs that you like and use your skills.
Check out the Hospital/Clinic Long-Term Health Care career pathway below to see how occupations can create a progressive pathway. Which career pathways match your interests, skills, or experience?
Example Career Pathway | Hospital / Clinic Long-Term Health Care
Select any career title to learn about the education and training needed to get started. You'll also see wages and learn about the difference between the careers.
Years Training Needed
Career Options Select any career to learn more.
0 - 1
1 - 2
2 - 4
6 - 8
8+
Personal Care Assistant (PCA)
Earning Potential: $12.27 - $15.21/hour
Employers may use these job titles: Caregiver, Home Care Aide, Personal Care Aide, Personal Care Attendant (PCA)
How Do I Get Started?
You can get started assisting with household chores with just a high school diploma
With more training, you can advance to careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a personal care assistant. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more.
Nursing Assistant
Earning Potential: $14.90 - $19.29 / hour
Employers may use these job titles: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Nursing Assistant Registered (NAR)
With more training and education you can advance to careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a nursing assistant. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more.
Completion of nursing assistant training is a required prerequisite for many nursing programs.
Medical Assistant
Earning Potential: $17.80 - $23.32/hr
Employers may use these titles: Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Doctors Assistant, Clinical Assistant, Medical Office Assistant
With more training and education you can advance to careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a medical assistant. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more.
Emergency Medical Tech (EMT) / Paramedic
Earning Potential: $16.48 – $25.09 / hour
How Do I Get Started as an EMT?
Complete a credit or non-credit course for an Emergency Medical Tech (EMT). Find EMT training courses.
Paramedics do work similar to an EMT, but the training is longer. Paramedics learn to do more procedures than EMTs.
Gain experience as an EMT (optional)
Complete a credit program for Paramedic. Some programs are specifically designed to advance people who have previous EMT experience to paramedics. Find paramedic training.
There are many careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a Surgical Tech. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more about those careers.
Registered Nurse (RN)
Earning potential: $32.66 - $45.62/hour
Employers may use these titles: Charge Nurse, Public Health Nurse (PHN), School Nurse, Staff Nurse
There are many careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a RN. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more about those careers.
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Earning Potential: $52.11 - $63.59/hr
Employers may use these titles: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner; Adult Nurse Practitioner; Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
Become a registered nurse.
Complete a graduate program (MSN or Doctor of Nursing Practice -- DNP)
This career requires certification.
This career requires a license.
What do Nurse Practitioners do?
There are many careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a Nurse Practitioner. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more about those careers.
Physician Assistant (PA)
Earning Potential: $50.80/hr - $64.12/hr
Employers may use these titles: Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C), Clinical Physician Assistant, Physician Assistant Certified (PAC)
How Do I Get Started?
Bachelor’s degree is required. A pre-professional program will help ensure you take the right courses.
Complete a PA Master’s program.
Program admission is competitive
Exact requirements for admission may differ by program
You may need to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) test for admission
You may need to gain experience in another health care field – have experience with direct patient care – before you apply
This career require certification
This career requires a license
What do Physician Assistants do?
There are many careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a Physician Assistant. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more about those careers.
Nurse Anesthetist
Earning Potential: $80.00 - >$100/hr
Employers may use these titles: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA); Anesthesia Service (Staff CRNA, Anesthesia Service)
How Do I Get Started?
Become a registered nurse (you will need a four-year bachelor’s degree).
Complete one year of nursing experience in a critical care setting.
Complete a nurse anesthetist program (two – four years to complete).
This career requires a license.
This career requires certification.
Other Certifications
Basic cardiac life support (BLS)
Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)
Pediatric advanced life support (PALS)
What do Nurse Anesthetists do?
There are many careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a Nurse Anesthetists. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more about those careers.
Physician
How Do I Get Started?
Earning Potential: >$100/hr
Complete a four-year undergraduate degree and necessary pre-requisite courses for medical school.
Apply to medical school. You will need to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) test before you apply. Application to medical school is very competitive.
A residency is required after medical school is completed. This is where doctors train for a specialty, such as family medicine or emergency medicine.
Physicians must be licensed to practice.
There are many careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a physician. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more about those careers.
Surgeon
Earning Potential: >$100/hr
How Do I Get Started?
Complete a four-year undergraduate degree and necessary pre-requisite courses for medical school.
Apply to medical school. You will need to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) test before you apply. Application to medical school is very competitive.
A surgical residency is required after medical school is completed. Many surgeons also complete a fellowship.
Surgeons must be licensed to practice in a state.
There are many careers that use similar skills and knowledge as a surgeon. Select any of the titles on the pathway diagram to learn more about those careers.