Deciding what career is right for you isn’t always an easy task. For some people, it comes after a little soul searching, whereas others need to find themselves bouncing around in the workforce from job to job until they figure out what it is that they enjoy and are good at. Besides picking a career path that you feel passionate about, there is also the practical side of things, which is that you need to be sure the career is in demand and that there are openings available.
One sector that has been enjoying a lot of growth in the past few years now is the healthcare industry. Just about every position you look at is in demand, and there are no signs of this slowing any time soon. Of course, saying you want to work in healthcare doesn’t really narrow it down, as this is a sector that is massive, far-reaching, and filled with all kinds of different paths, from first responders, to administrative positions, to even executive careers.
So, let’s take a look at six healthcare careers that are currently enjoying a high rate of growth, and could end up being perfect for you.
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners perform a number of duties, all of which can leave you feeling extremely fulfilled in your career. These are professionals that are licensed and described as autonomous clinicians. They often specialize in one area in particular, such as women’s health, pediatric, oncology, dermatology, and so forth.
The job outlook for nurse practitioners is extremely promising; according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners, along with nurse midwives and nurse anesthetists, are set to grow by 45% by 2029. The median wage is $115,800 depending on where exactly you work. As a nurse practitioner, you can choose to work in a clinic, a hospital, or a physician’s office.
Respiratory Therapists
As a respiratory therapist, you will be working with patients who are experiencing difficulty and issues with their breathing. This could be due to emphysema, asthma, or some other chronic respiratory disease. And it doesn’t stop there; they can also help patients in an emergency situation where breathing is concerned, such as shock, stroke, a heart attack, or drowning.
Your ‘office’ can be a variety of places include a clinic, hospital, physician’s office, your own office, or perhaps you may choose to visit patients in their own homes. This field is also growing quite quickly, with a 19% increase in jobs between now and 2029. The median pay for a respiratory therapist is $61,330.
Physical Therapists
Here’s a job that will have you up and moving at all times, and present you with all kinds of different issues that you need to solve.This isn’t a desk job, and chances are you’ll be on your feet for the majority of your shift.
As a physical therapist, you will be working hands-on with patients to deliver therapy and care. It’s your job to help those who have been injured or who are ill that are suffering with pain that is linked to movement. In terms of where you will work, you’ve got a lot of options here. You can choose to do home visits for your patients, work in a private clinic or practice, or even work at the hospital. You can work with all ages, and you’ll be seeing all kinds of various issues. The median pay for this job is $89,440.
Nurse-Midwifery
Here’s a chance to work in the healthcare industry with a focus on women’s health and wellbeing. The nurse-midwifery degree covers birthing, gynecological, and preventative care, giving a well-rounded education to students. As a nurse midwife, it will be up to you to diagnose and then organize all the steps and measures that will be taken in the birthing process, which can include a full healthcare team depending on the patient and the situation.
In this career, the mean annual wage is $108,810. With that said, some states pay more, and the job is more in demand. Those states with the highest employment level of nurse midwives are California, Texas, Georgia, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Home Health Aides
A home health aide is another job in the healthcare industry that is growing quite quickly. It makes sense when you think about the aging baby boomer population, and the extra assistance they may require in their homes. A home health aide actually makes it possible for people to remain in their home, since it’s your job to give them personal services and support. You’ll also keep track of their medical condition, monitor the patient, and then teach families how to care for the patient being looked after.
While there is certainly a healthcare aspect to this job, there is more to it than that. It may also be up to you to help the patient do their exercise and physical activity. You may need to do errands for them, household chores, cook and serve them food, get them washed and dressed for the day, and so forth.
These home health aides, also called personal care aides, are seeing a job growth rate of 34% by 2029.
Occupational Therapists
Then we have occupational therapists, which are also very much in demand. The median pay for this career is $84,950 and this field is expected to grow by 16% by 2029. As an occupational therapist, you will need to be licensed, and in most cases a master’s degree in occupational therapy is needed.
Your work environment can include nursing homes, schools, hospitals, clinics, and in patients’ homes. Be advised that you will spend the majority of time on your feet working with patients, so this one takes a lot of energy. As for what you’ll be dealing with, you will be helping patients through therapeutic means who have having a hard time going about their daily tasks. They may have a disability, illness, or an injury that is affecting them.
This is just a small snapshot of the many jobs out there in the healthcare industry that are on the rise with large growth expected in the coming years.
