Fastest Growing Jobs in Healthcare

According to numerous reports, the following three positions are poised to be the fastest growing jobs in the healthcare industry in the near-term.

Pharmacy Tech (Pharmacy Technician Program)

A pharmacy tech is often the first (or last, depending on whether it is a prescription) medical professional that an individual will talk to before purchasing a medical product. They have a number of important responsibilities, including ensuring that their customers know what product they are purchasing, how it should (and shouldn’t) be used, and that the prescription (if applicable) is legitimate. Pharmacy techs are also responsible for maintaining the pharmacy itself, collecting and reporting information, and many of the other tasks necessary to keep a pharmacy up and running.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technicians make around $29,320 per year (median pay), and there were about 353,300 pharmacy technicians in the United States. Most importantly, however, the job prospects for an individual looking to enter this field are strong, with an estimated 20% growth rate over the next decade (or about 70,700 new jobs).

Medical Assistant Certification

A medical assistant works with other medical staff (particularly physicians) in almost any medical setting (including ambulatory, emergency room, surgery, and outpatient). They are often responsible for a wide range of duties, including administrative/clerical, customer service, and even clinical (e.g. preliminary examinations, drawing blood, changing bandages, etc.).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistants can expect to make about $29,370 on average. As of 2012, there were about 560,800 medical assistants in the United States, and the job outlook for this position is particularly strong, with an estimated 162,900 new positions from 2012 to 2022, which comes out to just under a 30% increase.

Electronic Medical Records Specialist Certifcation

Electronic medical record keeping is an increasingly important job, thanks in large part to new regulations which require medical records to be kept in a secured and digital format. It is one of the most innovative and fastest-growing sectors in the healthcare industry, and is a great place for anyone who enjoys working with technology. EMRs are responsible for ensuring that records are taken, properly maintained and secured, and accessed by the proper individuals at the proper times.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical records and health information technicians earn an average of $34,160 per year. There are currently an estimated 186,300 job openings as of 2012, and it is expected that this number will grow by 41,100 (or 22%) between 2012 and 2022.В

If you are looking into a job in the rapidly-growing healthcare industry, it is worth considering these three positions, as the demand for them is growing at a faster rate than the rest of the economy.

Source

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danmunro/2012/01/19/u-s-healthcare-hits-3-trillion/, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm, http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/job-descriptions/pharmacy-technician-job-description.aspx, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm, http://www.aama-ntl.org/medical-assisting/what-is-a-medical-assistant#.VLMVMMb4tFI, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm, http://www.usfhealthonline.com/resources/career/electronic-medical-record-keeping-job-description-salary/#.VLMWbsb4tFI