Are you looking for a stable, rewarding career that allows you to help others, while still making good money?
If so, then a career in the medical field may be right for you!
Many people scoff at the idea of switching to a career in medicine. This is because when many people think “medical career” they think “doctor”.
And that, of course, leads to people to think that the only way to make it in the medical field is to give up ten plus years of your life for school while going hundreds of thousands of dollars into debt.
However, there are a lot of careers that you can do in the medical field that don’t require years and years of schooling and money. And, people often get just as much job satisfaction from these careers as doctors do.
What careers are we talking about, exactly?
Read on to learn about the top 10 medical careers to check out for those looking for a career switch.
1. Ultrasound Technician:
Working as an ultrasound technician is perhaps one of the least stressful medical careers out there.
And, it’s super fulfilling. Even better, it pays well and does not take that much schooling.
As an ultrasound technician, you get to witness one of the most joyous moments in a person’s life- seeing their baby for the first time!
However, your job will consist of a lot more than just showing future parents their babies on an ultrasound machine.
Your job will also consist of using the ultrasound machine to identify blood clots, diagnose tumors, evaluate heart conditions, and more.
For an entry-level job, you will need an associates degree, a diploma or a certificate. Job growth in this field is at a healthy 17 percent, and you can expect to make around $70,000.
2. Biomedical Engineer:
Are you looking for a career in the medical field that is less patient focused?
If so, a career as a biomedical engineer may be for you.
As a biomedical engineer, you’ll get to use your skills in science and math to further the medical field.
You will be in constant contact with other scientists, doctors, and nurses to repair and improve upon various medical devices. You may even get the chance to help develop an artificial organ.
Some other biomedical engineers work to develop software for medical devices, research emerging technologies, or design new devices.
In this career, you may find yourself working in a lab, hospital, or university, or government agency.
You will need a bachelor’s degree in engineering in order to enter this career field. However, if you are going back to school, you may not need to redo your generals. Therefore, you could knock off a year or two of schooling.
As a biomedical engineer, you can expect to make close to six figures.
3. Phlebotomist:
We’ve all had our blood drawn at a doctor’s appointment or for a blood drive.
The person drawing your blood in these situations is a phlebotomist.
A lot of people think phlebotomists only draw blood. However, they do a lot more than that. However, due to the fact that many people are afraid of needles, your job will also involve putting your people skills to the test.
Calming down and soothing patients will be a regular part of your job.
If you work blood drives, you’ll also be responsible for screening patients to ensure they’re fit to give blood.
You can also work towards other applicable certificates as a phlebotomist, such as a bloodborne pathogens certificate. You can find more info about that here.
Training to become a phlebotomist takes as little as 8 months. And, school is often a couple of nights a week.
Therefore, this is a career that you can easily transition to while still keeping your old job.
4. Medical Illustrator:
A medical illustrator is a career that very few people know about.
This is a shame, as this job can be super exciting and fascinating.
If you’re someone who is equally right-brained and left-brained oriented, this career may be for you.
Medical illustrators work to create graphic representations and drawings of different parts of the body. Their “artwork” can be used for a variety of purposes, including legal proceedings, posters, and textbooks.
You will use extremely precise graphic design software to create these images. The images you create will help educate students, patients, doctors, and nurses.
You will need to get a Masters in Medical Illustration in order to enter this field. But, those two years will quickly pay off, as you can expect to make close to six figures.
5. Radiologic Technologist:
Physicians and medical professionals rely on imaging technology to diagnose and treat patients.
The images they use don’t just appear out of the blue. They are created with the help of a radiologic technologist, also commonly known as an x-ray technician.
In this role, you will use imaging technology to create highly-sophisticated images of patients’ body parts. Once you’ve created the images, you will be responsible for updating the patient’s file accordingly.
This is another great career field that offers great pay and low stress.
The average salary for this position is around $60,000. You will need an associate’s degree to qualify for work.
6. Nutritionist:
The US is one of the most obese countries in the world, which means we could use more nutritionists to get us on healthier diets.
As a nutritionist, you will get the opportunity to educate patients about what it takes to lead a healthy lifestyle.
In this role, you will design a nutrition program for your clients to follow in order to meet their lifestyle goals.
You could work with a patient with Type II diabetes, creating a diet plan for them that will help them lose weight. Or, maybe you’ll work with someone who has Celiac’s disease to create a healthy and diverse diet plan that won’t make them sick.
This is another medical career that is extremely low-stress. And, you only need a bachelor’s degree to do it.
Are You Ready for One of These Medical Careers?
As you can see, there are a lot of medical careers out there that have nothing to do with being a doctor.
Now, all you need to do is choose one that you’d like to pursue.
However, before you make the leap, be sure to check out this article about the top things you should know before entering a medical career.
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