Sexual health jobs include nurses, physicians, physician assistants, counselors, and educators. Many clinics employ professionals with special training in sexual health, and non-medical roles include social workers. Education and experience are necessary for professional licensing, but on-the-job training is also possible. Continuing education is required to stay up-to-date on sexual health issues.
Sexual health jobs include the positions of sexual health nurse or physician, physician assistant, and counselor. Many doctors and nurses, including nurses and midwives, specialize in providing sexual health services. Likewise, many sexual health clinics employ medical assistants to help with patient care. Other jobs in this field that do not require medical training include those of social worker and sexual health educator. While some of these positions require professional training and licensing, in some cases it is possible to receive on-the-job training by working or volunteering at a sexual health clinic.
Organizations and medical centers that offer sexual health services often employ health professionals who have received special training in the area of sexual health. A sexual health clinic may employ a gynecologist to oversee its medical services, and many of its services may be provided by physician assistants and advanced practice nurses who specialize in providing sexual and gynecological health services. In addition, regular nursing staff and medical assistants can receive training at the clinic to deal with sexual health issues.
Nonmedical sexual health jobs include counselor and educator roles. Sexual health clinics may employ a social worker who can offer advice and assistance to clients, and he or she may be responsible for training staff in sensitivity, counseling and helping patients find resources that can meet their needs. A clinic may also employ a team of counselors and educators. Counselors can offer support services to clients who are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy or dealing with a sexually transmitted infection (STD). Educators can provide information to patients and the wider community about sexual health issues.
Preparing for sexual health jobs is often a matter of getting the education and experience necessary to gain a professional license in a health or mental health professional. In some cases, however, unlicensed counselors and educators may receive sexual health training at the clinics where they work. These counselors and educators may have started out as volunteers for a sexual health organization and eventually gained enough experience and knowledge to be able to serve as paid staff. Individuals working in this profession may be required on a regular basis to complete continuing education and additional training to remain aware of sexual health issues, treatment innovations, as well as the policies of the organization that sponsors the clinic in which they work.
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