Medical careers with less schooling often don’t give you the feel of being a doctor but that’s because it’s about the practice, not just going for the paper. Nowadays, many of us are keen on getting a job that can put food on the table and enable us to support our families. Sure we want more but we have to be practical too. This means compromising on somethings like prestige or salary—things that come with huge schooling requirements.
It’s not always easy to find a job in the medical industry, but it is possible to get started with a shorter education.
If you’re looking for a medical career with less schooling, here are some great options:
Medical Assistant
Medical assistants are the front-line workers at the doctor’s office or hospital. They may be the first person patients see when they walk in the door. Their duties include taking patients’ vitals, giving them shots and assisting doctors with procedures like drawing blood or administering medication. They also answer phones, greet visitors and schedule appointments.
While there are no specific educational requirements for this position, most employers do require that candidates have some experience working with people as well as an associate’s degree from an accredited program. Additionally, some states require medical assistants to be certified by a nationally recognized organization such as the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). This certification can take anywhere from six months to one year to complete.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists fill prescriptions for patients who need medications on a daily basis or just once in awhile—like when they come down with an illness or break a bone. In addition to dispensing medications, pharmacists also counsel patients about their prescriptions and provide advice about how
Medical careers with less schooling
Introduction
The medical field offers a variety of careers that may require the same amount of schooling as your average family doctor. While you may not be making surgery rounds or prescribing medications, you can choose to work in a doctor’s office, a hospital, or even from home. Here are five rewarding medical careers with less schooling:
Physician assistants
Physician assistants perform a variety of tasks under the supervision of physicians. They assist by performing physical exams, taking medical histories, helping diagnose patients and doing other administrative duties. Physician assistants may also order tests and interpret their results, counsel patients on preventative healthcare and provide treatment when needed.
Physician assistants can work in many settings including hospitals, doctors’ offices and clinics.
Respiratory therapist
Respiratory therapists are healthcare professionals who use their skill and knowledge of pulmonary medicine to treat patients with various respiratory disorders. They usually specialize in one area of respiratory care, such as adult critical care or neonatal critical care, but some also provide general diagnostic and treatment services to all age groups.
Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities (nursing homes), and home health agencies. They may also work in industry where they help people cope with the effects of specific illnesses that affect their lungs and airways such as asthma or emphysema.
Occupational therapist
An occupational therapist (OT) helps people get back to doing the things they used to do. The job duties of an OT are varied, but they generally include evaluating and treating patients who have physical or mental limitations that prevent them from performing daily tasks.
OTs may train clients in how to use assistive devices, such as splints or canes; help patients with removing sutures and casts; teach family members how to perform simple caregiving tasks; evaluate workplace environments for safety hazards; counsel employers about accommodating employees’ disabilities; or work with individuals who have lost a limb during combat operations.
The median annual wage for occupational therapists was $80,250 in 2017 The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5% growth in employment opportunities between 2016 and 2026.
Emergency medical technician and paramedic
Emergency medical technician and paramedic are two of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States. They require less schooling than other medical professions, but you can earn a certificate in less than a year and begin working on your own as soon as you graduate. EMTs and paramedics are often the first responders to emergencies: they assess patients’ injuries or illnesses, administer emergency treatment, and transport them to hospitals or medical facilities for further treatment.
Pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in filling prescriptions and performing other tasks for patients. They need to have an associate degree or a pharmacy technician program certificate. Pharmacy technicians earn more than $21,000 per year on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
As of May 2016, the BLS estimated that there were 230,370 pharmacy technicians in the U.S., with a projected growth rate of 37% between 2016 and 2026.
Dental hygienist
A dental hygienist is responsible for cleaning patients’ teeth. The job requires a lot of communication, so you will need to be good at talking in order to put your patients at ease. It also requires a lot of manual dexterity, so you need to be good with your hands and follow instructions.
If you like working with people and thinking outside the box (you won’t always be using traditional tools), then this career might be right for you!
Radiology technicians and radiologic technologists
Radiologic technologists perform many tasks, including taking x-rays, performing and assisting in fluoroscopic procedures (such as angiograms, arteriograms, barium enemas and intravenous pyelograms), serving as image interpreters for diagnostic reports and working with patients before and after procedures. They must be licensed to practice medicine in most states.
The schooling required is two years of college education at an accredited program. Students then need to pass the National Registry of Radiologic Technologists (NRRT) exam or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) exam to be able to apply for a job as a radiologic technician.
The number of years required differs slightly between states; some require radiologic technicians to obtain licensure while others do not. Typically though, you will need a certificate or degree from an accredited college program lasting approximately two years with courses in math/science/biology/chemistry/physics/computer science plus practical training at an approved hospital or medical imaging facility under supervision from a licensed physician or other qualified professional such as an ARRT board certified radiologist who can evaluate your work performance along with any testing results during internship training periods prior to being hired full time on staff
There are a variety of careers that require less schooling but will still allow you to work in the medical field.
There are a variety of careers that require less schooling but will still allow you to work in the medical field. These careers can be rewarding and provide you with opportunities to help others.
- Medical assistant: A medical assistant is a non-licensed healthcare worker who performs various administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments or answering phones and taking patient histories. They may also have some limited training in basic health care procedures such as blood pressure testing or administering vaccinations (source).
- Nursing assistant: A nursing assistant provides non-professional nursing care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, or doctor (source).
- Medical records technician: A medical records technician helps maintain patient medical records by keeping them organized, filing them appropriately and updating them when necessary. Since they work closely with doctors and nurses at their hospital or clinic, they must be able to handle confidential information responsibly (source).
Conclusion
The field of medicine is a high-stress, high-stakes environment for some professionals. And while there is no shortage of work in this industry, it doesn’t mean that you have to be a doctor or nurse to make it here. There are many other avenues that require less schooling and will allow you to still make an impact on someone’s life.
