Whether you’re already in a healthcare role, training towards one, or you want to make a pivot and consider a role in this sector, you don’t have to start with lengthy training and education plans.
There are various healthcare roles that can be completed in short time frames, and for those pivoting from another career, these can be worth considering so you can use skills you already have and experience to help you jump in and make a new career for yourself.
Let’s take a look at some healthcare roles worth considering if a career change is on the cards.
Medical Assistant
As a medical assistant, you’ll work in clinics and with physicians to handle both clinical and administrative tasks. This can include taking vitals, preparing patients for examinations, drawing blood, and managing schedules and records.
For training, you’re looking at a 9-12-month program, you’ll get real-world hands-on experience, so if you’re moving from a customer-facing role, you’ll likely already have many great communication skills that will help you out. The same applies to those with an administrative background, as you’ll be working with this side of things too.
Dental Hygienist
Again, a role that works great for people who like working with others and want some variety to their day. As a dental hygienist, you’ll be cleaning teeth, taking X-rays, and examining patients for signs of oral disease.
You’ll need an associate degree for this role, which does take around 2 years. However, for a new career, there’s great earning potential here, and it’s a role with genuine autonomy. Hygienists largely work independently within their appointments and build long-term relationships with patients. Plus, demand in this sector is generally stable too.
Healthcare Administration
Not every healthcare role is directly involved in patient care. And if you still want a move into the sector but without working with patients face-to-face, then a role in the administrative use of things might be worth considering.
Healthcare administrators handle the more operational side of things. It’s managing staff, overseeing budgets, ensuring facilities meet regulatory standards, and keeping things running day to day.
If this sounds more up your street or in line with skills you already have, then healthcare programs cover the business and management side of healthcare. And this is a great role for anyone coming from a finance, HR, or similar background.
Radiologic Technologist
Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging — X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, etc., and they work directly with patients and physicians to produce images used in diagnosis and treatment planning.
Associate programs will generally take around two years and include both classroom and clinical components. It is a technically demanding role, and it’s at that intersection of patient care and medical equipment, and there’s the opportunity to move into more specialized fields from here, too.
Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory therapists assess and treat patients with breathing disorders. This means you can expect to work with people in hospital settings, clinics, and at home for conditions such as asthma, COPD, and sleep apnea.
You’ll need an associate degree; this is a standard entry point, and it takes about two years to complete. But it is a sector that has seen rising demand in recent years, so it’s worth considering if you want a healthcare role for your next career move.
