Role Model Videos: Career Options for Women -- Medical/Health

The “Career Options for Women: Emerging Opportunities” videos introduce your female students to high-wage careers in traditionally male-dominated occupations. Each program reveals the personal experiences and insights of successful women in technology and trades occupations, and sends the all-important message to women and girls that the sky is the limit!

Medical/Health

This 24 minute video features profiles of three women who have embarked on careers in the medical/health industry.

• Karine Fortin, a plant manager for a pharmaceutical company
• Sandra Swanson, a biomedical technologist
• Ann Perreault, an orthotics and prosthetics technician.

Additional information from co-workers and supervisors supplements each job profile.

Developed in 2006, the Career Options for Women series is an outstanding resource for schools wanting to attract women and girls to science, technology and trades.

Note: These videos are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are similar to the numbers in the United States. As there is a no-return policy on these publications, please make sure to look at the preview video clip for the DVD(s) you are ordering.

Karine -- Plant Manager

Karine Fortin is a plant manager for a pharmaceutical company. Her role is to ensure that products are being produced within specifications. The equipment used to make the products is highly technical and very sensitive. Product and equipment performance is tested regularly. Karine also plans and manages any factory expansions.

Karine skipped a few grades and graduated from high school at age 15. She wanted to enter the military to be a pilot and get an engineering degree, but was too young. A year later, she went to a technical school that specialized in Engineering. Getting high marks in math and physics was a breeze, because she enjoyed the classes.

Karine says that she generally always gets a reaction when she tells people she is an engineer. They seem to be surprised that women are capable of the job. At her first job interview the male interviewer stunned her when he asked if she was afraid to break a nail on the job! As part of Karine's job, she supervises 3 fulltime techs and 2 part time techs. Karine is currently making twice as much as when she started five years ago.

Sandra -- Biomedical Technologist

Sandra got into this field with the advice of a close family friend. She gave him a course list from a technical school. He went through it and selected Biomedical Engineering as a field with good pay and a great future. Good call.

Sandra’s advice to women considering this field is to take a year of general sciences first. Visit some hospitals and get a sense of how you would feel about working in that environment.

Being a biomedical technician is a really interesting combination of science and high-tech hardware. There are a lot of opportunities to build on in this career.

Ann -- Orthotics and Prosthetics Technician

Ann Perreault is an orthotics and prosthetics technician. She is in charge of evaluating and measuring patients. She is also responsible for making and fitting braces. The company that she is currently with offers services in making and supplying braces and prostheses.

Ann knew she wanted to work in the medical field, but didn't want to be a nurse or a doctor. Then she found out that a three-year program was offered with a technical diploma in orthotics and prosthetics.

For Ann, the most rewarding part of her job is being able to help people and improve their quality of life. In the future, she sees herself doing the same job, but perhaps with an emphasis in clinical participation. Her options could include moving into management or operating her own lab. She could also go into other medical work such as physiotherapy, but that would also require more schooling.