The career outlook for health care jobs in the south looks very promising, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). If you live in the south and are considering a health care career, learn about the various employment possibilities as well as what you can expect in terms of wages and job opportunities.
Types of Health Care Jobs
An important factor to consider when looking at health care jobs is that there are so many from which to choose. When we think of health care and the medical field, doctors and nurses are the professionals that first come to mind. However, there are many available medical fields such as radiology, diagnostic imaging, surgical technology, physician assisting, emergency medical services, dental, vision care, medical assisting, counseling, medical billing and coding, veterinary medicine, medical administration, paramedics, physical therapy and pharmacy technology, among many others.
How to Prepare for a Career in Health Care
Occasionally, a candidate may be hired for a health-related job without a degree and may receive training on the job. However, most health care jobs require education, training and possibly even work experience. The type and amount of training required depends largely on the professions. Doctors and surgeons require a minimum of eight years of education as well as residencies in a hospital. An individual may become a registered nurse in as little as two years, but they’ll need one to two years more of training if they choose to specialize in a specific area of nursing.
There are various medical office careers that may be obtained in six months to two years. These careers may include medical coding and billing specialist, medical records transcriptionist, medical clinical assistant, medical office assistant or medical records technician. Regardless of the profession, most technicians or technologists must complete two year associate degree programs. These professions include surgical technologist, pharmacy technician, medical and clinical laboratory technologist, radiologic technologist, diagnostic medical sonographer and medical records and health information technologists to name just a few.
Employment Outlook
The BLS reports that the career outlook for health care jobs is very good. An employment growth of 19 percent is expected for health care occupations from 2014-2024. Approximately 2.3 million new health care jobs will be created during that decade, according to the BLS. The career outlook for health care jobs in the south varies from state to state. Allhealthcare.com ranks both North Carolina and Florida among the top ten states for healthcare jobs as of 2012.
Salary Potential
The salary potential for health care professions varies from job to job. Health care practitioners and technical jobs like RNs, dental hygienists and physicians earned a median annual wage of $62,610, according to a May 2015 BLS report. This wage was higher than average. However, health care support occupations like medical transcriptionists, occupational therapy assistants and home health aides earned about $27,000 in 2015, which was slightly lower than the national average for other occupations. Wages in the south are typically lower for health care professionals with the exception of Texas, which offers higher wages for professions like nursing and surgical technology.
With so many career fields available and such potentially competitive wages being offered, the career outlook for health care jobs in the south can be very promising and rewarding. The American Medical Association offers many resources regarding health care careers as well as information on training and education required when pursuing these fields.
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