When people think of healthcare professions, often the first professionals that come to mind are doctors and nurses. However, there are many other exciting medical careers to consider in addition to working as a physician or a nurse.
Below are a few of the best medical careers that often are overlooked when considering a health career. Like many healthcare careers, these medical careers are very rewarding and exciting in a number of ways. Many offer competitive salaries and many other perks.
Cardiac perfusionists assist surgeons with open heart surgery. Perfusionists operate the machine that pumps the patient's blood while the heart is stopped for surgery. The career offers excellent pay (about $70,000-$90,000), and requires a bachelor's degree plus completion of an accredited training program in clinical cardiac perfusion.
Yes the practice of dance therapy does exist, and if you love dance, and want to make an impact on the health and well-being of others, a career as a dance movement therapist may be a great option for you. Dance therapy requires a master's degree, and the pay is not as high as some other master's level health careers. However, the career is so unique and rewarding for people who love dance, that it warrants inclusion on this list.
Like dance therapy, many musicians are not aware that there is a way to apply their skills and talents to the healthcare industry. Music can help heal in a number of ways, and music therapists are trained to treat a variety of types of patients and help them with cognitive skills, speech, mobility, depression, and more.
Phlebotomy in and of itself is not often a career per se, but more of a skill. There are some people who solely work as phlebotomists (they draw blood from patients, for use in lab testing, etc.). However, most people start out learning phlebotomy and then parlay that into other careers, as phlebotomists only earn about $7.00-$9.00 per hour. Therefore, many phlebotomists will later become nurses or medical assistants who also are phlebotomists.
They don't clean teeth or take x-rays. Dental technicians work behind the scenes, never seen by patients. Someone has to make the crowns, bridges, and caps that are put on patients' teeth, and dental technicians are the professionals toiling away in a dental lab, manufacturing the pieces and parts that are used to repair or replace natural teeth.
Although they obtain the same doctorate level degree as pharmacists (PharmD), pharmacologists have a different role than pharmacists. If you are interested in the research and development of pharmaceutical drugs, more so than selling or dispensing the drugs to patients from behind the drug store counter, a career as a pharmacologist may be for you.
Medical science liaisons are often former clinicians. However if you are a former clinician or if you have a clinical degree and are seeking a career that is more sales and consulting and educating than clinical, a career as a medical science liaison could be a great option for you.
Dosimetrists work with the radiation oncology team to help treat cancer patients via radiation therapy.
