4 Unique Jobs in Healthcare That Don’t Require an MD or Ph.D
You might assume that you must have a medical degree to work in healthcare, but that could not be farther from the truth. There are many employment options available in the healthcare industry, whether you want to work directly with patients or not. Here are four jobs in healthcare that don’t require an MD or Ph.D.
1. Medical Biller And Medical Coder
You don’t necessarily need to work with patients to work in healthcare. There are many support positions available at hospitals, clinics and other places that offer healthcare. These positions are meant to keep healthcare facilities running efficiently. They include medical billers and coders, hospital managers, orderlies and receptionists. A medical biller or coder, for example, is in charge of data accuracy and ensuring billing runs smoothly. There are several education options for such positions. Some, such as orderly and receptionist positions, may not require post-secondary degrees. Others, such as billing and coding, may require them and you can find medical coding online courses or courses at traditional universities and colleges.
2. Orthotist and Prosthetist
Another position not directly involved with providing medical care is the orthotist and prosthetist. This person designs, develops and builds prosthetics and related medical devices, such as braces. He or she may develop mass-produced medical devices or work directly with patients to create custom ones. A master’s degree and an accredited residency are required to become an orthotist and prosthetist. Depending on the state in which you live, you may also need a license.
3. Nurse Midwife
There are several types of nursing positions. One of these is the nurse midwife. The most commonly known service a nurse midwife provides is delivering a baby, but nurse midwives specialize in female healthcare, similar to OB-GYNs, which means they can also provide primary care to women and newborns, assist in women’s healthcare emergencies, provide gynecological healthcare and offer prenatal planning and care. They are considered advanced-practice registered nurses, which means they must have nursing licenses to become certified midwives.
4. Home Health Worker
It’s becoming more common for people to want to age at home, rather than move to assisted living facilities. To meet this demand, home health worker positions are increasingly common. A home health worker or aide’s role is to check a person’s vitals, assist in administering medication and provide help with daily tasks as needed. Most of these positions require only a high school diploma to qualify.
5. Genetic Counselor
As genetic research and testing methods improve, genetic counseling has a larger role in healthcare. These positions require master’s degrees in genetics or genetic counseling and genetic counseling certification. Genetic counselors work with individuals and families and their healthcare providers to assess their genetic risk factors and provide advice or information about risks of birth defects, genetic disorders and predispositions toward illnesses such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Always consider your strengths and weaknesses when choosing a career. If you don’t feel comfortable with certain aspects of medicine but still want to find work in the industry, consider options that will allow you to avoid them. For example, if you dislike needles, you could choose to be a pharmacist or physical therapist.