What Medical Careers Are in Demand?

Jobs in the medical field are always in high demand. It could be because of the enormous size of the Baby Boomer generation that is starting to reach their senior citizen years. Or it could be that fewer people are attending college these days. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that a medical career will probably keep you employed as long as you want to be. And there are a lot more jobs in the field than just physicians and nurses. In fact, a lot of the most in demand jobs are some you might have never even given much thought to.

Registered nurse

Registered nurses (RNs) care for patients in hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices, nursing homes, and home healthcare agencies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2017, the average pay for an RN was $70,000. And the more specialized the nursing, typically the higher the salary. A cancer center in Rahway, NJ, for example, might pay its nurses more than a family physician in the same area.

As a registered nurse, you are almost sure to get a great-paying job anywhere you want to live because there are almost 3,000,000 of these jobs at any given time. It is also expect to be a growing field at a rate of about 15% over the next decade. To become an RN, you can start with as little as an associate’s degree. However, there are also many bachelor’s degree programs for nurses, which will command a higher salary.

Physical therapist assistant

Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) assist physical therapists in the care for patients recovering from accidents and injuries. You might find them in hospitals, home health agencies, nursing homes, physical therapists’ offices, or even in the offices of certain footcare specialists. There are more than 140,000 jobs in this field and it is expected to grow about 30% over the next ten years or so. The median pay for PTAs is a little under $50,000 a year and you can begin this degree with an associate’s degree in an accredited PTA program.

Dental hygienist

Dental hygienists work for dentists, usually in their private practices, assisting them with patient care, teeth cleaning, and other associated tasks. Each dentist might require different things from his or her assistant. For instance, a pediatric dentist may require an assistant to make the child and parents comfortable while performing oral work. A person with this career usually earns about $74,000 a year and has an associate’s degree. There are more than 200,000 jobs in this field and it is predicted to grow 20% over the next decade. One of the great things about this career is its flexibility. More than half of dental hygienists work part time.

Medical assistant

Medical assistants perform more administrative tasks than other healthcare professionals and they can work in almost any healthcare facility. Their specific duties will be different for each type and size of facility. For example, in a rural health clinic, they may record patient histories, take vital signs, or help nurses with charting. Or in neurosurgical offices in New Jersey, they may help with patient education on surgical procedures. It usually depends on the types of staffing needs the facility has at any given time.

Medical assistants typically make around $30,000 a year and there are more than 600,000 jobs in the field at this time. You can get a job in this field with as little as a high school education if they are willing to train you. However, most start their careers with certificates they can get in less than a year.