Changing jobs is as American as…well, changing jobs. According to US Department of Labor statistics, which studied Americans born between 1957 and 1964, the average American changed jobs a whopping 12 times between the ages of 18 and 52. Though the statistics concerning changing careers are a bit less clear due to the somewhat blurry distinction between “career” and “job,” the data suggests the average American changes careers between three and seven times in their work lifetime. This is a trend only expected to rise after the pandemic, when an estimated 1 in 4 Americans are considering quitting their job to find a new career.
Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health in New York, details his own circuitous path to success in his recent memoir After the Roof Caved In. Hailing from rural Ireland and growing up in extreme poverty, Dowling began his career in New York City cleaning bars in Queens and working on the Circle Line boats. He saved enough to complete a graduate degree at Fordham University, studying a wide array of social afflictions and challenges pertaining to health care delivery: welfare, child nutrition, disability, unemployment and mental illness.
“I was more interested in policy aspects of health and human services,” Dowling writes, “which required learning about an array of difficulties people face in their lives. I suppose it seems obvious why I was drawn to this field, rather than to medicine or law or business. This was what I knew.”
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Using where you came from ― your identity and experiences ― to fuel a passion for making the world a better place is a trait Dowling wholeheartedly espouses. His unique background growing up with next to nothing yet constantly inspired by his mother to work hard and love learning, stayed with Dowling as he traveled up the ranks of the health care industry. After graduate school, Dowling spent time teaching and advising policy task forces, eventually moving to Albany to work for the Mario Cuomo administration.
“I believe that government has a crucial role to play in helping those in need,” Dowling writes, “but that individuals also have a responsibility to do whatever possible to help themselves.”
It’s a belief Dowling instilled at the core of Northwell Health when he took over in 2001. Then named the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, the organization presented Dowling with an opportunity to create a fully integrated health system that would meet the entire suite of New Yorkers’ health care needs, combining traditional health care with preventative health measures, social services and a doctrine of personal responsibility.
Since then, Dowling and the dedicated employees of Northwell Health have worked tirelessly to be a leader in health care. In his book Leading Through a Pandemic, Dowling credits the incredible health care heroes who worked bravely on the front lines to ensure New York would not succumb to COVID-19.
CONTINUED LEARNING
Now, Northwell is looking for the next generation of health care leaders. As New York’s largest health care provider, largest private employer and one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, Northwell provides an array of career opportunities. The organization’s family of over 76,000 employees cite myriad reasons why those looking for a new opportunity in the medical field should consider Northwell. Northwell’s wide network of hospitals, ambulatory sites, research labs, medical and nursing schools, plus a graduate school of molecular medicine and extensive residency and fellowship programs means opportunities are there for those who want to take them. Northwell’s commitment to its employees means those who take these opportunities will be supported and rewarded.
Northwell prides itself on a diverse and inclusive workplace. Team members are celebrated and championed for being truly themselves, regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, language proficiency, literacy, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability or socioeconomic status. Northwell is committed to providing the most advanced care with the most cutting-edge technology while allowing for a healthy work/life balance and supporting team collaboration and the educational enrichment of all employees.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans considering a change in companies or careers, there’s no better employer in the health care field than Northwell. Like Dowling, Northwell Health sees career change as an empowering opportunity to not only better oneself but to better one’s surrounding community. Careers in nursing, medical research, laboratory science, clinical care specialists, and human resources remain especially attractive within an industry that continues to experience growth.
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“I believe that government has a crucial role to play in helping those in need...but that individuals also have a responsibility to do whatever possible to help themselves.”
It’s Time to Remove the Stigma Behind Postpartum Depression
Up to 20 percent of all women giving birth will develop postpartum depression, with a percentage experiencing moderate to severe PPD.
It’s Time to Remove the Stigma Behind Postpartum Depression
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SIDE-BY-SIDE: A CELEBRATION OF SERVICE
“Now I see the value of the work I do every day for the greater good,” says Sean, “and it finally feels like I’ve found my new mission. My new purpose.”
To learn more about a career at Northwell, visit NorthwellCareers.com.
2021 Career Outlook
New opportunities have never felt more possible as many of us rethink our career and life goals. At Northwell Health, President and CEO Michael Dowling, an immigrant from a poor family, knows how important it is to seize an opportunity when it comes. He also knows the value of hard work, which is reflected in Northwell’s commitment to and recognition of its employees. While dedicated to improving the lives of millions each year, Northwell never loses sight of its employees and their career aspirations — a Northwell career is a career well cared for. That’s why Northwell Health is number 19 on the prestigious Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list.
As New York’s largest private employer and healthcare provider, Northwell Health encourages you to explore new opportunities in one of these in-demand fields.
The field of nursing contains a multitude of specializations. From critical care to emergency, nursing allows you to discover your passion and effect real-world changes in people’s lives. Northwell President and CEO sees nursing as a crucial nexus of where healthcare policy meets patient care and consistently praises nurses for this vital role. Nursing combines compassion with science and perseverance. It’s tough work but rewarding; nurses are true healthcare heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes to deliver compassionate care. It’s also a field the NY Department of Labor cites as an in-demand job. Whether you’re experienced or just getting started, Northwell Health is ready to help you take the next step in your nursing career.
As the COVID-19 vaccinations have shown us, medical research is more important now than ever before. New technologies and fields of science, like bioelectronic medicine (BEM), signal a brighter future for the treatment and eradication of disease.
BEM is an emerging scientific field that combines molecular medicine, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering to develop innovative therapies to treat a variety of diseases and conditions through targeted stimulation of nerves, including paralysis, arthritis, pulmonary hypertension, and inflammatory bowel disease. There have been some exciting developments in BEM, including the development of the first long-term chronic stimulator helping in lab research and the discovery of the role a set of neurons play in the brain to control inflammation in the body.
While there is great progress being made today, we’ll need the innovators of tomorrow to propel the science even further and Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is committed to finding them. One way in doing that is Northwell’s Innovation Challenge, which recently awarded $1.3 million to four employee-driven projects that have the potential to transform the future of medicine.
PCR test is now a household term, but it wasn’t too long ago that laboratory science was far from top of mind. Testing has been a key component both today and in the past. Now, Northwell Health is leading the way to make pandemic preparedness a global issue, and laboratory science is a key component of the plan—in fact, Northwell has the largest, not-for-profit health system reference lab in the region. In his book, Leading Through a Pandemic, Michael Dowling makes a variety of recommendations going forward to help the world prepare for the inevitable: the next pandemic. Having a global system of laboratories—of which Northwell’s research facilities would be a part—to identify new pathogens in real-time through testing will be crucial if we are to succeed in preventing another catastrophe.
Northwell is looking for the next generation of laboratory professionals to help mitigate the possible negative consequences of the next pandemic and to continue to provide the necessary information that helps inform a physician’s diagnosis. That means general lab technologists, cytologists, microbiologists, hematologists, pathologists, and phlebotomists are all needed.
The need for skilled professionals who are dedicated to delivering patient care will continue to be an ongoing need, particularly with professionals who perform diagnostic imaging exams and respiratory therapists. CT, ECHO, ultrasound, MRI, mammogram — all these life-saving diagnostic tools begin with a dedicated technician. As we recover from the pandemic, patient demand for these exams has skyrocketed, causing a labor shortage in the world of diagnostic imaging.
Respiratory therapists are leading this surge, helping people who suffer from chronic respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and emphysema breathe easier. Respiratory therapists, who are critical in caring for patients with COVID-19, also assist people who’ve had heart attacks or who have sleep disorders, as well as infants who are born prematurely and may need therapy to help them breathe. Clinical care is often the first line in the defense against chronic and serious health issues. And because demand is only expected to rise, a career in imaging, respiratory therapy or other clinical care roles can be a boon for those looking for a steadier future.
Hiring and caring for the best and brightest employees is the mission of an effective Human Resources department. In his book Leading Through a Pandemic, Dowling speaks extensively about caring for employees, the struggles they faced during a once-in-a-century crisis and how employees are the most valuable resource to a leader in health care like Northwell. As predictive data analysis based on staffing needs is balanced with ever-changing labor laws, Northwell needs qualified HR professionals who can expertly navigate compliance, benefits, employee experience, talent acquisition and compensation to ensure Northwell’s position as a leader. Individuals who are dedicated to listening to the people of the organization, building its culture with a commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace, and meeting career growth and professional development is as fulfilling as it gets.
Human Resources
Laboratory Science
Nursing
Clinical Care Professionals
Medical Research
Vaccines and Social Media Are Helping Mental Health Post-Covid
The true toll of COVID-19 remains to be seen as millions of us continue to struggle with our mental health.
Changing jobs is as American as…well, changing jobs. According to US Department of Labor statistics, which studied Americans born between 1957 and 1964, the average American changed jobs a whopping 12 times between the ages of 18 and 52. Though the statistics concerning changing careers are a bit less clear due to the somewhat blurry distinction between “career” and “job,” the data suggests the average American changes careers between three and seven times in their work lifetime. This is a trend only expected to rise after the pandemic, when an estimated 1 in 4 Americans are considering quitting their job to find a new career.
Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health in New York, details his own circuitous path to success in his recent memoir After the Roof Caved In. Hailing from rural Ireland and growing up in extreme poverty, Dowling began his career in New York City cleaning bars in Queens and working on the Circle Line boats. He saved enough to complete a graduate degree at Fordham University, studying a wide array of social afflictions and challenges pertaining to health care delivery: welfare, child nutrition, disability, unemployment and mental illness.
“I was more interested in policy aspects of health and human services,” Dowling writes, “which required learning about an array of difficulties people face in their lives. I suppose it seems obvious why I was drawn to this field, rather than to medicine or law or business. This was what I knew.”
More From This Series
How Northwell Health is Leading a Revolution in Women’s Health
Women make up over half the population, and yet their unique health experiences are consistently lumped in with men’s.
2021 Career Outlook
New opportunities have never felt more possible as many of us rethink our career and life goals. At Northwell Health, President and CEO Michael Dowling, an immigrant from a poor family, knows how important it is to seize an opportunity when it comes. He also knows the value of hard work, which is reflected in Northwell’s commitment to and recognition of its employees. While dedicated to improving the lives of millions each year, Northwell never loses sight of its employees and their career aspirations — a Northwell career is a career well cared for. That’s why Northwell Health is number 19 on the prestigious Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work® For list.
As New York’s largest private employer and healthcare provider, Northwell Health encourages you to explore new opportunities in one of these in-demand fields.
Human Resources
Hiring and caring for the best and brightest employees is the mission of an effective Human Resources department. In his book Leading Through a Pandemic, Dowling speaks extensively about caring for employees, the struggles they faced during a once-in-a-century crisis and how employees are the most valuable resource to a leader in health care like Northwell. As predictive data analysis based on staffing needs is balanced with ever-changing labor laws, Northwell needs qualified HR professionals who can expertly navigate compliance, benefits, employee experience, talent acquisition and compensation to ensure Northwell’s position as a leader. Individuals who are dedicated to listening to the people of the organization, building its culture with a commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace, and meeting career growth and professional development is as fulfilling as it gets.
Laboratory Science
PCR test is now a household term, but it wasn’t too long ago that laboratory science was far from top of mind. Testing has been a key component both today and in the past. Now, Northwell Health is leading the way to make pandemic preparedness a global issue, and laboratory science is a key component of the plan—in fact, Northwell has the largest, not-for-profit health system reference lab in the region. In his book, Leading Through a Pandemic, Michael Dowling makes a variety of recommendations going forward to help the world prepare for the inevitable: the next pandemic. Having a global system of laboratories—of which Northwell’s research facilities would be a part—to identify new pathogens in real-time through testing will be crucial if we are to succeed in preventing another catastrophe.
Northwell is looking for the next generation of laboratory professionals to help mitigate the possible negative consequences of the next pandemic and to continue to provide the necessary information that helps inform a physician’s diagnosis. That means general lab technologists, cytologists, microbiologists, hematologists, pathologists, and phlebotomists are all needed.
Nursing
The field of nursing contains a multitude of specializations. From critical care to emergency, nursing allows you to discover your passion and effect real-world changes in people’s lives. Northwell President and CEO sees nursing as a crucial nexus of where healthcare policy meets patient care and consistently praises nurses for this vital role. Nursing combines compassion with science and perseverance. It’s tough work but rewarding; nurses are true healthcare heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes to deliver compassionate care. It’s also a field the NY Department of Labor cites as an in-demand job. Whether you’re experienced or just getting started, Northwell Health is ready to help you take the next step in your nursing career.
Clinical Care Professionals
The need for skilled professionals who are dedicated to delivering patient care will continue to be an ongoing need, particularly with professionals who perform diagnostic imaging exams and respiratory therapists. CT, ECHO, ultrasound, MRI, mammogram — all these life-saving diagnostic tools begin with a dedicated technician. As we recover from the pandemic, patient demand for these exams has skyrocketed, causing a labor shortage in the world of diagnostic imaging.
Respiratory therapists are leading this surge, helping people who suffer from chronic respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and emphysema breathe easier. Respiratory therapists, who are critical in caring for patients with COVID-19, also assist people who’ve had heart attacks or who have sleep disorders, as well as infants who are born prematurely and may need therapy to help them breathe. Clinical care is often the first line in the defense against chronic and serious health issues. And because demand is only expected to rise, a career in imaging, respiratory therapy or other clinical care roles can be a boon for those looking for a steadier future.
Medical Research
As the COVID-19 vaccinations have shown us, medical research is more important now than ever before. New technologies and fields of science, like bioelectronic medicine (BEM), signal a brighter future for the treatment and eradication of disease.
BEM is an emerging scientific field that combines molecular medicine, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering to develop innovative therapies to treat a variety of diseases and conditions through targeted stimulation of nerves, including paralysis, arthritis, pulmonary hypertension, and inflammatory bowel disease. There have been some exciting developments in BEM, including the development of the first long-term chronic stimulator helping in lab research and the discovery of the role a set of neurons play in the brain to control inflammation in the body.
While there is great progress being made today, we’ll need the innovators of tomorrow to propel the science even further and Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is committed to finding them. One way in doing that is Northwell’s Innovation Challenge, which recently awarded $1.3 million to four employee-driven projects that have the potential to transform the future of medicine.