A profession in healthcare offers many opportunities for advancement and financial reward. Due to the constant need for competent healthcare providers, those in the field are rarely unemployed for long. A healthcare career can take you anywhere in the world, from big cities to sleepy little communities.
High salaries are another perk for those working in this industry. A health-related career can be pursued after only a few years of college. After completing your training, you have the option of either working in a hospital or applying for a medical practice loan to launch your own medical practice.
These are some potential job paths to investigate if you’re interested in working in healthcare.
Nurse Practitioner
Opportunities for registered nurses are projected to grow by 12% from 2018 to 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the United States. Being a traveling nurse is ideal for those who enjoy seeing the world and learning new things via their work. Before committing to a position, you should research how long contracts often last for travel nurses.
Registered nurses with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree are known as nurse practitioners. Clinical nurse specialists have the education and training to serve as patients’ first point of medical contact. Depending on the situation, they could diagnose the patient, order diagnostic procedures, recommend specialists, and prescribe medication. Doctors of nursing practice (NPs) can legally do the same.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs prepare students for careers as nurse practitioners. BLS data from May 2019 show that these healthcare professionals earned a median annual salary of $115,800, well above the median salary of $73,300 for registered nurses.
Healthcare IT Technician
The primary goal of health information technology (HIT) is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of healthcare delivery by facilitating communication and collaboration across its various components. To put it plainly, health information professionals employ technology to aid healthcare providers in enhancing patient care while decreasing expenses.
The necessary background and education may change from one position to the next. A high school diploma may suffice for entry-level positions in the health information and medical records fields. Some employers seek out applicants who have earned a certificate or degree beyond high school; examples include CEHRS Healthcare IT Technician Certification, and a background in medical billing and coding.
Clinical Researcher
Researchers in the medical field typically major in the life sciences in college. Graduate school is the next step after completing an undergraduate degree. Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.D.M.) programs are popular Ph.D. career paths (D.D.M.).
The healthcare business benefits from the contributions of medical scientists who develop medical equipment and conduct medication trials. Researchers at pharmaceutical firms look for effective treatments for disease in animals and humans. They stress the importance of implementing technological solutions to speed up the drug evaluation procedure and lower the overall cost of drug development.
As of May 2019, the BLS reported that the median annual wage for medical scientists was $88,790. From 2018 to 2028, medical scientists are projected to experience a faster-than-average rate of employment growth (8%, versus the 6% nationwide average).
