Social work is a large field that has several specializations. While social workers help clients with problems like emotional disorders, drug abuse, housing and family issues, medical social workers work with people who are recovering from an illness, surgery or trauma, or coping with a chronic or terminal disease. Medical social workers are employed in hospitals, hospices and public or private healthcare institutions, counseling individual clients and their families, facilitating support groups and coordinating short- and long-term healthcare decisions and services. They give psychosocial support to crime victims, help law enforcement in child abuse cases and provide grief counseling. Medical social workers also develop discharge plans for patients to ensure they have the resources and care they need after they leave the healthcare facility.
If you are interested in entering this line of work, you’ll need to complete a Master’s Degree and a clinical internship before obtaining a license from the state where you wish to practice. Before applying to school, however, ask yourself if you have the right qualifications to be a medical social worker. Are you compassionate, sensitive to people’s needs and a good communicator? Are you a good problem solver? Can you handle responsibility? Do you have the patience to work with seriously ill clients within a bureaucratic setting? If you can answer yes to these questions and have a commitment to improving the lives of people who are struggling with an illness or traumatic event, this might be the right career path for you. You can also earn a higher salary in this specialty than in family, mental health or substance abuse social worker jobs.
Educational Requirements
Having a Bachelor’s Degree in social work (BSW), psychology or sociology may be sufficient for some entry-level social work positions, but is not enough to become a licensed medical social worker. Hospitals and other agencies require a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited institution. Demonstrating that you have done volunteer work in a social work setting will be a plus on your application.
In addition to the required coursework in a two-year MSW program, students are required to fulfill 900 hours of supervised training with a qualified medical social worker. Your program may be able to arrange an internship for you at a hospital, hospice, nursing home or convalescent home.
Becoming a Licensed Medical Social Worker
After you have completed your MSW and internship, the next step is obtaining a license to practice in your state. Rules about licensing vary from state to state, so contact the state regulatory board or the American Association of State Social Work Boards. Many states require a minimum amount of supervised work experience (two years or 3,000 hours) in a clinical setting, such as a hospital, before accepting a license application.
Job Prospects and Salary
Job prospects for medical social workers are promising, especially for those with an interest in gerontology and elder care. As baby boomers age, there should be an increase in assisted living centers and nursing homes, and medical social workers will be needed to formulate long-term care plans for patients, provide education and support for caregivers, and meet the needs of older patients with chronic or terminal illnesses.
The average annual salary for medical social workers is $47,000. Hospitals tend to pay more than nursing care facilities. Medical social workers in California, Washington, D.C. and New York earn higher salaries, though the cost of living in these regions may be higher, as well.
Recovering from an illness or surgery or being diagnosed with a chronic disease can be an overwhelming experience. A traumatic sexual assault or terminal diagnosis can be particularly difficult. Medical social workers step into these situations to make sure that all the available resources are brought in to help people recover or live the remainder of their lives with the greatest possible degree of dignity and independence. Sometimes this involves helping a client cope with emotional or psychological problems. Sometimes it means arranging meals and transportation after a patient is discharged from a hospital. Medical social workers educate clients and their families through support groups, counsel caregivers and provide grief counseling to families. If you like helping people find solutions that increase their quality of life, look into a career as a medical social worker.