Posted by on Sep 13, 2013 in Career Insights | 0 questions

The healthcare industry is projected to create 3.2 million new positions by 2018, reports Select USA.

It may be an ideal time for you to jump into the industry. There are many diverse healthcare careers that could potentially change your life, and not all of them require a significant amount of training or education.

healthcare professionals

If you’re unhappy in your current career, or if you just want to take advantage of the rapidly growing healthcare field, consider some of these employment opportunities.

Registered Nurse

Registered nurses are expected to remain high in demand as the need for healthcare increases. A registered nurse makes a median annual wage of $65,950. According to US News, the top 10 percent of registered nurses make an average of $96,630. Personal care nurses are among the most highly paid, and the highest paid positions are in major metropolitan areas such as Northern California. Being a registered nurse offers you many opportunities and allows you to work directly helping people.

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians work within a pharmacy filling prescription orders and ensuring that everything is done correctly. The median wage of a pharmacy technician is $28,400 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and no college degree is necessary to begin training.

The pharmacy industry is slated to increase by 32 percent throughout 2010 and 2020, which represents growth much faster than average. If you’re interested in a position that provides job security and the opportunity to work anywhere throughout the nation, being a pharmacy technician may be for you.

Veterinarian Assistant

If you’re less of a people person and more of an animal person, you might want to get your veterinarian assistant degree. Veterinarian assistants prepare animals for the vet, and provide support as necessary throughout procedures. Assistants calm down skittish animals, hold them, assist in sedation and administer some medications.

The job outlook for this profession shows a growth projected of 14 percent between 2010 and 2010.

Dental Assistant

A dental assistant operates much like any other medical assistant. They prep the area, assist as directed by the dentist and take care of the patients. A dental assistant often has more interaction with patients than the dentist themselves, which makes this position an excellent option for those that enjoy being around people and helping them through difficult situations.

Dental assistants have long been valued and the median pay for the position is $34,500.

Medical Transcriptionist

Not only is medical transcription an easy field to get into, medical transcription is also one of the few healthcare-related careers that you can do while self-employed. A medical transcriptionist transcribes the medical reports that physicians record.

It’s an extremely important field and a medical transcriptionist needs to be very accurate about their transcriptions. If you type quickly, can listen well and are extremely conscientious, this might be a good field for you. The BLS reports that a medical transcriptionist usually makes about $15.82 per hour.