Some Lesser Known Healthcare Jobs on the Rise
So you want a healthcare job, but don’t necessarily want to be a doctor or nurse. What are your other options?
According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the healthcare industry is expected to grow 22 percent by 2016, adding about 3 million new jobs. This accounts for about 20 percent of the total number of jobs that should be added to the economy through 2016.
Healthcare jobs usually refer to nurses, doctors, physical therapists and other similar occupations. However, there are a few lesser-known healthcare jobs people don’t always consider, according to a BLS article by Tamara Dillon.
One possibility is a career as a biostatistician, which applies statistics to medical and public health research. Biostatisticians design statistical studies, decide how to gather data and analyze the data.
The BLS states statisticians as a whole held 20,270 jobs in May 2007. The median annual wage for a statistician was $69,900. A bachelor’s degree with a major in biostatistics, statistics or mathematics is usually the minimum requirement for entry-level positions, and many places require biostatisticians to have a master’s or doctoral degree.
Another option is a career as a cytotechnologist, which are basically disease detectives. Cytotechnologists work closely with pathologists to diagnose the causes and nature of diseases.
The BLS states medical and clinical laboratory technologists, the group cytotechnologists belong to, held 163,270 jobs in May 2007. The median annual wage for medical and clinical laboratory technologists was $51,720. Entry-level cytotechnologists usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in cytotechnology and some states require a license. Some places prefer to hire cytotechnologists who are certifies by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
One further option is a career as a surgical technologist, which assists in surgical operations and work under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, anesthesiologists and other surgical personnel. Before an operation, a surgical technologist helps to prepare the operating room, gather equipment and helps prepare patients for surgery.
The BLS notes in May 2007, surgical technologists held 86,000 jobs. The median annual wage for a surgical technologist is $37,540. Most surgical technologists receive training in vocational and technical schools, hospitals or community colleges. Optional certification is offered by the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist and the National Center for Competency Testing.