Healthcare Career Options
Many of us are concerned about – where are the jobs? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
healthcare industry between 2006 and 2016 is expected to create 3 million new wage and salary jobs. We often associate healthcare to the many years of learning and the degrees that one must earn to become a doctor (MD) or a registered nurse (RN). But healthcare encompasses, far more than MD’s and RN’s, it takes a large number of support positions to provide all the patient care and services. If you need a new career, you probably do not have 12 years to become a licensed and certified doctor. But there are many
healthcare jobs that only require a license or certification that can be earned in a few months to 2 years, depending on the healthcare job requirements. Just a few of the are different healthcare categories include: administrative, technicians, and nursing.
Administrative positions provide non-clinical support to doctors, physician groups, nurses, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. Administrative job responsibilities may include: medical records/documentation, medical billing/coding, office management, medical collections, medical interpreter, medical transcriber, and medical receptionist to name a few. The requirements for these positions, at a minimum, require a high school diploma but many of the positions require additional vocational training ranging from a few months to 2 years. Strong computer skills are a must. Although many medical interpreters may have a 4 year degree - you only need to become certified (pass the test) and be fluent in two or more languages.
Healthcare technicians provide clinical support to physicians and nurses and are in direct contact with patients. Some of the roles or duties of a healthcare technician are diagnostic testing, vital statistics (blood pressure, pulse, etc.), administer therapeutic treatments, and collect samples for testing. A few positions you may find under healthcare technicians are: medical assistant, EKG, cardiovascular, radiology, phlebotomist (one who draws blood for testing), dialysis, emergency medical (EMT), pharmaceutical, dental hygienists, massage therapist, or surgical technician. You will need a 2 year degree (Associates) from an accredited vocational, technical, or community college.
Nursing positions provide medical professionals much needed clinical support in the daily and sometimes routine direct patient care. Nursing covers a wide range of educational/training requirements depending on the position. Home health care aides, depending on your state, may or may not be required to have a 4 year degree and training can vary from several days to a few months (Medicare providers must meet the Federal government guidelines), certified nurse’s aides (CNA) are required to complete a minimum 75 hours of state approved training, and other types of healthcare aides require a high school diploma plus on-the-job training. Finally, there is the licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) that provides direct patient care under the supervision of a physician or registered nurse. LPN’s/LVN’s assist in the gathering of basic health history, vital statistics, basic bedside care, testing, collecting samples, and cleaning and monitoring medical equipment.
You asked
where are the jobs. There are
job opportunities in healthcare, some of which, that do not require a 4 year degree; with wages ranging up to $38,000 a year. For additional information about healthcare occupations, training/qualifications, and earnings refer to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. I know with a little work, your
job search may uncover other healthcare career jobs equally as attractive. In a few short months to 2 years you could have a career in healthcare; just go out and get the training you need. Best Wishes.