Jeremy Kaplan
Looking for a career that has a better than average forecast for job security? Almost any career within the medical field bears close scrutiny because there is a shortage of everything from doctors to nurses and support staff such as medical assistants and scribes. While you probably aren’t looking just yet to enter med school to become a doctor, you may want to look at studying some shorter term careers within the medical field that are in high demand now and are going to be in even greater demand as growing numbers of boomers demand more services than there are personnel to provide. Here are some careers you might want to consider.
Medical Assistant
Although every state has its own legislation regarding what it takes to be qualified as a medical assistant, some states allow for learning on the job under the auspices of a medical doctor or nurse practitioner and other states like to issue certificates which can be studied for and completed in just over six months. Whichever route you choose to take, medical assistants are in high demand because they provide support services in doctors’ offices, clinics and hospitals such as taking vital signs and helping assist patients waiting to be seen.
Medical Scribes
An up and coming professional career within the medical field is something called a ‘scribe.’ These are support personnel who see to records and patient transcriptions. Some work in the room as the doctor sees the patient, transcribing all patient/physician conversations to the records as well as procedures and exams that take place. Everything from transcribing records into digital format to working within the examination room would be within the scope of what a scribe does and now there are even companies that train and place scribes such as the Minnesota industry flagship EPPA Scribes Program.
Nursing Aides
Nursing aides, sometimes referred to as nursing assistants or nurses’ aides is a career that often leads to further studies to become an LPN/LVN or RN but is not always a prerequisite for doing so. This is a career which many young men and women pursue simply because they don’t want the ultimate patient care responsibility that is part and parcel to being a nurse but they want to be closely involved in patient care.
Phlebotomist
In order to receive a state issued certificate to become a phlebotomist you will need to complete a relatively short training program at a state approved facility, but not all states require this to be ‘formal education.’ Some of the approved medical institutions would include training hospitals and so phlebotomists can also be trained and certified on-the-job. Phlebotomists draw blood samples and are a vital support to nurses and doctors alike. Each state has varying degrees of regulations since many tests are drawn from arteries rather than veins, so it is important to see what the requirements are in your state prior to choosing this as a career path if you have any issues with arterial draws.
So then, each of these careers is in high demand with a good prospect for future employment and job growth within the industry. If you are looking to study for a career in the medical field in a training program that is relatively short, any of these would be ideal.
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