With today’s job prospects and unemployment so high, it can truly be discouraging to someone looking for a job or trying to decide where in this market to work. However, there have been and typically will be some jobs that will always be needed. The medical field is one area where people can get a job and feel fairly secure. There are also all levels of job placement, as well as room to grow and advance with certain careers. Even if you have no medical degree, or can only complete a certified program there is still great work opportunities within the medical field.
An EMT, or Emergency Medical Technician, can make a good living with only have to complete some basic courses. Usually the courses are offered through your local EMS chapter, or sometimes a community college or special training program. The courses run around 120-150 hours and will teach clinical skills, emergency care like CPR or simple helps like how to use oxygen or administer glucose. With some more advanced training you can even move up to becoming a paramedic. EMT’s make around $30,000 a year, and paramedics will earn a little more around $40,000.
Becoming a nurse’s aide can be a rewarding career helping people in need without having to spend a lot of time or money going to school. All you need is to complete a Certified Nursing Assistant training and certification program and you are good to go. With many hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics way understaffed CNA’s are in demand. You could expect to earn a median income around $25,000, but there are chances to continue education and develop a solid career.
Not all entry level medical jobs deal with urgent care or sick patients. A fantastic area of the medical community is dental assisting. This field even has niches you can specialize in like becoming qualified in restorative functions, coronal polishing, as well as radiology. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics the average salary for a dental assistant was around $34,000 and the growth outlook was forecasted to increase 31% just in the next few years alone.
With each of these and other non-degree medical positions there will still be a need for some training and certification. There are trade schools that can help, or some people even opt to go for online training and colleges. Other options are schools like Sanford Brown that specialize in helping people get certified in various medical professions. With books, classes, and supplies you can look to pay around $1500-$2500 depending on where you get your training. Also, certification can take anywhere from 6 months, to 1 1/2 years depending on the field, classwork, and the on-the-job training hours that will be required.
Finding a profession in the medical field is an awesome step. It is a great opportunity to work hard at something that helps people and will really make a difference in their life as well as this world. And with some of the support career options out there, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars and years in education to become a doctor, or take on what may seem like an overwhelming career task.