A Quick Look at a Few Different Medical Career Paths

The medical field is one of the oldest, most prestigious, and most trusted career paths in the entire world.

Throughout history, people have turned to doctors and other professionals to secure the healing and general health that they need to live long, fruitful lives.

There is room within the medical field for people with all kinds of different interests, goals, training, and educational backgrounds. If you’re looking for an exciting, lucrative new career, then read on to learn about just a few of the many options in this fast-paced field.

Medical Doctor

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the average medical doctor will make around $80 per hour. That’s no small salary and, what’s more, career opportunities for this profession are growing faster than the average for professions across the board.

Doctors may work in a wide variety of different settings and atmospheres. Some will work in public or private hospitals while others will open their own practices or go into practice with other doctors.

Doctors are also needed in nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, and more. While you will likely have to go to school for several years and complete a lengthy training process known as a residency, it’s well worth it if being a doctor is where your heart is at.

Nurse

Registered nurses might not make as much as doctors, but many still find this career path to be quite rewarding.

According to the BLS, nurses can get their start in the field in one of three ways. The first option is to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing, which will take the average person around four years to complete.

Others instead opt for an associate’s degree, usually earned from a community college or online school in around two years or less. The third option is to complete training with an approved nursing program and receive a diploma.

In addition to educational training, nurses also must pass a special examination, which varies from state to state, for licensing. For those who make the cut, the good news is that, as is the case with doctors, opportunities within this field are growing faster than the norm.

Physician’s Assistant

If you want a career in the medical field without subjecting yourself to years of schooling and all of the costs that can go along with that, you might want to consider becoming a physician’s assistant.

Your job is essentially to be a doctor’s right hand man (or woman). The BLS lists related duties as practicing general medicine under the supervision of a doctor or surgeon, examining patients, diagnostics, and general treatments.

And, just like the other two options we’ve discussed, career opportunities are expanding—in this case even more rapidly than the opportunities for doctors and nurses.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

Another good option for those who want to work in the medical field with minimal training is to become an emergency medical technician or EMT.

As of 2010, the BLS lists the average pay for these positions as $30,360 per year—quite nice for a job that doesn’t require a degree!

Of course, the work is demanding and challenging so it’s not for everyone, but those who want to save lives and are up to the challenge will likely find a rewarding career path.