The allied healthcare field offers a wide array of career options with good salary and growth prospects. Students find it attractive that not many years of study are required to qualify for a job in this exciting industry.
Allied healthcare encompasses jobs in the medical field that are distinct from nursing, medicine and pharmacy.
The allied health services sector is believed to employ about 60% of all people employed in the medical field.
We all are aware of the rising cost of healthcare in the US. Households in our country spend more than $3000 annually accessing quality medical care and this in turn has resulted in an increase in demand for healthcare providers and allied health professionals.
If you are looking to jump start your career with a job in the allied health care sector you can very well consider the following options.
Pharmacist
A pharmacist, strictly speaking, is not an allied healthcare professional. But most colleges offering allied healthcare education also offer pharmacy as a distinct part of their training programs.
A licensed pharmacist can find good employment prospects in groceries, drug stores, clinics and hospitals.
As a pharmacist you will be trained to read prescriptions and chemical composition of medicines. You will dispense medicines to patients according to what the doctor prescribed and also recommend safe dosage and proper storage procedures.
Pharmacists are responsible for ensuring the safe storage of medicines in the pharmacy and should also remove those past the expiry date.
Pharmacists can provide services like monitoring blood pressure and suggest measures for cholesterol management.
AIHT provides quality pharmacy technician training in CT and will equip you with the latest knowledge and skills needed to excel in your field. The median annual salary for pharmacists for the year 2012 was $116,670.
Health Information Professional
Every time you access medical care all information pertaining to your overall health, information you furnished regarding symptoms and related concerns, your medical history as well as the results of examinations, tests and diagnoses are recorded diligently. The treatment plans, procedures and results are also recorded to create comprehensive patient health records.
As a health information assistant/manager you will be responsible for collating all relevant information accurately and securely. Quality reporting enables clinical and business decision making at individual as well as population levels.
Health information technician is an expert in information technology and data management activities and is responsible for data that are necessary for insurance reimbursement purposes, and also maintains databases and registries.
Health information systems enable and help in administrative decision making in huge hospitals, health facilities and even aid healthcare administrators in the government.
You will have to keep abreast with changing service delivery models, new payment laws and latest technology.
Health information management jobs will typically require you to put in 40-hour weeks. You have bright employment prospects in healthcare facilities and hospitals, pharmaceutical firms and insurance companies.
The median annual salary is in the range of $32,000 to $84,000.
Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists extract and collect blood for donation or for testing. Blood is tested in medical laboratories to detect illnesses, analyze the effectiveness of medication and determine whether a patient has nutritional deficiency.
As a phlebotomist you will be trained in the scientific, safe and secure collection, storage and transportation of blood samples. You will have to ensure you use sterile equipment and also protect yourself from infections.
Phlebotomists are responsible for the safe storage and transportation of blood samples to testing sites. Careful and accurate labeling is also necessary.
Misidentification or contamination of blood samples can result in grave consequences. Doctors rely on test results to prescribe treatment procedures, study progress and evaluate effectiveness of medication. So you can see phlebotomists play a critical role in medical treatment and patient care, and need to be extremely careful at their job.
Phlebotomists have much demand in hospitals, clinics, pathological laboratories and private diagnostic centers. Phlebotomists are usually paid at hourly rates and can expect to move into supervisory roles with experience and education.
The average annual salary is in the range of $25,177 – $30,000.
Ultrasound Technologist
Developments in ultrasound technology have opened up the field of healthcare to thousands of new jobs and exciting career opportunities. As per the latest statistics released by the BLS, employment opportunities for diagnostic medical sonographers which also includes ultrasound technologists is expected to increase at a whopping 46% from 2012 to 2022.
Ultrasound technologists are healthcare professionals who an anxious patient meets to know about his or her state of health. Ultrasound technology is a completely safe, non-invasive and risk-free diagnostic imaging procedure.
You will enjoy working with excited parents-to-be as pregnant women make up a huge chunk of the patients you will be dealing with on a day-to-day basis. Cardiac, abdominal and neurological imaging procedures are also conducted for medical diagnosis and treatment.
As an ultrasound technologist you will have to carry out imaging procedures properly and thereby help in accurate interpretation. You may have to deal with irritated and annoyed patients where all your people skills will be put to test.
Ultrasound technologists work closely with patients and the diagnostic procedure requires constant verbal and physical contact with the patients. If a patient is disabled or very sick additional physical handling would be required to help complete the procedure properly.
Ultrasound technologists have ample career opportunities in hospitals, diagnostic centers and private practices. There are more opportunities in outpatient care facilities like medical and diagnostic labs, and physicians’ practices. You will be required to put in 40-hour weeks and will also have to work in overnight shifts and on holidays. Very high salaries are a given if you specialize in specific fields.
The median annual salary for ultrasound technologists is $65, 860.
Conclusion
Allied healthcare offers plenty of potential for you to grow and prosper in your career. Choose the best vocational training school in your state and mark an early entry into a flourishing career. Get trained in a stream of your choice and see your career take off.
