If you’ve wondered about a career in healthcare but being a doctor or a nurse doesn’t appeal to you, you may want to consider a career as an allied health professional. Allied health professionals include medical assistants, pharmacy techs, physical therapists, radiographers, speech-language pathologists, emergency medical technicians and many other professionals that work in the healthcare field. Typically, allied health professionals have received some type of post-secondary education or training, which could be anything from a certificate to a doctoral degree. Utilizing specialized training and knowledge, allied healthcare professionals work in hospitals, clinics, emergency rooms, urgent care centers, assisted living facilities and many other settings. Sound intriguing? Here are four great reasons you should consider a career as an allied health professional.
- Allied Health Professionals Fulfill a Purpose of Caring for Others
Maybe you wish you could pursue a career helping others in the medical field, but you are squeamish when it comes to needles and blood. In your career as an allied health professional, you’ll play an important role in helping others through the identification, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of acute and chronic diseases and disorders; provision of dietary and nutrition services; rehabilitation services; or the management and operation of health systems. You could work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehab or assisted living facilities, urgent care centers, diagnostic and imaging centers, or schools. Because allied health professionals spend their days helping others, they consistently report the high job satisfaction
- Allied Health Professionals Can Expect Above Average Career Stability
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for healthcare professionals is expected to grow 13 percent in the decade between 2021 to 2031, which is much faster than the average growth for all occupations. The BLS further projects nearly two million openings per year in healthcare as workers retire or leave the profession for other reasons. If you’re looking for a career that can always provide you with stable employment opportunities, working as an allied health professional should be at the top of your list. Here are some job growth projections through 2031 for several in-demand allied health professionals:
- Dietician 7%
- Medical Assistant 16%
- Physical Therapist 17%
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) 7%
- Speech-Language Therapist 21%
- Occupational Therapist 14%
- Radiographer or Radiologic Technologist 6%
- Respiratory Therapist 14%
- Dental Assistant 8%
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) 16%
- Allied Health Professionals Enjoy Excellent Compensation
An allied health professional salary can vary widely depending on several factors, including the specific location of the job and the experience level of an individual employee. That said, allied health professionals can still enjoy excellent compensation and benefits packages. Additionally, many allied health job opportunities offer flexible schedules, tuition reimbursement and other perks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the median salaries of some of the most popular allied health professions:
- Dietician $61,650
- Medical Assistant $37,190
- Physical Therapist $95,620
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) $36,930
- Speech-Language Therapist $79,060
- Occupational Therapist $85,570
- Radiographer or Radiologic Technologist $61,980
- Respiratory Therapist $61,830
- Dental Assistant $38,660
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) $37,190
- Allied Health Professionals Can Live and Work Anywhere
Perhaps one of the single greatest reasons to choose a career as an allied health professional is the flexibility to be able to live and work wherever you desire. If you want to explore a variety of clinical settings and geographical locations, you might consider an opportunity as an allied travel professional. If you already know where you want to live, you are very likely to secure employment in that location. However, if sometime in the future you decide to move to a new city or state, the chances of finding a great opportunity at that location will also be excellent.
Ready to get started in an allied health care career or just want to know what’s currently available? Check out our opportunities for allied health professionals.
