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Your Prescription for a Healthy Career

By Jessica Santina
Learning & Life Columnist

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that eight of the 20 fastest growing occupations are in healthcare. In fact, more new healthcare jobs will be created by 2014 than in any other industry.

Why are healthcare careers so hot? Here are some of the major reasons:

• Baby Boomers turn 60 this year. The population of elderly persons, who have greater healthcare needs, are increasing faster than the overall population.
• In addition, Boomers' aging parents, whose life expectancies have increased in recent years, have caused the demand for home healthcare and residential care workers to increase significantly.
• With the recent advances in medical technology, lifespans have increased, and new technologies make it possible to treat illnesses and injuries that in recent years may not have been treatable.
• With federal law requiring that the healthcare industry technologically update its record-keeping practices and with health insurance becoming more complex, the need for administrative support in healthcare will also grow.

On top of these facts, many of those employed in healthcare will soon be retiring themselves, leaving vacancies in the industry. Now you can see why people interested in pursuing a healthcare career can be virtually ensured a lifetime of secure employment.

The Path to Healthcare

While it's not always necessary to complete a four-year degree program to work in the healthcare industry, the majority of occupations require completion of some kind of training program. Nurses, for example, may begin their careers with an associate's degree and Registered Nurse (RN) certification program.

According to CareerBuilder.com's Spring 2006 quarterly job forecast, nearly one in five hiring managers in the fastest growing industries, including healthcare, will be hiring administrative and clerical staff. That's especially true in healthcare. Medical assistants, pharmacy assistants, dental assistants, and other administrative positions, which only require training programs of two years or less, will be among the fastest growing occupations.

With such a healthy future in the industry, the prognosis is good for those considering a career in healthcare.

Sources

• "Health Care" - Bureau of Labor Statistics
• "Survey: More Jobs Expected in Spring '06" - CareerBuilder.com

About the Author
Jessica Santina is a freelance writer with a background in media and marketing. She also teaches first-year writing courses at the University of Nevada, Reno.

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