4 Medical Career Opportunities You May Have Overlooked

Medical career opportunities may make you think of doctors or nurses that have spent many years (and thousands of dollars) getting an advanced degree. However, with just an associates degree or trade school certification, along with medical career training, you can get a well-paying, secure job in the industry.

With the right job training, you can work alongside doctors, nurses and other medical professionals in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and other great workplaces. If you’re looking for a career change or are trying to figure out what to go to school for, here are 4 medical career opportunities you may have overlooked:

1. Massage and Physical Therapy Aide

Massage and physical therapy aides work closely with therapists to perform not-medical tasks. This may include preparing treatment rooms, transporting patients to various areas of the healthcare facility, assist with patient intake, documenting patient progress, and more. While physical therapy aides generally work with patients after an injury, massage therapy aides typically work with healthy patients.

The median salary for a massage and physical therapy aide is $25,730, but your salary may largely depend on your experience level. Some massage therapist or physical therapy aide positions may require a high school diploma or equivalency course. You may be more likely to get job opportunities if you complete a related job training course. Career training schools like CET can allow students to obtain their GED at the same time as their trade certification by co-enrolling in programs like our Adult Education Career Pathways GED program.

Job growth for massage and physical therapy fields is expected to rise by 29 percent over the next decade.

2. Health Information Technology

When you work in health information technology, you work closely with other medical professionals to collect and record patient data. As such, you will learn and use the medical coding system (ICD codes). You will also review insurance claims and health records to ensure compliance with state and federal privacy laws. 

While you can often get a health information technology job with just an associates degree, you may need higher education and medical career training to move up in the industry. The median salary in the health IT industry is $39,180, though some jobs in the industry may pay more or less. Outlook for these jobs is good, expecting to increase by 13 percent over the next decade.

3. Medical Clerk

The main role of a medical clerk is to manage patient health records, including preparing, storing and retrieving records, as well as reviewing records for compliance. They may also create new patient charts, gather documents, and record other useful information. Medical clerks put records in designated areas, generally online. This often includes digitizing paper files.

Generally, you only need a high school diploma or equivalent to work as a medical clerk. However, many hospitals and doctors’ offices prefer experience in a medical setting, though this can be offset by proper job training. The median salary for a medical clerk is $34,837, and job opportunities are expected to rise by 11 percent over the next decade.

4. Medical Assistant

One of the most promising medical career opportunities is as a medical assistant. Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical duties in healthcare facilities, including measuring vital signs, recording patient history, and more. They may also help doctors with patient examinations, give patients medications, prepare blood samples for testing, and schedule patient appointments.

In 2018, the median wage for medical assistants was $33,610, and demand for assistants is expected to increase by 23 percent over the next decade. Generally, you simply need to be certified through medical career training to get a job as a medical assistant.

Get the Education You Need for Medical Career Opportunities

As you can see, it doesn’t take years and years of college to get a job in the healthcare industry. You often just need the right job training to get a well-paying, stable job that will continue to be in demand for years to come. If you need medical career training, consider the programs at the Center for Employment Training. Often in under a year, we can make sure you’re fully prepared for a rewarding career in the medical industry. Take a look at all of our job training programs, and contact a location near you to prepare yourself for a successful future!