5 Coveted Careers in Healthcare Non-Medical Professionals Need to Consider
By Jess Scherman on 03/22/2016
There are several things that draw people toward careers in healthcare. For starters, jobs in the field are growing much faster than most and earning potential is above average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Add in the satisfaction of knowing your daily work is contributing to overall health and wellbeing of others, and it almost sounds too good to be true.
But who says the doctors, nurses and other direct patient care professionals get to reap all the rewards? If you think there’s not a place in this promising field for you – think again!
The truth is that careers in healthcare are as diverse as the benefits they offer. Whether you’re good with numbers, you’re highly organized or you’re a technology aficionado, there are careers in healthcare that could perfectly suit your skill set.
Familiarize yourself with five types of healthcare careers you’ve probably never considered.
5 Careers in healthcare to suit every skill set
You don’t have to consider yourself a medical professional to capitalize on the opportunity in this rewarding field. Learn about some little-known niches in the industry to find your perfect career fit!
1. For the business-minded …
We’ve all heard of the life-saving tasks performed at the hands of doctors and nurses – intense surgical procedures, disease-curing medicine and some of the smaller patient care acts that make a world of difference. But there’s an entire underlying facet of healthcare facilities that doesn’t rise to the forefront of conversation as readily: the business behind healthcare.
Healthcare managers, for example, work at the heart of the healthcare business, taking charge of things like budgeting, accounting and other fiscal operations; supervising and evaluating the work activities of the organization’s personnel; reviewing and analyzing facility data to better assess risk management and planning; and maintaining communication between governing boards and other departments to facilitate healthy interdepartmental functioning.
Put simply, these business-minded professionals are the glue that holds our healthcare facilities together. Check out this article to learn more: What Can You Do with a Healthcare Management Degree? The Business Behind the Medicine.
2. For the tech-savvy …
In our increasingly digital world, it’s no wonder the technology takeover has reached the trenches of our hospitals and doctors’ offices. What was once mounds of paperwork has now been replaced with streamlined processes activated by the click of a mouse.
As digital natives, this may just seem like second-nature to us. But it’s important to remember there is a team of professionals behind each digitized system to not only keep it running, but also constantly improving. Health information technology (HIT) is the booming field that is responsible for these behind-the-scenes systems that make our medical visits that much easier.
Technicians in this field are tasked with protecting the security of medical records, reviewing digital files for accuracy and compliance, processing patient admission or discharge documents and using appropriate computer software for tasks like assigning patients to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs).
3. For the advocates …
Are you the type of person who is always hungry to help people make better lifestyle choices? Maybe this is something you already do in your daily life, encouraging friends and family members to become their best selves. But did you know you can make a career out of this?
In fact, there are entire degree paths dedicated to health and wellness! And you’ll be happy to hear this sector of healthcare doesn’t require years and years of courses on anatomy, biology, chemistry and physics. Rather, a health and wellness degree covers a broad range of healthcare knowledge, including nutrition, wellness education, public policy, exercise, social science and more.
This career path can lead you to a variety of career opportunities, such as working as a community health worker, a health coach or a public health educator. Check out this article to learn more: What Can You Do with a Health & Wellness Degree?
4. For the protectors …
Patients seeking help in healthcare facilities often find themselves in pretty vulnerable situations. Whether they’re dealing with some confidential health records or mountains of bills plastered with personal banking information, information security is crucial when it comes to medical data!
Add to that the fact that cybercrime is on the rise in our digital world and the need for information security professionals in healthcare settings becomes abundantly clear. In fact, it’s for that very reason the BLS predicts jobs in this field to grow 18 percent by 2024, which is much faster than average.
Administering and maintaining firewalls, monitoring malware prevention systems and responding to security incidents are a few among the many important tasks these tech pros face each day. Check out this article to learn more: 5 Fascinating Infosec Careers that Help Combat Cybercrime.
5. For the organized helpers …
Some of the people stepping into a hospital or clinic environment are experiencing the scariest moments of their lives. They might be there for a sick loved one or taking a blood test that could prove positive for a disease. Imagine how much it means to these patients to see a friendly face behind the front desk welcoming them and directing them to the next step?
This is the role of a medical administrative assistant. These healthcare professionals are responsible for establishing appointments, greeting patients, collecting medical records and ensuring that lab information makes it to the right place. Medical administrative assistants need to be organized and detailed to help their institution run smoothly and with as little stress as possible for their patients.
But as this role is so much more than just keeping information straight, it’s important that medical administrative assistants truly love to help others and offer them friendly reassurance in a possibly frightening time. Check out this article to learn more: What Does a Medical Administrative Assistant Do?
Leverage your skills in healthcare
As you can see, you don’t have to go to medical or nursing school to take advantage of the booming job market within the healthcare field. With the multi-faceted nature of our medical system, there are careers in healthcare for professionals of all kinds!
Whether you’re business-minded, tech-savvy, an advocate, a protector or a natural helper, it’s time to pursue the fruitful healthcare career for you!
If you’d prefer taking the more traditional route to a thriving healthcare career, check out this Ultimate List of Healthcare Jobs You Can Launch in 2 Years or Less.
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