Perhaps you’ve always had an interest in healthcare or even dreamed of being a doctor. But with the high costs of education and the time it can take to complete medical school, you may be having second thoughts about your career path.
The good news is that the healthcare field continues to flourish and there are plenty of exciting jobs available that don’t require medical school. If you have an aptitude for healthcare and an interest in working with people, here are some healthcare careers, besides M.D., that you could consider.
Physician’s Assistant
The need for quality healthcare is outstripping the number of available doctors, especially as the population ages. One fast growing career track is that of physician’s assistant.
A physician’s assistant usually works under the supervision of a medical doctor, and is trained to do many things that a medical doctor can do, including patient care and even diagnosis. Most physician assistant training programs take between two and three years, and in some cases, you can even complete a physician’s assistant program by adding another year onto a four year degree, such as a bachelor’s degree in health science.
Registered Nurse
If you’ve ever been a patient in a hospital or clinic, you know how important nursing care can be. A competent nurse can provide both quality care and compassion.
While nursing has traditionally been seen as a woman’s field, more men are turning to this satisfying job. Most RNs usually have at least an associate’s degree in addition to taking their licensing exam. If you stay in the field long term, you may want to continue on for more schooling as there are many opportunities, such as nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife, that can also provide a high level of satisfaction.
Athletic Trainers
An interest in sports medicine could lead you into this field, where healthcare practitioners are trained to care for injured athletes and to work with those needing rehabilitation. In addition to hospitals, athletic trainers may work with doctors’ offices or even physical fitness centers.
This is just a sampling of available careers. For more, take a look at other exciting healthcare jobs. You may decide to be a clinical social worker, art therapist, dental hygienist or go into health management. A UC health information management degree program is a great place to look into the administrative side of healthcare. Whatever your interest, you can find a healthcare job that’s right for you.