Best Healthcare Careers in Allied Health

When people are considering a career in the healthcare field, most will explore the possibility of working in allied health. Allied Health Professions work in healthcare to diagnose and treat people, and often have considerable technical skills but have decided against the schooling required to be physicians, nurses, dentists or pharmacists. Examples of allied health positions include Medical Technologists, Dieticians, Sonographers, and CNAs just to name a few. Below is a list of the eight Best Healthcare Careers in allied health, all of which require less than 2 years post-secondary education to get started!

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
  Certified Nursing Assistants help patients complete routine daily activities by providing basic care such as assisting with meals, bathing and toileting. Additionally, CNAs may be responsible for monitoring patient’s vital signs, turning and re-positioning patients and transferring patients from bed to chair or wheelchair as needed. Certain CNAs with additional certification may assist patients to take their own medications. Furthermore, Certified Nursing Assistants record their patient observations and patient concerns in medical record charts or systems and also report their findings to a nurse or other healthcare practitioner. Learn more about the educational requirements necessary to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.
• Respiratory Therapist (RT)
  A Respiratory Therapist assists patients who are having trouble breathing for a variety of reasons, including chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema, underdeveloped lungs in infants or emergency care resulting from shock, drowning, heart attack, or more. Another function of a Resp Tech is to connect patients who cannot breathe on their own to ventilators that will then do the work of breathing for them. This ensures that enough oxygen is delivered to their blood. Like the idea of helping people breathe? Find out how to become a Respiratory Therapist!
• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
  A Medical Assistant is responsible for completing administrative and clinical tasks for healthcare providers. Typically, these professionals take and record confidential patient information using Electronic Health Records, and discuss this information only to other professionals helping to treat the patient when necessary. For those who want to start working in a healthcare facility as quickly as possible — this is certainly the career to explore first. Learn about the specific educational requirements to become a Certified Medical Assistant today!
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
  Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are responsible for providing healthcare to those who are either sick or injured in emergency situations. This involves responding to 911 calls, assessing a patient’s immediate condition to determine a course of action and then provide first-aid or life support as indicated Thus, patient lives can depend on the ability and experience of a EMT to handle a given scenario. These professionals must act quickly to stabilize the patient and then transport them as quickly as possible to a hospital/healthcare facility. Read more about the postsecondary education program required to enter this exciting healthcare career as an Emergency Medical Technician!
• Home Health Aide (HHA)
  Home Health Aides assist their patients by helping them bathe and dress. These professionals may also assist with housekeeping responsibilities, such as doing laundry, washing dishes and vacuuming. They may be responsible for organizing a patient’s schedule to ensure that they can make all necessary appointments, and the HHA may transport the patient to and from these appointments. Other tasks of a Home Home Aide include grocery shopping for their patients, keeping them engaged in their networks for communities, checking their pulse/temperature/respiration rate, administering medications, caring for injuries and helping them to pursue necessary lifestyle accommodations. Read what postsecondary non-degree programs are required to become a Home Health Aide.
• Massage Therapist (MT)
  A Massage Therapist kneads muscles and other soft tissues of the body to improve patient stress levels, injuries, circulation, relaxation and general wellness. They may incorporate oils, lotions and equipment such as hot stones into each massage, either at a patient’s request or for desired results. There are many different types and styles of massage possible depending on the type of healing a patient needs. Learn how to take the first step toward becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist today!

• Phlebotomist
  The responsibilities of a Phlebotomist include drawing blood from patients for a number of reasons including testing, transfusions, research or blood donations. Additionally, Phlebotomists may need to explain what they will be doing to patients, advise them on possible reactions after their blood is drawn or provide immediate assistance if a reaction occurs. After blood has been drawn, Phlebotomists will label each tube of blood, enter the patient’s information into a database, dispose of needles and maintain instruments. Furthermore, becoming a Phlebotomist involves completing a postsecondary non-degree education program. Learn more about becoming a Phlebotomist now!

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• Medical Equipment Preparer (Sterile Processing Technician)
  Medical Equipment Preparers are responsible for getting healthcare or laboratory equipment ready to be used. In addition to this, Medical Equipment Preparers, also referred to as Sterile Processing Technicians, will clean and sterilize equipment after use, install equipment, perform routine laboratory tasks and inspect / operate equipment. Additionally, they may be asked to occasionally schedule patients or enter information into a database. Learn more information on how to enter the Medical Equipment Preparer career field today!

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