Healthcare Offers Varied, Plentiful Opportunities

You've watched "ER," "Scrubs" and "Grey's Anatomy," and you've followed the careers of the often glamorous physicians who spend their time diagnosing rare diseases and performing tricky surgical procedures.

Now turn off the TV and take a look at healthcare as it really is: an industry that offers all workers - not just physicians - almost limitless possibilities for career growth and development.

A Dynamic Industry

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 16 percent of all new wage and salary jobs created between 2002 and 2012 will be in health services. Most healthcare workers are employed in professional and service occupations. Together these account for 75 percent of jobs in the industry.

Professionals include physicians, dentists, medical social workers, clinical laboratory scientists and others with a bachelor's or an advanced degree in a specialized field. Registered nurses are the exception, since many begin their careers with two-year associate degrees.

Technical professionals, such as radiological technologists, usually complete a two-year degree. These workers operate technical equipment and assist with diagnosis and treatment. Also in demand are workers trained in healthcare information technology.

Service workers, such as nursing assistants, home health aides and personal attendants, help care for sick, disabled or frail elderly persons at home or in facilities like nursing homes. These entry-level jobs require minimal education. But they can be the first rung on a career ladder to better-paying work.

About 18 percent of healthcare jobs are in office or administrative support. Another 5 percent are found in management,business and financial operations.

"This is a dynamic industry that continues to evolve. Many new jobs will be created, including some we don't know about yet," says Trudy Knoepke-Campbell, director of workforce planning at HealthEast Care System.

Flexibility And Advancement

Although most healthcare workers are women, more men are entering the field - often as nurses. Many mature workers also find satisfying second careers in healthcare. And as patients become more diverse, the industry is actively recruiting more people of color or varied ethnic backgrounds. Healthcare offers good wages and benefits, as well as a great deal of flexibility. "There are an incredible number of part-time jobs. It's often possible to work between 24 and 32 hours a week and still be eligible for benefits," Knoepke-Campbell says.

Younger workers may work full time for a few years, cut back while they raise children or go back to school, return to a full-time schedule and then cut back again as they approach retirement. "Healthcare is probably the only industry that allows workers to adjust their hours throughout their career," Knoepke-Campbell says.

Healthcare also offers opportunities for advancement. Workers may qualify for on-the-job training in advanced or specialized procedures. Or they may take advantage of educational reimbursement or scholarships to continue their education. "Some nursing assistants have completed a two-year degree in nursing and then returned to school for a four-year degree," Knoepke-Campbell says. "It takes dedication and hard work, but it's definitely doable."

But perhaps the best reason to choose a career in healthcare is that the work is satisfying. "This isn't about making and selling widgets," Knoepke-Campbell says. "Our jobs have a positive impact on people's health and lives."