By Cecily Kellogg
According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care field is the largest industry in the United States today–employing over 13 million wage and salary workers in 2004. Of the twenty fastest growing occupations today, eight of them are in health care. It is anticipated that 20% of the new jobs created between now and 2014 will be in the health care industry–and most of these jobs require four years or less of college.
Many of these jobs will be in the area of health care referred to as Allied Health. The term Allied Health is used to identify a cluster of health professions and covers as many as 100 different jobs (but not physicians and nurses). What are the Allied Health careers anticipating the most growth? While all Allied Health careers can anticipate growth in the coming years, these ten careers are all expected to grow over 25% each year–meaning that these careers will provide the greatest long-term job security. This top ten list includes educational requirements and average salaries.
1. Medical Assistants. These Allied Health professionals perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner’s specialty.
Medical assistants perform many administrative duties, including answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patients’ medical records, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and bookkeeping.
As the health care industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population, more Medical Assistants will be needed. In fact, this is anticipated to be the fastest growing career through 2014.
Education Requirements: Most Medical Assistants complete postsecondary programs that last either one year, resulting in a certificate or diploma, or two years, resulting in an associate degree.
Salary: The average salary for Medical Assistants is $24,610.
2. Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians. These Allied Health professionals assist physicians in diagnosing and treating cardiac (heart) and peripheral vascular (blood vessel) ailments. Cardiovascular technologists may specialize in any of three areas of practice: invasive cardiology, echocardiography, and vascular technology. Cardiovascular technologists specializing in invasive procedures are called cardiology technologists.
Technologists prepare patients for cardiac catheterization and balloon angioplasty. During the procedures, they monitor patients’ blood pressure and heart rate with EKG equipment and notify the physician if something appears to be wrong. Technologists also may prepare and monitor patients during open-heart surgery and during the insertion of pacemakers and stents that open up blockages in arteries to the heart and major blood vessels.
Rapid employment growth is expected for Cardiovascular Technologists as the population ages, because older people have a higher incidence of heart problems and use more diagnostic imaging. Employment of vascular technologists and echocardiographers will also grow as advances in vascular technology and sonography reduce the need for more costly and invasive procedures.
Education Requirements: The majority of Cardiovascular Technologists complete a 2-year junior or community college program, but 4-year programs are increasingly available.
Salary: The average salary for Cardiovascular Technologists is $38,690.
3. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. Also known as ultrasonographers, these Allied Health professionals use special equipment to direct nonionizing, high frequency sound waves into areas of the patient’s body. Sonographers operate the equipment, which collects reflected echoes and forms an image that may be videotaped, transmitted, or photographed for interpretation and diagnosis by a physician.
As the population grows and ages, increasing the demand for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic technology means incredible growth in this field. Additionally, sonography is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to radiologic procedures, as patients seek safer treatment methods, further increase the demand for sonographers.
Education Requirements: Colleges and universities offer formal training for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in both 2- and 4-year programs, culminating in an associate or a bachelor’s degree. Two-year programs are most prevalent.
Salary: The average salary for diagnostic medical sonographers is $52,490.
4. Physician Assistants. These Allied Health Professionals practice medicine under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. Physicians Assistants are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of the health care team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and X rays, and make diagnoses. Physicians Assistants may be the principal care providers in rural or inner city clinics, where a physician is present for only 1 or 2 days each week
Employment of Physicians Assistants is expected to grow much faster than average, ranking among the fastest growing occupations, due to anticipated expansion of the health care industry and an emphasis on cost containment, resulting in increasing utilization of Physicians Assistants.
Education Requirements: Physicians Assistants must complete accredited, formal education program and pass a National exam to obtain a license. Physician’s Assistant programs usually last at least 2 years and are full time.
Salary: The average salary for physician assistants in full-time clinical practice is $74,264.
5. Respiratory Therapists and Respiratory Therapy Technicians. These Allied Health professionals–also known as respiratory care practitioners–evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. Respiratory Therapists assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care therapeutic treatments and diagnostic procedures, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Respiratory therapy technicians follow specific, well-defined respiratory care procedures under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians
Job opportunities are expected to be very good, especially for respiratory therapists with cardiopulmonary care skills or experience working with infants. But all areas of Respiratory Therapy expect substantial growth due to the jump in the numbers of the middle-aged and elderly population–a development that will heighten the incidence of cardiopulmonary disease–and because of the expanding role of respiratory therapists in the early detection of pulmonary disorders, case management, disease prevention, and emergency care.
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