Medical Career Trends

Healthcare is seen as a unique and most respected career choice when compared to other areas. For the last few decades, medical jobs have been minimal. For now, there are more than 200 designations available in healthcare sector. Just as the size of the medical field has increased, there have been major strides in medical advancements. It is remembered that in 2003 the number of women outnumbered that of men enrolling in medical schools around the globe.

All the advancements and changes have however not come cheap. The U.S national health spending was below $2 trillion in the year 2006. This article will help you understand the historical medical advancements, medical careers available, and facts about current and former medical positions alongside salary information.

Medical Advancements

Let’s look at a few medical advancements since 460 B.C and how the medical profession is today:

• 460 B.C. - This is the time Hippocrates, who is regarded as the father of western medicine, was born. His oath is present up to date.
• 910 A.D. – This is when a Persian physician suggested that infectious diseases are caused by blood.
•  1200- In this period hospitals and medical schools were built across western Europe
•  1667- the first blood transfusion in a human was performed
•  1709- The first practical thermometer was invented by Fahrenheit
•  1765- The first medical school was open in the United States
• 1796- The first inoculation process was invented to fight smallpox
• 1864- Germs were discovered by Louis Pasteur
•  1895- X-rays were discovered by German physician Wilhelm
•  1967- The first human heart transplant was performed by a South African surgeon
•  1997- The first clone of a sheep
•  2003-Human genome program was completed identifying all genes in human DNA
•   2007- Human skin was used by scientists to develop embryonic stem cells.

Future medical advancements

As technology seems to be the catalyst for medical advancements below is what the future holds:

• Cancer vaccines- More than 250 clinical trials on cancer vaccine have been developed
• Brain repair- This is targeting those who suffer neurological diseases such as Dementia. Fiber optic wires and microchips will be used to bridge the between damaged cells or nerves in the brain.
• Contact lens will be used to treat diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels.

Jobs are growing in the medical field

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics the field of healthcare will generate about 3.2 million new wage and salary jobs within a period of ten years (2008 – 2018).

Nurses and doctors are not the only options in the medical field today. We have other jobs such as:

•          Coders
•          Transcriptionists
•          Pharmacists
•          Technicians
•          Medical billers
•          microbiologists
•          Morgue attendants
•          Physician assistants
•          Midwifery
•          Immunologists
•          Audiologist
•          Cardiologists
•         Obstetricians
•          Biochemists
•          Biochemical engineers and
•          Optician among many others

Some new medical jobs such as medical coder and medical biller are not directly related to medicine but they are important jobs that can help provide quality and timely healthcare to patients.

Due to technology, the healthcare industry will continue to change every year, making it necessary for new workers in the industry. With increasing demand in the healthcare industry, new jobs continue to be created. Factors that have impacted the changing in medical career trends in the past 20 years include:

•          Healthcare incentives
•          Aging population which means there will be an increased number of older adult groups. Older adults will live longer and they will need increased healthcare needs. As a result of this, demand for healthcare professionals will increase, bringing a beneficial impact for all people in the industry.
•          Technological advancements and increase in scientific equipment. With these advancements, many people will survive severe injuries and illnesses and will require long term therapy.
•          Advanced technology will ensure that unknown and untreatable conditions are treated.
•          Expansion of outpatient services, which is less expensive because of improvements in surgical procedures and diagnostic tests. Many patients would like to be treated and recover at home.
•          Decrease in hospitalization rates which has resulted in Medicaid programs, insurance holders, and Medicare patients
•          Need for in-person care services by many patients
•          Employment in residential care and home healthcare increases as life expectancies increase and aging individuals rely on long-term care facilities
•          Integrated health systems and medical group practices will become more complex and larger, requiring administrative support.

Reports show that more urgent health providers and community nursing homes are needed as well, due to these factors.

Source

Fastest Growing Medical jobs

Below is a list of 12 fastest growing jobs in healthcare that shows something is positive in medical field:

•          Veterinary technologists – 41%
•          Physician assistants – 39%
•          Athlete Trainers- 37%
•          Medical assistants- 34%
•          Veterinarians- 33%
•          Pharmacy technicians- 32%
•          Dental hygienists - 30%
•          Physical therapists - 27%
•          Radiation therapists - 25%
•          Surgical technologists - 24%
•          Registered nurses – 22.2%
•          Pharmacists – 22%

Medical Specialty vs. Job market and salary by 2020

Occupation                                                 Approximate salary                                         Approximate employees

Biological technicians                            39020                                                                       80,000

Medical assistants                                    $28860                                                                   484,000

Administrative service managers            $77,890                                                                  259,000

Medical lab technicians                             $56,130                                                                172,000

Registered nurses                                       $64,690                                                                2,619,000

Licensed vocational and practical nurses   $40,390                                                               754,000

Medical records technicians                          $32,350                                                             173,000

Administrative support workers                  $47,460                                                               1,457,000

The Bottom Line

Healthcare is one of the largest growing industries in the United States, and statistics show that the healthcare industry will continue to grow rapidly for reasons such as aging population and lifestyle changes which are unhealthy causing conditions such as obesity, blood pressure and diabetes. More people are now committed to preventive care which includes diet changes, lifelong physical fitness and healthy lifestyle changes.

Jobs may be increasing in the medical field, as we have already discussed, but for you to have a promising career in the industry, you need to be prepared to provide efficient care for patients as patients and insures are the ones who keep medical or healthcare industry going.

People are requiring more medical services than they did a few decades ago. This therefore means more jobs are available today in every specialty of medicine.