Over the past decade or so, the United States has seen recessions, job market crashes and no shortage of other economic instability. However, one industry that has remained unaffected by this economic upheaval is Healthcare.
In fact, instead of getting hit like all the other industries, it appears to be growing rather rapidly. Not only are jobs opening up at a faster-than-average rate, but we are also witnessing an array of new positions that have emerged over the past decade.
Let us take a look at the top 10 careers in demand in the healthcare industry today. The best part about most of these career options is that they do not require college degrees! For instance, you can easily enroll in a school that offers online pharmacy technician training and that’s all you’ll need to become a qualified pharmacy technician. It really is as easy as it sounds.
The same goes for medical transcriptionists, medical assistants and pretty much all the other professions on the following list:
- Medical Assistant
Medical assistants are professionals who assist doctors by taking preliminary readings of a patient’s blood pressure, temperature, etc. They also record patient history, schedule appointments, administer injections and take fluid samples for lab tests. The BLS says that medical assistants make $29,370 on an average. This career is growing at 29% percent today and according to the BLS, 162,900 new jobs are estimated to open up by 2022.
- Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies under the supervision of licensed pharmacists. Their duties include filling out prescriptions, packaging and labeling prescriptions, organizing inventory and accepting payment. Pharmacy technicians make $29,320 on an average and do not require a college degree or a license. The pharmacy technician career is growing at 20% which is much faster than average according to the BLS. 70,700 new pharmacy technician jobs are expected to open up by 2022.
- Medical Transcription
Medical transcriptionists are professionals who transcribe doctor’s notes and make them into formal documents. These documents contribute greatly to patient history and further treatment of the patient. Medical transcriptionists make about $34,000 annually. This profession is growing at 8% according to the BLS and 6,400 new medical transcription jobs are estimated to open up by 2022.
- Medical Coders and Billers
Medical coders and billers are healthcare professionals who record and organize patient data according to a universal coding system. The main purpose of this is for insurance reimbursement and to maintain patient history. Medical coding technicians also do not require college degrees. A lot of well reputed online schools like Career Step and the U.S. Career Institute offer training in medical coding and billing and other related careers on this list. Medical coders and billers make about $34,600 annually and this profession appears to be growing at 22%. The BLS estimates that 41,100 new jobs will open up by 2022.
- Dental Assistant
Dental assistants work under licensed dentists and dental hygienists in dental offices. Their duties include taking x-rays, keeping records, preparing patients for surgery, sterilizing dental equipment, explaining procedures to patients and doing other lab tasks.
On an average, dental assistants make $34,500 annually. This profession is growing at 25% according to the BLS and it is estimated that 74,400 new jobs will open up by 2022.
- Massage Therapist
Massage therapists use touch to manipulate muscles and muscle tissue. They can relieve pain and loosen tense muscles, improve circulation and help heal injuries. On an average massage therapists make $35,970 a year. This profession is growing at 23% and the BLS estimates that 30,000 new jobs will open up by 2022.
- Physician’s Assistant
Physician’s assistants practice medicine under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. They examine patients, record patient history and progress, diagnose illnesses and administer treatment. Physician’s assistants make about $90,000 on an average. This profession is growth at 38%, and 33,300 new physician’s assistant jobs are estimated to open up by 2022.
- Dietitian and Nutritionist
Dietitians and nutritionists typically assess a patient’s diet, discern their dietary needs, plan menus and inform patients about healthy diets and nutritious meal plans. These professionals make about $55,240 a year. You do require a bachelor’s degree to become a dietitian. This profession is growing at 21% according to BLS and it is estimated that 14,200 new dietitian jobs will open up by 2022.
- Medical Secretary
Medical secretaries are healthcare professionals who perform secretarial duties but require knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic or laboratory procedures. They schedule appointments, compile and record medical charts, scan insurance cards and bill patients. They make approximately $32,240 a year. The medical secretary profession is growing at a jaw-dropping 36%.
10. Clinical Laboratory Technician
Clinical lab technicians are professionals who analyze patient fluid samples and conduct tests to determine the presence or absence of a certain illness. They make about $47,820 annually. According to the BLS, this profession is growing at 22% and by the end of 2022, 70,600 new jobs are expected to open up.
With the exception of a dietitian and in some cases massage therapists; none of these professions require a college degree. Short certification courses in all of these professions are available online through many well-recognized career schools. They are very affordable and the courses don’t last longer than 18 months.
All in all, it is proving rather lucrative indeed to pursue a career in healthcare today. What do you think?