Due to an aging and expanding population coupled with huge advancements in technology, the medical field is expected to be an in-demand career choice for decades to come. For this reason, there’s never been a better time to change careers or encourage your children to enter the medical field. Not all career choices are created equally, however. Some professions of interest to consider rely heavily on different strengths, making them more suitable than the usual choices of doctor or nurse.
Due to an aging and expanding population coupled with huge advancements in technology, the medical field is expected to be an in-demand career choice for decades to come. For this reason, there’s never been a better time to change careers or encourage your children to enter the medical field. Not all career choices are created equally, however. Some professions of interest to consider rely heavily on different strengths, making them more suitable than the usual choices of doctor or nurse.
Medical Assisting
A medical assistant’s responsibilities largely depends on the practice he or she works for, leading to a varied and exciting career. For example, a medical assistant working for an orthopedic surgeon may learn all about arthritis, total joint replacements and pain management, while a medical assistant working for a general practitioner may learn suturing and wound care. Medical assistants have a wide choice of specialties from which to choose and can work anywhere from a tiny, one-doctor practice to a bustling urban hospital.
Records Management
Not everyone is suited to hands-on medical practice, but that doesn’t stop the computer-savvy from entering the field. Earning a health information management degree will make you eligible to create electronic medical charts and manage patient information. Everything from dictated notes to MRI interpretations are kept electronically, making records management an integral aspect of patient care.
Surgical Scheduling
Another computer-heavy position, a surgical scheduler helps to create an efficient operating room schedule. Busy hospitals and surgical centers depend on their schedulers to ensure operating suites are used efficiently and patients are moving swiftly through the office. Surgical schedulers often work with other doctors’ schedulers to work out a mutually agreeable schedule or coordinate tandem surgeries. Schedulers in busy hospitals that deal with trauma cases need to be able to think quickly on their feet and multitask to ensure operating suites are used to their best efficiency.
Optometry Technician
Optometry deals primarily with the correction of vision, meaning it’s one of the least-gory sub-specialties in the medical field. Optometry technicians handle pre-testing, ordering of supplies and teaching contact lens wear, among other duties. If you are interested in medicine but don’t deal well with blood, optometry may be the perfect choice.
The medical field covers a lot of ground, and jobs will continue to be available for decades to come. If you are considering making a career change or you haven’t yet started your career, one of the above professions may be just the right fit for you.