Interesting Facts To Know About Medical Jobs

By Adriana Noton

Because Americans are living longer lives and the baby boomer generation is getting older and requiring more health care, there are many medical jobs in demand. As demand for health care grows, there are more people needed to provide medical care as well as perform the administrative functions that go along with it. Whether you are looking for an entry level job or are considering what kind of medical degree to pursue, you will find many choices in the health care field.

Physician assistants are becoming more common in doctors offices and this job field continues to grow very fast. This person performs many of the same tasks that the physician does, but they work under the doctors supervision. You can become a physician assistant in approximately two to three years. The duties that assistants can do varies from state to state. Some are able to write prescriptions without a doctors signature while others cannot.

As the health industry grows, there is becoming a need for more medical secretaries. A medical secretary does administrative tasks and can find employment in doctors offices, clinics, hospitals and nursing homes. A degree or certification is not required to be a medical secretary, but as the job market becomes more competitive, the person who has taken some medical secretary classes will have the edge. You will also need to have good office skills.

For hospitalist jobs like medical assistants, they handle some clerical duties like a secretary, but they also perform some basic procedures. The assistant may take a patients temperature, blood pressure and medical history. They may also draw blood for lab testing. It will take approximately ten to eighteen months to become a medical assistant.

As the demand for more health care grows, there is a need for more physicians, surgeons and nurses to treat patients. Aspiring doctors and surgeons can plan on spending eleven to sixteen years in college, post college and residency training. It takes four years to become a registered nurse and one to two years to be a licensed practical or licensed vocational nurse.

There has also become a greater need for more pharmacists. Much of the college education that is required for a pharmacist is the same as a doctor, but a pharmacist can receive their degree in about eight years. Also working in pharmacies are technicians and assistants. The pharmacy tech assists the pharmacist and works under their supervision. Some pharmacies will not require a technician to be certified, but they usually desire someone certified to fill this position. To be a pharmacy assistant, you should have good customer service skills as you are the first contact person the public sees. A pharmacy assistant job is usually entry level.

Some jobs in the health care field can be done from home. Although many are employed in traditional health care settings, some medical billers and medical transcriptionists work from their home. Completing training and working in an office setting as a biller will help you hone the skills you will need to be successful working as a biller out of your home. In order to become a medical transcriptionist, you will need to complete training and you need to have a good understanding of medical terminology. People that are medical transcriptionists can work in offices or from home.

During a time when many jobs are going away, many medical jobs are becoming available. Those who are looking for their first job as well as people wanting or needing to make a career change will find many choices available to them in the health care field. It is simply a matter of finding the job that suits your talent and the schooling that you have or are willing to obtain.

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