Published: by Michelle Mollerud |
permalink Health care jobs are in high demand across the board. Whether you want to spend 10+ years in college or less than a year, you can find work in the medical field. All you need is a good education and a passion for helping others to start a profitable and rewarding career. The list below highlights the top 50 health care jobs, ranked according to the number of jobs available in 2012. Employment levels and pay rates courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Note: The salaries and wages listed here are from the May 2012 data, which may not match the 2010 data available in most career BLS profiles. The career profiles are linked at the end of each job description. 1 – Medical Assistant A medical assistant is a person who completes administrative tasks in a doctor’s office or hospital. Medical assistant jobs are growing much faster than most professions in America, with an estimated increase of 31% in available jobs between 2010 and 2020. Medical assistants are able to find work with minimal training, though the highest paying jobs typically go to workers who have passed the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant exam and have taken classes at a medical assistant school. Annual salary, hourly wage: $30,550 a year, $14.12 an hour (BLS) Suggested education: Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Number of jobs in the U.S.: 553,140 2 – Nursing Assistant A nursing assistant is someone who helps a registered nurse or licensed vocational nurse get through a day at work. A nursing assistant may be responsible for obtaining vital signs, organizing medical equipment, administering sponge baths, and more. Many nurse aides work in retirement homes, taking care of elderly patients who cannot do certain tasks on their own. In some instances, nursing assistants are able to begin work without any formal education. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $25,620 a year, $11.74 an hour Suggested education: Associate of Science in Nursing, Trade school or technical college training Number of jobs in the U.S.: 1,420,020 3 – Home Health Aide A home health aide is in charge of assisting a home-bound patient with day-to-day tasks, like bathing, dressing, and housekeeping. A home health aide may travel between several patients in a day, or he may be assigned to live with a patient full time. Workers in this profession often deal with patients who are disabled, elderly, chronically ill, or cognitively impaired. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $21,830 a year, $10.01 an hour Suggested education: None Number of jobs in the U.S.: 839,930 4 – Licensed Practical Nurse Licensed practical nurses are sometimes called LPNs, licensed vocational nurses, or LVNs. They provide basic nursing care in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. LPNs are typically in charge of administering medicine, drawing blood, checking vital signs, and noting patient records for other workers. Many LPNs go back to school to become registered nurses. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $42,400 a year, $19.97 an hour Suggested education: Diploma of Nursing, Associate of Science in Nursing Number of jobs in the U.S.: 718,800 5 – Physician Physicians treat and diagnose patients. Many of them work in hospitals, but they may also operate their own firms. Physicians can work in many specialties, including pediatrics, family care, oncology, and intensive care. Most physicians spend 10 years or more in college before completing a residency program at a local hospital. After several additional years of training, they are able to work with patients on their own. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $190,060 a year, $80+ an hour Suggested education: Doctor of Medicine Number of jobs in the U.S.: 611,650 6 – Therapist Therapists and mental health counselors help patients overcome mental disorders that affect their daily lives. Some therapists choose to specialize in certain conditions, like obsessive compulsive disorder or childhood depression. With a degree in psychology, therapists are able to analyze the cause of mental instability and suggest ways for patients to get past their symptoms. Many patients use their therapists as a venue for venting about issues they could not otherwise talk about. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $71,760 a year, $33.66 an hour Suggested education: Master of Science in Psychology, Doctorate of Psychology Number of jobs in the U.S.: 591,350 7 – Registered Nurse Registered nurses take care of the majority of nursing requirements in hospitals and clinics, from coordinating patient care to providing emotional support for families. Most RNs go through four years of schooling to earn a bachelor’s degree, but some are able to find work with an associate’s. The estimated job growth for this profession is 26%, which means there will be an extra 711,900 registered nursing jobs between 2010 and 2020. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $67,930 a year, $31.48 an hour Suggested education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Associate of Science in Nursing (rare) Number of jobs in the U.S.: 2,633,980 8 – Pharmacy Technician Pharmacy technicians are responsible for helping pharmacists assist patients. They must understand drug names and uses, but they do not have enough education to prescribe medication or assess the compatibility of a drug with other drugs a patient takes. Pharmacy techs must know how to dispense medications and determine the correct dosages so they can give the right amount of medication to patients. Some pharmacy techs also perform secretarial duties in a pharmacy. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $30,430 a year, $14.10 an hour Suggested education: High School Diploma, Trade school or technical college training Number of jobs in the U.S.: 353,340 9 – Diagnostic Medical Sonographer A diagnostic medical sonographer or DMS is a person responsible for operating the imaging machines in a hospital, clinic, or physician’s office. A sonographer will operate an ultrasound, sonogram, echocardiogram, or similar device that disputes waves in a person’s body to create images. This person is not licensed to assess the images and diagnose patients through them. That is left to the physician. (BLS) Annual salary, hourly wage: $59,170 a year, $27.81 an hour Suggested …
