Sure the unemployment numbers are dismal but there’s one industry
sector that’s looking rosier every day –
healthcare. A report from the Department of
Labor Statistics in the fall of 2010 showed that
in the preceding 12 months (when unemployment
has high), healthcare added 231,000 jobs, 27,000
in July of 2010 alone.
Though many would like to get in, few make it
past perusing the classifieds, discouraged by
educational and experiential requirements.
Though it’s true that becoming a doctor, nurse
or specialized technician demands an advanced
degree, there are some positions in healthcare
that can be had without a four-year college
commitment and not a lot of prior experience.
But before you toss those thick course catalogs,
know that many of these positions do require
certification and/or a two-year associate’s
degree. The good news is that much of the
schooling can be done on a flexible schedule or
even online – perhaps while you’re holding down
the job.
Phlebotomy Technician (PBT): median annual
salary $28,939
If you’ve got a high school education, an
interest in science, and some health care
experience, the American Society for Clinical
Pathology wants to help you land a job as a
phlebotomy technician, collecting and analyzing
blood samples from patients. Gelasia Croom of
the ASCP says these workers are in high demand
due to lack of awareness about the job and
retiring baby boomers.
Health Insurance Agent: median annual salary
$38,205
Health insurance agents provide
easy-to-understand information and access to
expert advice so consumers can make smart
decisions about insuring their health. Yet, Fred
Adams of HSA America notes that most insurance
agents don’t need an advanced degree. They must
hold a license in the state they plan to do
business, but that can be obtained in about two
weeks, no previous experience required.
Medical Records Clerk: median annual salary
$25,189
If you’re a stickler for accuracy and have great
organizational skills, a career as a medical
records clerk may work for you. One of the few
positions that doesn’t require any patient
interactions, workers assemble patients' health
information including medical history, symptoms,
exam and diagnostic test results and manage the
data for quality, accuracy, and security. Most
applicants hold an associate’s degree along with
a good command of computer software programs.
Physical Therapy Assistant: median annual
salary $43,655
Thanks to aging Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers,
demand for professional physical therapy
assistants is on the rise. If you have a high
school diploma and good people skills, earning
certification can take as little as six months.
Then you can work with physical therapists to
help patients exercise, learn to use crutches,
and provide therapies such as traction,
ultrasound, massage, and balance training.
Medical Transcriptionist: median annual
salary $25,559
How fast can you type? Fingers fly when medical
transcriptionists listen to dictated recordings
made by doctors and other healthcare
professionals and transcribe them into medical
reports, correspondence, and other
administrative material. Though more than half
work at hospitals or physicians’ offices, many
medical transcriptionists telecommute from
home-based offices. Slackers need not apply –
accuracy is a top priority to prevent errors in
patients’ records.
Dispensing Optician’s Apprentice: median
annual salary $23,600
Want to help people see better and look great?
With a high school diploma, you could snag a
position at an optometrist’s office and receive
technical instruction on the job along with
learning the finer points of office management
and sales. Apprentices work directly with
patients, fitting them for eyeglasses or contact
lenses, while being supervised by an experienced
optician.
Source: All salary data is from
PayScale.com. The salaries listed are
median, annual salaries for full-time workers
with 5-8 years of experience and include any
bonuses, commissions or profit sharing.
