Healthcare

Earn a Healthcare Degree and Enter a Booming Industry

When it comes to fast-growing industries, healthcare is tough to beat. There are so many fulfilling and lucrative options within the medical field. You’re sure to find a degree program that fits your unique talents and passions. Earning a healthcare degree at any level is a solid investment in a rewarding long-term career.

The many career paths within the healthcare industry require similar attributes. You know you’re a good fit for the healthcare world if you have the natural ability to empathize with people who are going through tough times. It’s also important that you can stay organized and handle stressful situations if you plan to become a medical professional of any kind. Strong communication skills and a knack for working as part of a team are also key abilities in the healthcare industry.

One of the fastest-growing occupations in the healthcare field is medical assistant. These professionals perform a wide range of functions in medical facilities of all kinds. They do everything from answering phones to collecting lab specimens. Medical assistants also manage equipment, greet patients, and fill out insurance forms. To become a medical assistant, you need a certificate or associate’s degree from an accredited program and to pass a certification exam.

Nurses are always in high demand as well. You can concentrate in countless areas as a nurse. You typically need at least an associate’s degree and state licensure to work in the nursing field. If you’re more interested in an administrative role, you’ll need an advanced degree to go along with your clinical training. Whatever your focus, you can be sure to find a healthy job market as a nurse.

Aside from practicing in the field, you might consider the following healthcare professions:

Clinical Care Roles: These positions involve giving hands-on care to patients in hospitals, doctor’s offices, mental health facilities, and other settings. You might focus in laboratory work, radiology, physical therapy assisting, or a host of other options.
Healthcare Administration: This is another wide-open field in which people develop, implement, and maintain the policies of healthcare providers. Private clinics, hospitals, home health agencies, and nursing homes are all potential settings.
Public Health Research: These roles are all about researching and promoting healthy behaviors. Health education, epidemiology, nutrition, and environmental health are all possible areas of focus. Public health professionals spread their messages locally and globally.

Salaries vary widely in the healthcare industry, but it’s generally a lucrative field to enter. Plenty of good jobs, such as nursing and medical assisting, offer healthy salaries and require only a certificate or associate’s degree. Registered nurses, for example, average about $66,000 annually. Earning an advanced degree, whatever your concentration might be, can put you on the fast track to career advancement. Occupations that require a master’s degree or higher often earn $100,000 or more.

No matter what your personal goals, passions, and talents might be, you can certainly find rewarding work and a healthy salary in the healthcare industry.