The healthcare industry is booming, its worth is expected to reach over $8.7 trillion by 2020. Do you want to be a part of it?
There are so many incredible and worthwhile medical careers out there, but not everyone has the time or the means to afford the schooling it takes.Β
Luckily, there are plenty of jobs in the medical field that require very little school and can get you started in this industry as soon as possible.
We’re going to break down 6 medical careers that anyone can do without a graduate degree. We’ll talk about what the job looks like, the average entry salary, and the typical requirements to get started.
Why Consider Medical Careers?
This is a huge industry that just keeps on growing. If you want to find a meaningful career that will continue to offer opportunity, with a consistent and growing demand for workers, this may just be it for you.
The healthcare job market is expected to grow 18 percent and create 2.4 million new jobs between 2016 and 2026.
Let’s talk about how you can get yourself started in this field without having to go tens of thousands of dollars in debt in the process.
Here are 6 high-paying careers in the healthcare industry that don’t require post-graduate degrees.
1. Nurse Midwife
Midwives have been a critical part of the birthing process for hundreds of years, far longer than OB-GYNs have been around! And don’t be fooled by the name, you don’t need to be a woman to be a midwife.
This career field does require schooling, but the requirements vary between different institutions. Some jobs will accept as low as an Associates degree that is met with a certificate from the American Midwifery Certification Board.
Most institutions, however, will require a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and at least one year of experience nursing before becoming a Nurse Midwife.
This is an extremely rewarding career where you will be working with women and families throughout the gestational process and eventually deliver their child when the time comes.
This job also comes with a great salary, with the average base pay for a Nurse Midwife is around $105,789/year according to Glassdoor.
2. Radiation Therapist
Cancer is a terrible disease that takes the lives of over 600,000 a year, though the rate is declining. If you are looking for a meaningful career that works with these patients to make a difference, you might consider Radiation Therapy.
A Radiation Therapist is responsible for administering certain radiation treatments to patients and are critical to the care of these lives.
Despite the utmost importance of this career field, it doesn’t require very much schooling at all! In fact, only an Associates degree is required at most institutions, though some do require a Bachelor’s.
Along with a two or four-year degree, there are state board exams that are required as well. Once you’ve taken care of all these marks, you are ready to become a Radiation Therapist!
There’s a very rewarding salary that comes along with this career as well. According to Glassdoor, you can expect to earn an average salary of $67,361/year.
3. Licensed Practical Nurse
For those who want to work with patients directly under the physician without having to pay tens of thousands of dollars for medical school, LPN may be the career for you!
LPNs are the first person you see in a doctors office. They take care of the initial check-up process and report to the physician before they take their turn to see you.
You don’t need much schooling to become an LPN, you just have to enter an accredited program. These programs usually take about one or two years and are very affordable. All you need is a Diploma or GED to qualify for them.
Once you complete your program and take your board tests, you become licensed to work as a Nurse!
Pay for this career field is pretty good starting out. You can expect to earn around $40,875 a year to start according to Glassdoor.
4. Surgical Tech
This is probably one of the most interesting entry-level medical careers that require little to no schooling.
A Surgical Tech works in the operating room. Their job involves preparing surgery rooms, organizing materials, and assisting the surgeon during procedures.
All you need to become a Surgical Tech is a certification from an accredited program through a two-year college or technical college. This can take one to two years to complete.
Glassdoor states that a Surgical Tech can expect to earn around $44,550/year on average.
5. Ultrasound Technician
This is another interesting and rewarding medical career that involves very little schooling and a great salary to start.
An Ultrasound Technician operates the equipment necessary to take ultrasound imaging for patients for a multitude of reasons. The most common reason being pregnancy, of course.
You can become an Ultrasound Tech in as little as one year through certain accredited certification programs. Some people choose the path of pursuing either an Associates or Bachelor’s degree, but the option is yours.
There are plenty of employers out there who will gladly hire you with just a certificate, though you are likely to get paid more through pursuing a degree in sonography.
The average base salary for an Ultrasound Tech is around $58,689/year. Not bad for just one or two years of training, huh?
6. Medical Coder
If you are looking to stick more on the technology side of the rapidly-growing medical field, you may consider becoming a Medical Coder.
A Medical Coder, sometimes referred to as a Billing Specialist, works with medical institutions to organize and track payments, billing, insurance, and more.
If you have any relevant experience and a drive to learn, some employers will hire you with only a Diploma or GED. However, most institutions prefer that you have at least a certificate or two-year degree.
The average base salary for a medical coder according to Glassdoor is around $36,698/year.
You can learn more about this exciting career in this interesting article!
Start Your Dream Today
There’s no reason that you can’t get yourself started in this field now with all of the incredible medical careers and opportunities coming forward. Just a few years of hard work can pay off towards a lifetime of happiness and success.
What are you waiting for?
Need help writing essays for admission to your future program? Check out this helpful article.
For more great resources to help you move along in your education towards your career, check out some of our other education articles. We’ll see you there!
