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Healthcare Degrees
In a world increasingly centered on health and well-being, there’s a pressing need for competent and knowledgeable professionals in healthcare. Whether your passion lies in prevention, diagnosis, therapy, or combating diseases, a wide range of degree options are available.
Dental Assistant
As one of the first points of contact in a dental clinic, the Dental Assistant ensures patients are at ease from the moment they walk in. They pave the way for a smooth appointment by calming nerves and prepping both the patient and the environment. Their responsibilities span from keeping the instruments sterile, organizing the necessary tools, crafting dental molds, to taking vital x-rays and more. Their role is pivotal to the everyday flow of a dental practice.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Ensure patient comfort during dental procedures
- Set up patients and the treatment area for dental sessions
- Perform dental tool hygiene and sterility
- Assist dentists by handing over the required instruments
- Use suction equipment and other devices to dry the oral area
- Provide guidelines to patients on effective dental maintenance
- Supervise x-ray developments and lab activities as directed by the dentist
- Maintain a log of dental care procedures
- Coordinate patient’s future dental appointments
- Manage billing and payment arrangements with patients
| 2023 Median Pay | $46,540 per year / $22.38 per hour | |
| Number of Jobs, 2022 | 371,000 | |
| Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 7% (Faster than average) | |
| Employment Change 2022-32 | 25,700 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become a Dental Assistant
Most states do not stipulate licensing prerequisites for budding dental assistants. However, specific states necessitate licenses, registration, or certifications for entry or upward movement in this profession. States permitting a broader role, like coronal polishing, ask for official credentials, either through licensing, registration, or the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification. Earning the DANB certification requires passing an examination. This certification has foundational requisites: graduation from a recognized program or holding a high school diploma followed by the stipulated work experience. All applicants should possess a valid CPR certification.
Medical Assistant Certificate in RMA, CPT, NCICS and CET
Medical assistants stand as the backbone of any physician’s office, initiating patient interactions at the reception with warm welcomes, streamlined appointment scheduling, and meticulous record management. By delivering consistently positive experiences, they are key to leaving a positive first and last impression on patients. Beyond the desk, they perform clinical tasks like taking detailed patient histories, recording vital signs, readying patients for appointments, and extending support to doctors.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Manage patient scheduling
- Administer medical archives, billing details, and insurance coding protocols
- Record vital signs and health histories
- Ensure patients are examination-ready, handling activities like blood draws
- Dispense medications based on physician’s directives
| 2023 Median Pay | $42,000 per year / $20.19 per hour | |
| Number of Jobs, 2022 | 764,400 | |
| Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 14% (Much faster than average) | |
| Employment Change 2022-32 | 105,900 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become a Medical Assistant
Prospective medical assistants typically undergo a structured training program, lasting between nine months and two years. After high school graduation, they must undergo dedicated training for medical assistance and then aim for certifications like RMA (Registered Medical Assistant), CPT® (Current Procedural Terminology code set to bill outpatient & office procedures), NCICS (National Certified Insurance and Coding Specialist), or CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) to enhance their professional stance.
Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians are crucial to the healthcare industry, playing a pivotal role in helping fill prescriptions for patients. Embarking on this career mandates mastering both medical terminology and intricate pharmaceutical calculations. By diving deep into patient care, charges and reimbursements, and the ethical dimensions of the pharmacy world, you’re equipped to ace national certifications and commence a fulfilling career.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Gather requisite information for prescription fulfillment from customers or practitioners
- Accurately measure medication dosages for prescriptions
- Neatly package and label prescribed medicines
- Maintain a vigilant eye on inventory levels, alerting pharmacists of potential shortages
- Facilitate payment collections for prescriptions and execute insurance claim processes
- Input customer data and prescription details into the dedicated computer systems
- Address incoming customer calls efficiently
- Arrange consultative interactions between customers and pharmacists for medical queries
| 2023 Median Pay | $40,300 per year / $19.37 per hour | |
| Number of Jobs, 2022 | 459,600 | |
| Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 6% (Faster than average) | |
| Employment Change 2022-32 | 25,900 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians will first need a high school diploma or GED. Much of their education comes from on-the-job training, and the completion of a program in pharmacy technology. Lots of states regulate pharmacy technicians and licensure/certification, so passing an exam or completing a formal education or training program may be required.
Medical Records and Health Information Specialists
Want to get into healthcare but you’re leaning towards the administrative side of things? Medical Coding and Billing may be right for you. A medical billing and coding specialist is a crucial role in healthcare – ensuring practices maintain records and properly track their patients’ healthcare coverage. Medical coders and billers record ensure details about each patient’s diagnosis and procedures are submitted properly to insurance companies for timely and accurate reimbursement.
Role & Responsibility
- Manage, organize, and assign codes to healthcare information
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2022 Median Pay | $47,180 per year / $22.69 per hour |
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Work Experience in Related Occupation | None |
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Number of Jobs, 2022 | 194,300 |
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Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 8% (Faster than average) |
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Employment Change 2022-32 | 16,500 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become a Medical Assistant
To begin as a specialist in medical records and health information, most candidates secure a postsecondary certificate. Yet, there are scenarios where a high school diploma suffices. Aiming for an associate’s degree or higher, coupled with relevant certification can open up more doors for career advancement.
Healthcare Administration Bachelor of Science
Driving the ever-evolving wheel of medical care, Healthcare Administrators play a pivotal role. Whether it’s charting healthcare strategies within a large hospital, managing the intricacies of a nursing home, or helming community health projects, their role is diverse and crucial. They skillfully juggle tasks, ranging from fiscal foresight to streamlining team meetings, and hiring to comprehensive staff training. Staying attuned to healthcare transformations, they prioritize community well-being, striving for healthcare excellence.
Role & Responsibility
- Frame departmental milestones and ambitions
- Uphold compliance with regulatory norms and updates
- Enhance the quality and seamlessness of healthcare delivery
- Hire, mentor, and direct staff personnel
- Govern the financial aspects, including healthcare billing
- Draft and allocate workforce timetables
- Establish and review budgetary constraints, preventing excess expenditure
- Participate in board meetings and liaise with investors
- Record and analyze metrics such as bed utilization
- Communicate vital updates to the medical cohort and department chiefs
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2022 Median Pay | $104,830 per year / $50.40 per hour |
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Work Experience in Related Occupation | Less than 5 years |
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Number of Jobs, 2022 | 509,500 |
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Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 28% (Much faster than average) |
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Employment Change 2022-32 | 144,700 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become a Medical Assistant
Prospective Healthcare Administrators commonly start with a bachelor’s degree, but a master’s degree is becoming increasingly prevalent. Hands-on experience in either an administrative or clinical role, preferably within a healthcare setting like a hospital, is a significant accelerator for their career trajectory.
Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
In the grand tapestry of healthcare, LPNs are the threads that bring comfort, care, and compassion. Their role is multifaceted, encompassing both the clinical and administrative aspects of patient care. From monitoring a patient’s health metrics to ensuring their comfort, LPNs play a vital role in maintaining the well-being of those they serve, making them indispensable in diverse healthcare settings.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Regularly assess patients’ health parameters, such as blood pressure readings
- Provide foundational patient care, from bandage replacements to catheter insertions
- Ensure patients’ basic comfort, assisting in activities like bathing or dressing
- Engage in constructive dialogues about the care being delivered and address patients’ queries
- Diligently report patients’ conditions and concerns to registered nurses and physicians
- Maintain meticulous records pertaining to patients’ health status
| 2023 Median Pay | $59,730 per year / $28.72 per hour | |
| Number of Jobs, 2022 | 655,000 | |
| Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 5% (Faster than average) | |
| Employment Change 2022-32 | 34,900 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become a Licenses Practical Nurse
Aspiring LPNs undergo training through educational programs approved by the state, typically lasting around a year. Post-training, they must acquire a license to practice in a healthcare setting. LPNs can also go on to become registered nurses if they choose to continue their education.
Registered Nursing (RN) Degree
Registered nurses’ duties and responsibilities can vary depending on what specialty they work in. An intensive care nurse, for example, works with critical care patients while a pediatric nurse works with children. Registered nurses can work in multiple areas and get trained to advance in the field.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Check out how patients are doing and assess their condition.
- Jot down medical histories and any symptoms patients share
- Keep an eye on patients and note down what you see
- Give out medications and treatments as needed
- Make care plans or add to what’s already there
- Team up with doctors and other medical folks for the best care
- Handle and keep an eye on medical equipment
- Help with tests and make sense of the results
- Show patients and families the ropes on managing sickness or injuries
- Give the lowdown on aftercare once they’re home
| 2023 Median Pay | $86,070 per year / $41.38 per hour | |
| Number of Jobs, 2022 | 3,172,500 | |
| Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 6% (Faster than average) | |
| Employment Change 2022-32 | 177,400 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
How to become a Registered Nurse
Thinking of becoming a registered nurse? There are a few ways to get there. At minimum you’ll need an associate’s degree. A bachelor’s degree will be needed to continue your career advancement. After finishing your program, you’ll need to take an exam and get licensed before hitting the floor as an RN.