What Are the Fastest Growing Jobs in Health Care?

By Sarah Clark
Career Colleges Columnist

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that several healthcare jobs are among the fastest growing in the U.S. Here are a few jobs in healthcare and the training required for them.

Home Health Aides

Home health aides, as the name of this healthcare job suggests, give care to elderly patients in their home. They might help a patient bathe, dress, and move about their house. They may also administer medication prescribed by a doctor. Limited formal education is required for jobs in home health care, though some on-the-job training may be required.

Medical Assistants

Medical assisting is a healthcare job that involves keeping a doctor's office running smoothly. These jobs in healthcare require taking appointments, filing charts, tending to health insurance paperwork, and greeting new patients. Medical assistants may also carry out straight forward medical tasks such as taking blood pressure and weighing patients. You can find medical assistant programs in community colleges, which may last one to two years.

Physical Therapist Assistants

Physical therapist assistants help to restore mobility to injured or disabled patients. Under the supervision of a physical therapist, assistants will help in various treatments, such as exercises, massages, ultrasound, and paraffin baths. Two-year associate degree programs in physical therapy assisting are designed to prepare students for such work.

Why are healthcare jobs growing so fast? Some say it's because of the aging baby boomer population. Others say it's due to advances in medical technology and increased accessibility to healthcare. Whatever the reason, it's good news for those interested in pursuing jobs in healthcare.

About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer specializing in career development and postsecondary education.

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