Health Care Careers For Introverts
If you’re an introvert, it can be hard to find a career that fits your personality. Health care is one of the few fields where introverts can thrive. Health care jobs offer variety, the chance to help others, and the ability to work alone or in small groups.
There are many types of health care careers that may be a good fit for an introvert:
Doctors, dentists, and other medical professionals who work with patients in clinical settings. These careers require lots of direct contact with patients and their families, but also give you ample time to spend alone reading or studying.
Nurses and other health care providers who work with patients who have chronic conditions or need assistance from caregivers around the clock. These careers involve helping people maintain their health while they go about their daily lives. You’ll have regular contact with patients but should also have some independence during your shifts.
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who fill prescriptions for patients at pharmacies or hospitals, as well as some medical professionals who administer medications directly to patients during hospital stays or doctor’s visits (nurse practitioners). Pharmacists generally work alone or with one other person in
Health Care Careers For Introverts
1. Medical transcriptionist
National average salary: $28,918 per year
Primary duties: Medical transcriptionists are responsible for listening to voice recordings of medical findings and treatment plans from healthcare providers and writing them as text-based records. After listening to the provider’s dictation, the medical transcriptionist types a written translation and returns it to the provider. This allows physicians and other providers to be more efficient and treat more patients. This position requires an understanding of medical terminology and strict adherence to confidentiality.
Read more: Learn About Being a Medical Scribe
2. Billing specialist
National average salary: $30,609 per year
Primary duties: A medical billing specialist is responsible for liaising between a hospital and medical insurance companies or the government to ensure that patients or their insurances pay the patient’s bills. This position requires skills with numbers and billing software, as well as timeliness and attention to detail. Some positions may not require education beyond a high school diploma, while others may require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Read more: Learn About Being a Billing Specialist
3. Health information technician
National average salary: $45,080 per year
Primary duties: A health information technician is a healthcare professional responsible for checking the accuracy and accessibility of patient medical records. They’re responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of health information while also organizing and storing this data. This job may require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, as well as certification.
Read more: Learn About Being a Medical Records Clerk
4. Coding specialist
National average salary: $47,468 per year
Primary duties: A medical coding specialist is responsible for correctly representing healthcare activities as codes for billing and insurance purposes. This means they must have a good understanding of medical procedures and terminology. This position requires certification or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Sometimes, the same person does both medical billing and coding, combining the duties of a coding specialist with those of a medical billing specialist. In that case, the position would be a billing and coding specialist.
Read more: Learn About Being a Medical Coder
5. Lab technician
National average salary: $49,976 per year
Primary duties: A lab technician performs laboratory tests ordered by healthcare providers. This job involves processing samples, such as blood or swabs, and accurately performing any requested tests, such as drug screenings, blood cell counts and bacterial cultures, before reporting the results to the provider. This job may require an associate’s degree or certification.
Read more: Learn About Being a Lab Technician
6. Medical equipment repairer
National average salary: $53,138 per year
Primary duties: A medical equipment repairer is responsible for identifying the cause of hospital or laboratory equipment problems and correcting those problems. The medical equipment repairer may work with specific brands or types of equipment. Alternatively, they may work with a variety of equipment throughout the hospital. They may also perform ongoing equipment maintenance. Depending on the type of equipment involved, this job may not require specific education, degrees or certification.
7. X-ray technician
National average salary: $56,698 per year
Primary duties: Also called radiologic technicians, X-ray technicians are responsible for collecting X-ray images by positioning patients and choosing the appropriate settings on the X-ray machine. They also inspect and clean the X-ray equipment and ensure that the hospital performs any needed repairs. During their work, they ensure patient and staff radiation safety by having staff stand an appropriate distance from the machinery and by providing patients and staff with protective coverings. This job requires an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree.
Read more: Learn About Being an X-ray Technician
8. Cytotechnologist
National average salary: $69,361 per year
Primary duties: Cytotechnologists work in a laboratory and analyze cells microscopically. They look for abnormalities that can help a pathologist potentially diagnose patients with diseases like infections or cancers. This position requires a bachelor’s degree and may also require certification.
9. Surgical technician
National average salary: $69,956 per year
Primary duties: Surgical technicians, or surgical technologists, are responsible for preparing the operating room before a patient undergoes surgery. They clean and prepare medical instruments and ensure that everything is operating correctly. They may also directly assist the surgeon during surgery by helping them put on sterile gloves and handing them instruments. This job requires an understanding of medical equipment and tolerance for observing surgical procedures. Surgical technicians must also have certificates or associate’s degrees, with different educational qualification requirements depending on the employer.
Read more: Learn About Being a Surgical Technician
10. Prosthetist
National average salary: $75,004 per year
Primary duties: A prosthetist makes prostheses and ensures their fit and function. The patients of a prosthetist include people who are missing all or part of a limb and people who have other functional limitations of their limbs. This position requires a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree and certification.