Careers in Healthcare

Are you interested in a fast-paced career? Maybe looking in to the many careers in Healthcare may be right for you. Health care professionals must have a strong desire to help others, a genuine concern for the welfare of patients and clients, and be able to deal with people of diverse backgrounds, particularly in stressful and emotional situations.Those interested in this field must be flexible to work overnight hours and on weekends. Because of the 24-hour scheduling, professionals in this field, particularly those in the in clinical area, usually work in extended hour shifts.[i]

Those seeking health care professions can find openings in a variety of establishments, including: hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, physicians and dental offices, home health care, other health practitioners’ offices (chiropractors, podiatrists, occupational and physical therapists etc.); outpatient care centers, ambulatory health care services, and medical and diagnostic laboratories.[i]

What Kind of Degrees Are Typical for Careers in Healthcare?

In addition, educational levels for careers in healthcare also vary widely. In fact, more than half the workers in nursing and residential care facilities, and a fifth of the workers in hospitals have only a high school diploma or less. However, pursuing a healthcare specific certificate or degree at the associate, bachelor's, or graduate level is strongly encouraged in order to excel in this industry.[i]

  • The median weekly earning for full time workers in this industry is $750.[ii]
  • Going by 2014 annual median salary, the top paying jobs within this industry are Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Surgeons, Orthodontists, Anesthesiologists, and Obstetricians & Gynecologists. [iii]
  • The Healthcare industry is expected to grow 2.6% every year from 2012-2022. [iv]
  • From 2011 to 2014, the number of employees in the Healthcare industry grew from 16,750 to 18,500, a growth of 1.1%.
  • The number of Healthcare establishments in the private industry has increased from 800,000 to 1,350,000 from 2011 to 2014. In the state and local government, the number of Healthcare establishments rose from between 2013 and 2014. The number of establishments in the federal government declined by about 60 from 2011 to 2014.

Sources: [i] does.dc.gov | [ii] bls.gov/iag [iii] bls.gov/oes [iv] bls.gov/opub