Why Should I Consider a Career in Healthcare?

Are you still unsure of what kind of career you want? If you want to make a difference in your community and be in a booming industry with plenty of growth opportunities—healthcare may be your calling. However, not just anyone can work in healthcare. Some healthcare positions require specialized training and education.

Learn all the benefits of entering the healthcare industry and how you can get proper certification and training at facilities near you.

What Is Allied Healthcare?

An allied healthcare role means you’ll be a medical professional responsible for delivering health or related services to your community. Most of the jobs in allied health are health-related and may include dental hygienists, dietitians, physician assistants, medical assistants, and plenty more.

Allied healthcare professionals serve important roles mainly in preventative treatment, lifestyles, wellness, and disease prevention. As an allied health professional, you could find opportunities in various healthcare settings:

• Nursing homes
• Hospitals
• Home care agencies
• Physical rehab facilities

Benefits of Pursuing an Allied Healthcare Career

Flexibility

A career in allied healthcare is bursting at the seams with opportunity. There are more health-related jobs in allied healthcare than in nearly any other job type in the healthcare field. That means you can pursue several avenues as an advanced practice professional. But the flexibility doesn’t stop there—you’ll also have the chance to choose the type of facility or setting you want to work in and the location.

Job Satisfaction

Everyone wants a job where they feel accomplished and engaged. That’s exactly what you can expect from a career as an allied healthcare professional. You’ll be making an impact on the lives of patients every day—not something other professions can say. It’s hard to be unhappy when you see the smile on a patient’s face as you work with them.

Career Security

Many of the roles you can pursue as an allied health professional are in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall healthcare employment is projected to grow 13 percent over the next decade. That’s two million new roles opening in that time frame. The toughest choice will be narrowing them down to the one you want.

Great Pay and Benefits

Healthcare jobs are widely known for being lucrative. Some people only associate earning higher wages in this field with being a doctor, nurse, or surgeon. However, there are plenty of allied health professions that pay well and come with benefits like health insurance, dental, and more.

You Can Find a Health Career That Fits Your Educational Plans

Despite what you may have heard or know about the healthcare industry, not every job requires four, eight, or even 12 years of specialized training and education. You can find rewarding careers that only require six to nine months of training. Once you have the training you need, you can pursue the job you’ve always wanted and start making an impact in your community.

You Can Get Help To Pay For School

Education is important to growing your career—money should not be a barrier to that. However, people often put off getting the education and training they want because they think they can’t afford it. Before giving up on your pursuits, check out scholarship opportunities or financial aid assistance from the program you want to attend.

You Will Do Work That Interests You

Part of what makes working in an allied health occupation interesting is the variety of engaging tasks you’ll do. Want to work in a small practice or a major hospital? Does cleaning teeth or mending bones pique your interest? The range of possibilities is only limited by what you want to do.

You’ll Make a Difference in People’s Lives

Imagine a job where you get to go home every day knowing you made a difference. Allied healthcare professionals know this feeling, and it’s part of what makes it such a fulfilling experience. Yes, money and job security are important—but knowing you provided care for patients gives you a sense of purpose.

Skills You’ll Learn in Allied Health Programs

Communication

As an allied health professional, you’ll need to be patient and calm when working with patients and their families. You’ll also be assisting other healthcare professionals and making important information available when needed. Written and verbal communication are vital to keeping everyone on the same page and patients in the know.

Teamwork

No healthcare facility is run by a single person. It takes a collective effort to ensure patients can recover or get the treatment they need. Your role as an allied health professional will be asked to take on various tasks that ensure patients enjoy as comfortable and pleasant a stay as possible. The better you can support your team, the better outcome for patients.

Adapt to Varied Job Tasks

Every day brings something different for allied health professionals—it’s part of what makes the job so interesting. You’ll see a variety of patients and be asked to do different things depending on what patients or other healthcare professionals need. It can be a little unpredictable, but that keeps it fun and interesting.

How Has COVID-19 Changed the Medical Industry?

Saying COVID-19 had an impact on the healthcare industry feels like an understatement. The pandemic sparked an even greater need for the overall healthcare industry, including the allied healthcare field.

Of course, you may be concerned with your health or safety working in this industry due to the pandemic. However, all types of healthcare organizations and facilities have put in safety precautions and measures to protect their workers.

Enroll in Medical Training Programs

With all of the advantages and reasons you should become an allied healthcare professional, you’re probably looking for a way to get the training you need to find new opportunities. Look no further than Erie Institute of Technology’s Medical Programs. We offer two paths to allied healthcare training. You can pursue Medical Billing and Coding training, which you can complete in as little as nine months. Or look into becoming a Phlebotomy Technician, which you can complete in as little as six months.

Ready to find out if a healthcare career is right for you? Explore our programs and see everything EIT offers students, including job placement assistance and financial aid.