Teenage boys are writing off health care jobs in droves, says Registered Nurse Elaine Hermann. “Right away they assume ‘jobs for women,’” she said, but it’s all a big misunderstanding. There are many jobs beyond nurses or doctors, in fact. These hidden health care jobs do not require scrubs, stethoscopes or scalpels, Hermann says. She recently assembled a “Men In Health Care” panel to encourage teenage high school boys to consider one of the promising health care jobs that are available to them.
- Microbiologists
After getting your Bachelor of Science degree, participating in a one-year internship and passing a national test, you will be ready to culture specimens to see what’s growing. Some microbiologists look at a patient’s blood, while others may culture retail products to ensure bacteria is not growing in the sample.
- Medical Social Workers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 54 percent of social work jobs are in healthcare. Some people can get health care jobs in this field with just a Bachelor’s, although Master’s are becoming more common. These workers help people transition in and out of the hospital, order at-home medical services, and network with local programs to assist people in accessing funds to care for themselves, medically. Medical social workers often earn in excess of $100,000 a year.
- Occupational Therapists
Help patients recover from surgery, injury or disability. Work on restoring mobility and assisting people in retraining their bodies to get dressed, take a shower, get out of bed, and perform essential daily tasks. Occupational therapists can earn up to $80,000 to start and work flexible schedules.
Hermann says other “hidden” health care jobs include:
- Cardio-pulmonary therapist
- Radiologist
- Lab Assistant
- Medical Interpreter / Translator
- Bioengineering
- Dietician
- Medical Software Analysts
- Medical Surgical Unit Nurses
- Pharmacist
- Procurement and Supplies Manager
- Healthcare Administrator
- Physical Therapist
- Speech Therapist
And these are only the “tip of the iceberg,” she says.