Medical Social Work: An Overview

Students interested in a health career should consider the many opportunities afforded by a social work degree. Social workers address human need at the individual, family, group, organizational and community levels. The profession helps people function optimally in their environment while advocating for policies that assure social and economic justice.

Social workers engage in a wide range of activities in diverse fields of practice. They function as therapists, counselors, case managers, group leaders, administrators, planners, and researchers. Social workers are employed by social agencies, businesses, schools, private practices, the criminal justice system, and so on.

In the medical arena, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, home nursing organizations, public health agencies, AIDS/HIV programs, and school health clinics all may utilize the skills of a professional social worker. In these settings social workers may work directly with patients, or more indirectly, through planning programs, conducting research, developing policy, or serving in administration or supervision capacities. Direct patient work might include such activities as assessing patient needs; planning for care after hospitalization; patient education; and counseling to help individuals cope with personal and emotional problems related to illness. Social workers may also lead groups and function as members of interdisciplinary treatment teams to help caregivers understand the impact of illness of individuals and families.

Social work in the health fields has undergone considerable change since the rise of managed care. There has been a shift in emphasis from institution to community and from treatment to prevention. Fewer hospitals have social work departments, moving instead to combining a number of related disciplines organized to assure efficiency and cost effectiveness in meeting patient needs. These changes have created many new and challenging social work career opportunities outside of hospitals -- in HMOs, geriatric services, community mental health centers, physician's practices, and home care.

The Field of Social Work

Social workers are people who care about people; who want to make things better, who want to relieve suffering, who want their work to make a difference. Social work is a profession devoted to helping people function the best they can in their environment. This can mean providing direct services or therapy directly to people. It can also mean working for change to improve social conditions.

The social work profession has its own body of knowledge, code of ethics, practice standards, credentials, state licensing, and a nationwide system of accredited education programs. These equip the professional social worker to combine the desire to help others with the knowledge, skill, and ethics needed to provide that help.

Social workers serve individuals, families, and communities. They are managers, supervisors, and administrators. They serve at all levels of government. They are educators. They are therapists and researchers.

Educational Requirements

To be a social worker, one must have a degree in social work from a college or univeristy program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The undergraduate degree is the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). Graduate degrees include the Master of Social Work (MSW) and the Doctorate in Social Work (DSW or PhD). An MSW is required to provide therapy.

Degree programs involve classroom study as well as practical field experience. The bachelor's degree prepares graduates for entry-level work, whereas the master's degree is for more advanced practice. A DSW or PhD is useful for doing research or teaching at the university level.

Preparing for a Social Work Career at Temple

One example of a social work program is Temple University's School of Social Administration (SSA). Located on the 5th floor of Ritter Annex, this school prepares students, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels for social work careers. Both programs include courses in human behavior and the social environment, social policy, practice theory and skills, and research. Both also involve direct experience in the field through supervised internships. Temple is one of the largest programs in the country, with over 1000 students, a satellite campus in Harrisburg (awarding only the MSW in Advanced Generalist Practice, at this time), a cooperative agreement for training Messiah College Students, and a large part-time program.

The BSW Program

Temple's BSW program is ranked ninth in the country by the Gourman Report and enjoys a solid reputation for preparing competent practitioners to deal with the complex problems facing society today. Students may declare a social work major as newly-admitted freshmen, as transfer students, or at any time prior to the junior year. Coming into the program after junior status is acceptable, but may delay the student's graduation date. Students are accepted into the major after successful completion of beginning practice courses and their accompanying field experiences. Field practica includes and internship in the sophomore/junior year and a 16 hour-per-week (min 400 annual hours) internship in the senior year. Medical settings are available to fulfill the requirements of these practica.

For information on Temple University’s Social Work curriculum, please click the following link: http://www.temple.edu/socialwork/BSW-Curriculum.asp.

The MSW Program

Temple's MSW programs offer many choices and opportunities to graduate students. Students may begin the application process in October. Admission decisions are announced in May.

There are two pathways to admission -- the 60 hour program and an Advanced Standing program (35 hours). The Advanced Standing Program is for those who have a BSW degree from an accredited program, meet established academic criteria, and and recommended by their senior practice professor. Other students would apply to the 60 hour program. Advanced Standing students begin the program in the summer sumesters, all others begin in the fall semester.

All students have exposure to the content and practice necessary for generalist direct practice (either via the BSW degree or through the completion of the first 30 hours of the program). This content includes policy, practice, field work (three days per week), human behavior in the social environment, research methods, and program planning. During their final 30 credits, students can choose to concentrate in Direct Practice or in Administration and Social Planning. For information about curriculum of these programs, please visit the Temple Social Work Website, linked below. Students can complete the program full or part time. Part-time students can elect to use their employment as a field practicum site, assuming qualifying criteria are met.

Income

It is difficult to assign a definitive range to social work salaries; however, one thing is certain: Demand for social workers is on the rise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by the year 2000 there will be more than half a million social workers in the United States.

Social Workers in the medical and public health fields can expect an annual income ranging between 27,000-to over 64,000, and those in the mental health and substance abuse fields can expect an annual income ranging between 22,000 to over $57,000.

For More Information

Students who are interested in making a difference in the lives of others, in a career offering satisfaction and challenge, should explore social work. Career information available through the professional organization, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). To contact the NASW's website. Information about the BSW and MSW programs at Temple University's School of Social Administration is available through their website. The School of Social Administration's website also contains a list of related links.

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Critical Paths Home Milestone 1 Milestone 2 Milestone 3 Milestone 4 Milestone 5 Milestone 6 Journey's End TEMPLE HOME		Medical Social Work: An Overview Students interested in a health career should consider the many opportunities afforded by a social work degree. Social workers address human need at the individual, family, group, organizational and community levels. The profession helps people function optimally in their environment while advocating for policies that assure social and economic justice. Social workers engage in a wide range of activities in diverse fields of practice. They function as therapists, counselors, case managers, group leaders, administrators, planners, and researchers. Social workers are employed by social agencies, businesses, schools, private practices, the criminal justice system, and so on. In the medical arena, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, home nursing organizations, public health agencies, AIDS/HIV programs, and school health clinics all may utilize the skills of a professional social worker. In these settings social workers may work directly with patients, or more indirectly, through planning programs, conducting research, developing policy, or serving in administration or supervision capacities. Direct patient work might include such activities as assessing patient needs; planning for care after hospitalization; patient education; and counseling to help individuals cope with personal and emotional problems related to illness. Social workers may also lead groups and function as members of interdisciplinary treatment teams to help caregivers understand the impact of illness of individuals and families. Social work in the health fields has undergone considerable change since the rise of managed care. There has been a shift in emphasis from institution to community and from treatment to prevention. Fewer hospitals have social work departments, moving instead to combining a number of related disciplines organized to assure efficiency and cost effectiveness in meeting patient needs. These changes have created many new and challenging social work career opportunities outside of hospitals -- in HMOs, geriatric services, community mental health centers, physician's practices, and home care. The Field of Social Work Social workers are people who care about people; who want to make things better, who want to relieve suffering, who want their work to make a difference. Social work is a profession devoted to helping people function the best they can in their environment. This can mean providing direct services or therapy directly to people. It can also mean working for change to improve social conditions. The social work profession has its own body of knowledge, code of ethics, practice standards, credentials, state licensing, and a nationwide system of accredited education programs. These equip the professional social worker to combine the desire to help others with the knowledge, skill, and ethics needed to provide that help. Social workers serve individuals, families, and communities. They are managers, supervisors, and administrators. They serve at all levels of government. They are educators. They are therapists and researchers. Educational Requirements To be a social worker, one must have a degree in social work from a college or univeristy program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The undergraduate degree is the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). Graduate degrees include the Master of Social Work (MSW) and the Doctorate in Social Work (DSW or PhD). An MSW is required to provide therapy. Degree programs involve classroom study as well as practical field experience. The bachelor's degree prepares graduates for entry-level work, whereas the master's degree is for more advanced practice. A DSW or PhD is useful for doing research or teaching at the university level. Preparing for a Social Work Career at Temple One example of a social work program is Temple University's School of Social Administration (SSA). Located on the 5th floor of Ritter Annex, this school prepares students, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels for social work careers. Both programs include courses in human behavior and the social environment, social policy, practice theory and skills, and research. Both also involve direct experience in the field through supervised internships. Temple is one of the largest programs in the country, with over 1000 students, a satellite campus in Harrisburg (awarding only the MSW in Advanced Generalist Practice, at this time), a cooperative agreement for training Messiah College Students, and a large part-time program. The BSW Program Temple's BSW program is ranked ninth in the country by the Gourman Report and enjoys a solid reputation for preparing competent practitioners to deal with the complex problems facing society today. Students may declare a social work major as newly-admitted freshmen, as transfer students, or at any time prior to the junior year. Coming into the program after junior status is acceptable, but may delay the student's graduation date. Students are accepted into the major after successful completion of beginning practice courses and their accompanying field experiences. Field practica includes and internship in the sophomore/junior year and a 16 hour-per-week (min 400 annual hours) internship in the senior year. Medical settings are available to fulfill the requirements of these practica. For information on Temple University’s Social Work curriculum, please click the following link: http://www.temple.edu/socialwork/BSW-Curriculum.asp. The MSW Program Temple's MSW programs offer many choices and opportunities to graduate students. Students may begin the application process in October. Admission decisions are announced in May. There are two pathways to admission -- the 60 hour program and an Advanced Standing program (35 hours). The Advanced Standing Program is for those who have a BSW degree from an accredited program, meet established academic criteria, and and recommended by their senior practice professor. Other students would apply to the 60 hour program. Advanced Standing students begin the program in the summer sumesters, all others begin in the fall semester. All students have exposure to the content and practice necessary for generalist direct practice (either via the BSW degree or through the completion of the first 30 hours of the program). This content includes policy, practice, field work (three days per week), human behavior in the social environment, research methods, and program planning. During their final 30 credits, students can choose to concentrate in Direct Practice or in Administration and Social Planning. For information about curriculum of these programs, please visit the Temple Social Work Website, linked below. Students can complete the program full or part time. Part-time students can elect to use their employment as a field practicum site, assuming qualifying criteria are met. Income It is difficult to assign a definitive range to social work salaries; however, one thing is certain: Demand for social workers is on the rise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by the year 2000 there will be more than half a million social workers in the United States. Social Workers in the medical and public health fields can expect an annual income ranging between 27,000-to over 64,000, and those in the mental health and substance abuse fields can expect an annual income ranging between 22,000 to over $57,000. For More Information Students who are interested in making a difference in the lives of others, in a career offering satisfaction and challenge, should explore social work. Career information available through the professional organization, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). To contact the NASW's website. Information about the BSW and MSW programs at Temple University's School of Social Administration is available through their website. The School of Social Administration's website also contains a list of related links.