Non-Traditional Healthcare Careers

visit a doctor regularly

The healthcare industry is a consistently growing field for more than just medical professionals. As our population continues to grow, the need for professionals who make our healthcare system function will grow as well. This is why healthcare careers, traditional or not, are in high demand. Investing in the education needed to be a part of the healthcare industry is a sure-fire way to achieve a dependable career that can grow and change, or stay the same if that’s what you’re looking for. Here are some non-traditional healthcare careers to explore.

Healthcare Administration

Healthcare administrators are tasked with directing and coordinating medical and health services, which means making sure healthcare offices and hospitals are running efficiently. There is an abundance of paperwork and logistical information that follows medical check ups and procedures, and it is difficult for doctors and nurses to do their job properly without the clerical work checking out. Healthcare administrators keep the medical world turning by thoroughly completing important records maintenance.

Healthcare administration is important work, and there are many ways to excel in this field. If healthcare administration is something you are passionate about, you can expand your career options greatly with a degree in healthcare administration. Knowing the nuances of healthcare administration in comparison with other kinds of administrative work can help your chances of acquiring upper level positions that come with higher pay, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the current median yearly wage for healthcare administrators is $94,000.

Nursing and Nurse Educators

Another non-traditional healthcare career is that of a nurse educator. Medical professionals need training and education on hospital procedures as much as in any other field, and teaching is a skill that not everyone has or develops professionally. If you want to contribute to the healthcare field, becoming a nurse educator could be an excellent teaching opportunity if you’re a nurse looking to get into a different focus. By teaching and training new nurses, you are helping to shape the nurses of the future to efficiently follow procedures and protocols in ways that can help their growth as medical professionals.

However, if you are just starting out in your nursing career, it’s helpful to start out somewhere that will value the work you are putting forth. According to an article by Bradley University, with research conducted by glass ceiling blogs and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are handful of states where your nursing career may thrive with higher pay and job availability. Washington, California, Massachusetts, Illinois and Texas are all states where nursing is currently thriving. After gathering some front line nursing experience, you can continue to look for positions in more reputable or busy hospitals, as well as choose a different area of nursing to expand your efforts, such as a nurse educator position.

Non-Traditional Healthcare Careers

While becoming an MD or RN may be rewarding depending on what you’re looking for in a career, there are plenty of non-traditional healthcare careers that can provide excitement and stability in your life. Whether you are considering administrative work in the healthcare field, or a role in nurse training, non-traditional healthcare careers are valuable paths to consider that can lead to high paying jobs and upper management roles. Higher education can make these goals easier to attain and can lead the way to your life and career goals.

This guest post was authored by Brooke Faulkner.

Ms. Career Girl

Ms. Career Girl was started in 2008 to help ambitious young professional women figure out who they are, what they want and how to get it.