If you are interested in working in the medical field, but you do not want to have to go through many years of schooling, there are still some great opportunities for you. Check out a few of your job options other than doctors or nurses when it comes to working in the medical field below.
- Medical Assistant – A medical assistant is someone who works in a doctor’s office, hospital, or another healthcare facility. They work to assist doctors and nurses with administrative tasks as well as clinical ones. For example, a medical assistant might spend their time scheduling patient appointments and checking patients in. They also might record patient history, measure patient vital signs, and prepare patient samples for lab tests. There are a lot of different duties for someone working as a medical assistant, and it can be a fast-paced environment. However, this can also be a rewarding job because medical assistants are helping others with their health. There will also be a growing need for employment of medical assistants because of the increasing growth of the aging population. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says employment of medical assistants is supposed to grow 29 percent between 2016 and 2026.
- Patient Care Technician – A patient care technician is someone who works to provide care for patients in long-term healthcare facilities. In this position, job duties will include helping patients with daily needs, communicating with patients about their medical concerns, performing patient rounds, and performing basic medical care. Your exact job duties will depend on the specific facility that you are working in, but job duties could range from helping patients to eat and bathe to performing duties like drawing blood or using EKG machines. This type of position can be similar to a medical assistant, but as a patient care technician, you will spend more time with patients.
- Pharmacy Technician – Being a pharmacy technician might not be the first position you think of when you think of working in the medical field. A pharmacy technician does not work in a doctor’s office, but they work to help sick people get the prescription medications that they need. A pharmacy tech assists a pharmacist in collecting and filling prescriptions as well as handing out prescriptions to customers. They also handle the organization of medical inventory and the labeling of prescription medication. A pharmacy technician works with pharmacists as well as doctors and nurses. They also are focused on helping customers understand their prescription medication. A pharmacy technician program can be completed in under a year, so it is a job in the healthcare field that does not require a long education. Also, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2016 to 2026 employment of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow twelve percent.
Does any of these job options sound like a good opportunity for you? Patient care technicians are focused on helping patients, while medical assistants and pharmacy technicians help others, but also perform a lot of administrative tasks. However, none of these options require you to have years of schooling, so they could be a great start to your career.
Furthering Your Career with Post-Secondary Education
Becoming a doctor or a nurse takes years of schooling. Doctors, in particular, need an undergraduate education as well as four years of medical school. After they complete that, they need to complete residency training for at least three years. That is a lot of education to even get started on your career. Fortunately, there are some great jobs in the medical field that require a lot less education like the jobs mentioned above. Working as a medical assistant or pharmacy technician does require some education and medical knowledge, but not nearly as much time as being a doctor. You can attend a post-secondary education program that helps you become a medical assistant with just nine months of schooling.
Are you interested in medical assistant school or pharmacy technician school? FVI School of Nursing and Technology has a program for both of these job options. You can complete these programs in just nine months, and then, you can be pursuing your career in the medical field. Visit our website if you want to learn more about medical assistant school. This type of job could be a great way to get a start in the medical field without spending all your time in school. Medical assistants can help doctors, nurses, and patients, and there is a growing need for people in this profession. Reach out to us at FVI School of Nursing and Technology if you have any questions about any of our programs.
For more information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website:
https://fvi.edu/consumer-information/