If you’re thinking about a healthcare career, there are many options to consider other than working as a doctor. There are already over a million licensed physicians in the United States. What the country now needs are people working in various other fields of the healthcare sector.
Here are some of the most interesting career options if you want to work in the healthcare sector.
Nurse Practitioner
If you want healthcare experience, consider becoming a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have completed a master’s degree in nursing and passed a national exam. As independent providers, they diagnose and treat patients and prescribe medications. They also work with physicians to provide care to patients.
Nurse practitioners can specialize in areas such as psychiatric or family health. Gerontology nursing is also an area that’s been gaining popularity recently. Attending one of the many online geriatric nurse practitioner programs can help you attain the skills necessary to work in that field. Besides, since the programs are online, you won’t have to worry about them interfering with your current studies or work.
There are over 4 million nurses in the U.S. as of 2020. Compared to the number of licensed doctors, the number of nurses is rather low. Thus, this particular type of job needs more people to join the ranks.
Medical Transcriptionist
Medical transcriptionists are responsible for transcribing medical reports, dictations, and other audio recordings. They must have excellent spelling and grammar skills, as well as good listening skills. Medical transcriptionists also need to be able to type quickly to meet deadlines.
To become a medical transcriptionist, you will need a solid education or training from an accredited school or institution. Once you have completed your training, you can find work in hospitals and clinics across the country or online from home.
Health Information Technician
As a health information technician, you will be responsible for the collection and maintenance of medical records. You will also transfer data from one computer system to another as well as maintain databases to keep them up-to-date. Your job may include organizing files, filing paperwork, scanning documents into the system, and answering questions about patient care.
Health information technicians usually work in varying settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics. They may also find employment with insurance companies or doctors’ offices.
Laboratory Technician
If you’re interested in working in the healthcare sector and want to help support patients and their health, becoming a laboratory technician is an option for you. Laboratory technicians perform tests on body fluids, tissues, and other substances. They are trained to operate laboratory equipment and collect labels and process biological specimens. As such, they usually work in a clinical setting such as a hospital or doctor’s office.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
These professionals are responsible for assisting their occupational therapists with patient care, administering treatment, and observing patients’ progress. They also participate in teaching patients how to improve their daily living skills and participate fully in their communities.
In addition to helping them regain function such as dressing, eating, and bathing, they may also help them with activities of daily living such as reaching items on high shelves or tying shoelaces. Occupational therapy assistants may work at hospitals or other medical facilities. However, some can find jobs at schools where they assist children with physical disabilities, or developmental delays learn how to best utilize their motor skills.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Physical therapist assistants are healthcare professionals who work with a physical therapist to help patients with physical therapy. They may also assist in the treatment and evaluate patients’ progress by performing specific exercises with them.
Physical therapist assistants help patients who have experienced an injury or illness that causes immobility or pain, such as stroke, spinal cord injury, or other neurological disorders. They also help those recovering from surgery on their joints or bones, heart attack, cancer surgery, etc.
Physical therapists specialize in treating these kinds of chronic diseases because they’ve been trained on how to treat them using exercises designed specifically for each patient’s needs.
Pharmacy Technician
A pharmacy technician is responsible for preparing, processing, and dispensing medications. Their duties may include answering questions about medication, packaging supplies, and monitoring inventory. Pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. They must be able to work with a high level of accuracy.
The healthcare sector has a lot of different job opportunities to offer. If you want to work in this field and make an impact, the options listed above are great places to start. Compared to 2010, the U.S. has 20% more doctors and physicians. It now needs interested and skilled people to work in the other areas of healthcare and help the sector become more modern and developed.
