Healthcare programs are the hot educational commodity right now as young and adult learners alike search for training for secure, high-demand, and high-paying job. The aging baby boomer population is one of the many reasons healthcare is booming, and hospitals, private practitioners, pharmacies, and other healthcare locales are hiring faster than the graduates can turn out – for pay that keeps up with the rising costs of student loans.
Some of the other exciting reasons healthcare education and jobs are the hot market:
- Advancement of technology requires more trained workers
- Hospital budgets are calling for more nurses, assistants, and other support roles in place of doctors
- Rural populations are growing and in need of healthcare professionals
- Healthcare reform is making healthcare insurance accessible, and spiking the demand as healthcare insurance plans are put to use
With this kind of job security, high pay, and guaranteed career growth, students are heading leaps and bounds towards the healthcare industry. But there's one massive question every aspiring healthcare worker has to tackle:
What healthcare career should I go to school for?
The following are Five Nursing and Healthcare Degree Programs to get you started on your ideal education and career search.
- Registered Nurse Associate Degree. The beauty to the registered nurse, which can be pursued through an associate degree or vocational training, is that you can later go back to school in an RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) or RN to MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) program to further your educational and professional goals. Registered nurses are also in huge demand, especially in rural regions.
- Medical Billing and Coding Associate Degree. Another one-to-two-year-program, medical billing and coding specialists are taking over the healthcare job market with expertise in medical terminology, administrative duties, and accounting.
- Healthcare Administration Master Degree. If you've already acquired your bachelor degree in a field that seems useless in today's competitive job market, consider an MBA in Healthcare Administration. This specialized master degree program opens the doors to managerial positions in the rewarding and high-demand healthcare industry.
- Medical Assistant Associate Degree. Medical assistants, like nurses, work hand-to-hand with doctors in daily medical functions. They often take on clerical roles. You can start your medical assistant career in as little as 18 months with most associate degree or career school options.
- Physical Therapist Assistant Bachelor Degree. Accredited physical therapy bachelor degree programs are perfect for starting physical therapy assistant careers, and they can later turn to master or doctoral degree programs for an individual physical therapy practice.
This only scrapes the surface of literally hundreds of healthcare career options available. If healthcare sounds like an exciting career path for you, consider one of these five or many other healthcare degree programs available!
