This guide outlines the fastest growing health professions as the world demographics and technology change and advance.
If you are interested in working in the healthcare industry, then there are many different considerations to look at before deciding on a profession. You will likely be looking into the specifics of different roles, the working hours, the working locations, and the pay of entry-level positions. However, when you are looking to start a career in a sector like healthcare, it is useful to spend some time considering the long-term growth potential that is valuable to you.
Fastest growing health professions
Understanding more about the fastest-growing and most in-demand health professions will help you make sure you are making the best investment and choosing the right career path, both for now and in the future. Therefore, the list of health professions below has been specially curated to help those interested in a healthcare industry career identify the fastest-growing professions.
Adult And Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Studies suggest that by 2060, the number of Americans aged 65 and over will increase to 96 million; this will mean the number will have risen by 83% from 2018. As the number of older adults requiring care increases, so does the demand for skilled workers specializing in health professions such as adult and gerontology care.
Adult and gerontological nurse practitioners are focused on the care and treatment of adults, helping them deal with the effects of aging, protecting older patients, aiding in patient recovery and diagnosis, and improving the overall quality of life of older adults and the elderly. In order to work as an adult and gerontology nurse practitioner, you will need to have obtained the necessary skills and qualifications that can be gained by studying an online adult-gerontology nurse practitioner program.
Home Health Aide
A home health aide is responsible for providing support and care to patients in their homes. The day-to-day duties of a home health aide can include preparing meals for patients, providing medical services such as administrating medication and checking vital signs, organizing patients’ schedules, and taking patients to medical appointments. Home health aides also help patients with personal care tasks like dressing, bathing, and assisting with housekeeping and home maintenance.
It is uncommon for a home health aide to be required to have obtained a high school diploma. However, training is an essential step to becoming a home health aide, and this training can usually be gained through community colleges or vocational schools.
Medical Billing and Coding
Studies have found that the demand for medical billing and coding health professions is expected to grow in the coming decade. Medical billing and coding work involves translating patients’ diagnoses, test results, and treatment protocols into codes that can be used to bill a patient’s health insurance provider or the individual themselves.
To work as a medical and billing coding professional, you will be required to have obtained a high school diploma. No other qualifications are currently necessary for this role as training is usually given on the job. However, if you want to get a head start in the profession, you might want to look into taking a relevant educational course.
Phlebotomist
The primary duties of a phlebotomist involve drawing a patient’s blood and preparing it for testing, research, donations, or transfusions. A phlebotomist might work in a hospital, an emergency room, an urgent care clinic, a blood donation bank, a community health center, a clinical laboratory, or a research facility.
To work as a phlebotomist, you will not only need to have the required technical and medical skills but also empathy to help calm your patients and make them feel comfortable. In order to become a phlebotomist, you will need to have a high school diploma followed by a phlebotomy technical course at a community college or online. Depending on which state you are working in, you might also be required to complete a certification course.
Social And Human Service Assistant
A social and human service assistant is responsible for connecting patients to the services and resources they need to continue their treatment and recovery plans. The regular duties of a social and human service assistant might involve working with individuals that suffer from specific health conditions and assisting in their particular area of treatment.
The growing demand in health professions for social and human service assistants is expected to increase as a result of the aging population and a higher percentage of people who have substance abuse and dependency problems. In order to work as a social land human service assistant, you will need a high school diploma and to have completed the necessary on-the-job training.
Diagnostic Sonographer
Studies have found that the demand for a diagnostic sonographic is expected to grow by 19% by 2030. The role of a diagnostic sonographer is to diagnose a patient’s health condition using specialized medical equipment, such as ultrasounds and sonograms.
It is common for diagnostic sonographers to specialize in specific areas, like cardiac sonography or musculoskeletal sonography. To work as a diagnostic sonographer, you will be required to have obtained an associate degree or a higher level of qualification.
Medical Assistant
A medical assistant is another one of the health professions in the field that is expected to grow in the coming years. The duties of a medical assistant involve assisting with various patient care tasks, such as helping with patient exams, taking blood for testing, and monitoring vital signs.
In order to work as a medical assistant, it is common to need postsecondary education. While postsecondary education is not always required for the role, it is seen as a bonus and preferable by the majority of employers.
Medical Administrative Assistant
As the healthcare industry is estimated to grow to meet the increasing demands of an increasing and aging population, the need for medical administrative health professions will also increase. Overall, the role of the medical administrative assistant is to help with the running of a healthcare organization. Their day-to-day duties include performing administrative tasks, including patient insurance billing, patient scheduling, and maintaining medical records.
To work as a medical administrative assistant, you will likely be required to have a high school diploma. While it is not always necessary, some employers will look for a medical administrative assistant that has a higher level of education, such as a bachelor’s or associate’s degree.
