Sunday, April 29, 2012

Top 5 Most Popular Healthcare Jobs


Healthcare industry is one of the career fields that are always in demand. U.S. Healthcare sector has seen constant job growth during both good and bad employment times. If we compare the new jobs for the coming years for all professions, healthcare jobs are expected to grow more rapidly than any other industry. That means on an average, 22% new jobs are expected to rise by 2018. Given below are top 5 most popular healthcare occupations.

Registered Nurse
Being a registered nurse (RN) is one of the most popular occupations in the US. While the demand of RNs is always on the rise, there are plenty of job and growth opportunities for those considering a profession in nursing. Registered nursing requires at least an associate's degree, but many RNs also have a bachelor's degree as well. Having college-level education, RNs are paid higher than medical assistants and home health aides.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the statistics for the job prospects of RNs:

Current Employment: 2.5 million
Projected Employment, 2016: 3,092,000
Projected Need: 1 million employees
Overall Job Growth: 23%

Home Health Aide
Home Health Aides assists those individuals who are unable to leave their homes due to a medical condition. It is a popular profession since it requires no college degree. Home health aides’ jobs are projected at the highest rate of growth, with 50% growth expected by 2018. 

Talking about statistics, here is the job outlook for home health aides:

Current Employment: 787,000
Projected Employment, 2016: 1,171,000
Projected Need: 454,000 employees
Overall Job Growth: 27%
Employment Change by 2016: 384,000 new jobs

Medical Assistant
Being a medical assistant requires some specialized training but not a college degree. These medical assistants help nurses with basic jobs like giving injections, taking patient’s vital signs like blood pressure, pulse, temperature, prepping exam room etc. Employment for medical assistants is estimated to grow much faster than average.

Statistics tell us that:

Current Employment: 417,000
Projected Employment, 2016: 565,000
Projected Need: 199,000
Overall Job Growth: 27%
Employment Change by 2016: 148,000 new jobs

Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy Technicians assist pharmacists with a variety of tasks like counting tablets, labelling bottles, checking the data for a prescription etc. This job does not require extensive training or a college degree. By learning some basic skills, you can become a pharmacy technician too. 

Here is what the data says about the job outlook of pharmacy technicians:

Current Employment: 285,000
Projected Employment, 2016: 376,000
Projected Need: 178,000
Overall Job Growth: 27%
Employment Change by 2016: 91,000 new jobs 

Medical Secretary
Being a medical secretary, you must have a thorough understanding of both the administrative, organizational and practical aspects of healthcare field. Being a medical secretary, you can be appointed at a hospital or a physician’s office for a rewarding and challenging career.

Current Employment: 98,000
Projected Employment, 2016: 112,000
Projected Need: 133,000
Overall Job Growth: 9-17%
Employment Change by 2016: 13,000 new job