If you want to work in the healthcare industry, there are far more career options aside from being a doctor, nurse, clerk or cleaner. The healthcare industry offers so many more opportunities today and there are tons of great positions open to those who are ready to think outside the box. Here are five great healthcare positions you probably never thought about and should be in great demand in the next coming years.
Process Improvement in Healthcare
The declining number of manufacturing jobs in the United States hasn’t led to a decline in the number of industrial engineers. In fact, they’ve been branching out into the service sector. The same methodologies for improving quality on the production line can be used to reduce mistakes in data entry in admissions and lost inventory in the hospital’s storage area. An online master of healthcare administration in strategy and innovation allows people to prepare for these jobs without being an industrial engineer or earning a generic MBA.
Medical Management
Gone are the days when the most senior nurse or oldest doctor became the head of the department. Between government regulations, competing industrial standards and intense pressure to deliver high quality at low costs, medical management is becoming its own specialty. Whether you complete an online MHA program to move up to management after working as a doctor or nurse or earn an MHA degree to move into medical management after working in business, a health industry concentration or experience is necessary to secure one of these positions.
Translators
It is difficult enough to navigate daily life when you don’t know the common language. Now imagine the challenge when you don’t know how to explain what is wrong when your health and very life may be at stake. This is a common problem for both recent immigrants and long-time residents. This is why medical translators are in increasing demand in hospitals. It isn’t enough to be conversant in the day to day lingo; you need to know how to translate medication names, medical procedures and other medical terms in both languages.
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineers take classes in mechanical engineering and medicine. Biomedical engineers design the next generation of medical devices from artificial hearts to prosthetic limbs to diagnostic equipment. Biomedical engineering technicians help keep the equipment in the hospital operational. These jobs are separate from the long-standing prosthetist and orthotist categories. Prosthetists work with patients that have lost part or all of a limb, while orthotists work with patients who need braces due to problems with their spines. However, they often work together, such as when the biomedical engineer designs a custom 3D printed prosthetic limb for a child. Biomedical engineers and technicians are also working in the dental field making 3D printed invisible braces.
There are tons of great positions in the healthcare industry if you’re ready to consider less popular options. The best thing is that these sectors have lot less competition and are in great demand. So next time you pick a major, don’t forget to consider these options to increase your chances of landing a position once you graduate.