Wonder whether you are ready for a job in industry?
Linda Parks, MS, RN, CDE
By Linda Parks, MS, RN, CDE and Laurel Fuqua, RN, MSN, CMC
We are really excited about the theme of AADE16 – “Embrace Change, Strengthen Our Future, Celebrate.” It seems that working in health care, we are bombarded with changes that have a direct impact on our personal goals and career path. Have you considered how our rapidly changing healthcare landscape impacts your current role and even more importantly, your future career goals? Do you find yourself at a career crossroads or perhaps thinking about where a career in diabetes education can take you? We certainly have!
We have been fortunate to land on career paths that have resulted in some very interesting, challenging, fun and rewarding experiences in the diabetes field. Some of this happened by design, and some by being in the right place at the right time with a sprinkling of luck and willingness to take a risk. One thing has held constant for all of us: our industry experience has offered us different skills that we can use in industry or take back to a clinical setting and be better leaders with business and marketing skills that benefit the diabetes care workplace.
Laurel Fuqua, RN, MSN, CMC
We can all rejoice that there are many choices available today for diabetes educators and that these opportunities are growing exponentially. But, what are these opportunities exactly and where can they be found? What is causing them to occur? What skill sets are required to get hired? How does one prepare for and go after these industry jobs?
A panel of seasoned diabetes educators from various industry vantage points will discuss these important questions and others at one of the five new Community of Interest (CQI) Spotlight Sessions. Our COI, Diabetes Educators in Industry, focuses on collaboration and the development of members who are working in, working with or interested in working within the diabetes industry.
This spotlight session is on Sunday, August 14th at 9:15am D01 – Where the Industry Jobs Are and The Skills You Need to Land Them. It will feature a four -person panel, including us and two other diabetes educators who work in industry, Susan LaRue, RD, CDE and Richard Peng, MS, MBA, RCEP, CDE. In planning this session we realized that between the four of us, we have over 100 years experience in the diabetes and health care field!
We are planning an exciting, interactive session that not only focuses on us sharing our trials, tribulations and successes in growing our own careers but also celebrating where diabetes educators can take their careers today and tomorrow. And, we have a special tool you can use to assess your current skills to take advantage of the new opportunities that are becoming available.
Please join us as we explore unique, emerging career and growth opportunities in diabetes care and education. We hope to see you there!
