Medical insurance executives earn an average of $584,000 a year while general doctors earn $185,000.
Hospital executives and administrators also average a significantly higher salary than physicians.
Many of the highest paid jobs in the healthcare industry are filled by non-physicians.
The healthcare industry continues to grow and the increasing demand for non-clinical positions means higher salaries.
Healthcare managers and executives are in especially high demand and these position offer salaries rivaling physicians.
Non-clinical positions are vital to the healthcare industry because even though they do not work with patients directly, they work together with clinical workers to provide top-notch patient care.
You don’t have to go to medical school or be a doctor to have an important role in the medical field. There are many positions in healthcare with varying levels of educational requirements and salary.
Keep reading for more information on some of the top non-physician medical careers in healthcare to see what might work for you.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists work in retail, hospital, or research settings as an expert on the use and safety of prescription medications.
Pharmacists work with physicians in the development of new pharmaceutical drugs and in the care of specific patients to make sure they are using the best medications and doing so properly.
Pharmacists are the experts on medications. While physicians are the experts when it comes to diagnosing the patient, pharmacists know the most about the medications used to treat them.
Pharmacists are required to have a Pharm. D., which is a 4-year professional degree. This is one of the harder jobs to obtain on the list of medical careers.
Nurse Anesthetist
A nurse anesthetist is an RN who can administer anesthesia during medical procedures including surgery.
This designation requires a graduate level-education and board certification in anesthesia.
They can work in doctor’s offices, schools, clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes.
Nurse Midwife
Certified nurse-midwives earn the CNM designations and are RNs who have advanced training to provide care and counseling to women and families trying to conceive and through the process of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
They can also work with certified midwives to provide primary healthcare to women in their reproductive years.
Nurse midwives, like nurse anesthetists, have at least a master’s degree.
Medical Manager/Health Services Manager
These roles are also referred to as healthcare executives.
Healthcare executives consistently top the list of medical careers because they are instrumental in the administrative aspects of healthcare including coordinating, directing, and planning healthcare services.
They can be in charge of an entire facility from a physician group to a hospital or they can manage one specific area or department.
Their areas of expertise including healthcare law and regulations, compliance, and technological advances in the industry.
They are required to hold a bachelor’s degree but can also hold a master’s degree.
Physical Therapist
Physical therapists and physical therapist’s assistants use their skills to help injured patients improve their ability to move and manage their pain.
Physical therapists are perhaps the most important part of rehabilitating from an injury or illness and they also treat chronic conditions and pain.
Physical therapists are required to have a doctoral or professional degree. Physical therapists assistants may hold a lesser degree.
The need for physical therapists is increasing dramatically due to the aging of the baby boomer generation and the increase in chronic conditions among the population including diabetes and obesity.
Speech Pathologist
Speech therapists or speech-language pathologists work with patients to diagnose and treat communication and swallowing disorders.
They work with patients of all different ages to asses and treat their condition.
The types of disorders they treat can arise from a number of causes including brain injuries, strokes, developmental issues, cerebral palsy, cleft palates, and emotional disorders.
Speech therapists hold a master’s degree.
Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory therapists are one of the top medical field jobs because they help patients breathe.
Difficulty breathing from causes ranging from chronic respiratory illnesses to those in the hospital recovering from surgery can be treated by a respiratory therapist.
They treat patients from premature babies with underdeveloped lungs to elderly persons with lung disease.
They are also able to give emergency care to those with cardiac events, heart attacks, and accidents among others.
The educational requirements for this career start at an associate’s degree.
Medical Assistant
Medical assistants are one of the top healthcare jobs and work alongside doctors in outpatient offices to provide care directly to patients.
Medical assistants are in high demand due to the increase in the number of doctor’s offices and outpatient facilities and an increasing number of elderly Americans.
Medical assistants have clinic duties that include taking medical histories, preparing patients for an exam, assisting during the exam, drawing blood, administering medication, sending prescription refills, and acting as a patient liaison. They also perform administrative duties such as answering phones, greeting patients, filing medical records, and scheduling appointments.
Medical Biller and Coder Medical Careers
Medical billers and coders work with healthcare providers, patients, and insurance companies.
They read patient charts to determine medical history and use medical codes to bill insurance providers.
They can work on-site in hospitals and doctor’s offices or can work remotely. They are important for medical practices because they act as a sort of liaison between the provider and the insurance company.
They are also ensuring the patient is properly billed for the care they receive.
Medical coders and billers receive their training at specialized schools either online or in person.
Medical Transcriptionist
Medical transcriptionists have similar training as medical billers and coders.
This job differs in the fact the medical transcriptionists listen to doctor’s dictated diagnoses and treatment plans and write down the necessary codes.
Medical billers and coders reading through actual patient reports determining what codes to use.
For More Career Tips
While these are some of the top medical careers with expected job growth in the near future, there are many other career options.
The medical field is consistently growing due to the aging population and now is a better time than ever to make a career change to the healthcare field.
Whether you are looking to spend some time in school or not there is a career for you in the healthcare field. You don’t have to work directly with patients to have an impact on their lives and health.
For more business and career articles, check out our blog
