Interested In A Career In Health? Try One Of These 3 Doable Career Paths
The outbreak of COVID-19, and its devastating impact on the U.S. economy, has forced many Americans to reconsider their career path. Understandably, many Americans are choosing to pursue a career in healthcare. The truth is that the healthcare field has been growing for many years, making it an enticing option for job seekers. Unfortunately, some healthcare careers seem so intimidating as to be out of reach. While a career as a doctor can be quite lucrative, the investment of time and money required to pursue such a career is simply not feasible for many Americans. Luckily, the 3 healthcare career paths mentioned below are much more “doable.”
Ultrasound Technician
An ultrasound technician (also known as a sonographer) can earn a considerable salary: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for an ultrasound technician in 2019 was $74,320, with the top 10% of ultrasound technicians earning six-figure salaries. Unlike pursuing a career as a doctor, pursuing a career as a sonographer does not require nearly a decade of secondary education. In fact, most ultrasound technicians hold associate’s degrees, which only take two years to complete. A sonographer’s salary is one of the highest among associate’s degree holders, giving this career path a huge return on investment.
Better still, much of the education requirements for the ultrasound technician career path can be completed online. An online ultrasound course is affordable and accessible. An online ultrasound course is ideal for students who live in rural areas (far away from any campus offering a degree program) or have extensive extracurricular activities, such as working a full- time job or raising kids. If you are considering becoming an ultrasound technician as a career change, chances are, you have a family to take care of and another job to work. In this case, an online course might be your best option no matter where you live.
Keep in mind that, while it is typically not required, additional education beyond the associate’s degree can increase your salary and improve your chances for career advancement. Sonographers with a bachelor’s degree, for example, tend to earn higher salaries than those with associate’s degrees. Another thing to keep in mind is that you will have the option to choose a speciality within the field of sonography. For example, you may choose to go into the field of obstetrics (performing ultrasounds on expectant mothers), or you may choose to go into the field of cardiology. Another great thing about this career path is the flexibility it offers.
Nursing
The field of nursing offers another rewarding career path for those who want to work in the healthcare industry. It helps that nursing is a rapidly growing field. As the “baby boomer” generation ages and requires more medical care, the field of nursing is expected to grow even further. Popular career paths within the field of nursing include:
● Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
● Registered Nurse (RN)
● Nurse Practitioner
Of the three job titles, LPN is the most basic and requires the least education. LPN’s tend to offer care that is more related to a patient’s comfort, whereas RN’s are able to provide care of a more medical nature, including administering medications and treatment. LPN’s are also usually required to report changes in a patient’s condition to an RN or doctor. Nurse practitioners have even more training and education than RN’s and are therefore able to provide more advanced medical care, including performing physicals. The pay scale increases at each level.
Becoming an LPN requires a high school diploma (or GED) as well as a degree from an accredited LPN program. This degree typically requires a year of coursework and hands-on experience. To become an RN, an associate’s degree is required, at a minimum. As with sonographers, RN’s with bachelor’s degrees can earn more money. Again, online schooling is a viable option for obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN). BSN nursing programs in Kansas City may offer online courses. Becoming a nurse practitioner requires a master’s degree. One career path that many nurse practitioners take is obtaining a bachelor’s degree from one of the BSN nursing programs in Kansas City, becoming an RN, then furthering their education to become a nurse practitioner.
As with sonography, the field of nursing offers many areas of specialization. You could choose to work as a geriatric nurse, a pediatric nurse, a critical care nurse, or a school nurse, just to name a few career paths. Nursing is arguably one of the most flexible fields within the healthcare industry. And because nurses are in such high demand, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a job in your chosen field.
Medical Coding
If you are looking to get into the healthcare industry and have a head for numbers and data, you may want to consider a career in medical coding. Medical coding is also a lucrative career and one that has grown a lot in recent years. Medical billing is a complicated process that requires information from multiple documents to be coded in a way that can be easily transcribed on an invoice. This is the job of a medical coder.
Medical coders need to have a working knowledge of several different fields, including anatomy, healthcare, and data science. Education-wise, a career in medical coding requires a high school diploma and either a certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree. Online medical coding classes are available. In fact, the field of medical coding is especially suited to online classes, because the job itself mostly involves working with spreadsheets and documents. Increasingly, medical coding work itself is performed remotely, giving medical coders the flexibility to work from home. If you are interested in a doable medical career and love working with data, consider enrolling in online medical coding classes. This could be your first step toward a rewarding and lucrative career path in a rapidly growing field.
