If you’re a compassionate person, you want a career that revolves around helping other people. Naturally, that leads you to investigate medicine.
However, the medical sector is enormous. There are so many possible career paths that it can make your head spin.
Fortunately, we’re here to help. We take a look at some medical careers and who they might be most suited to. Check them out below:
Nurse Practitioner
Top of the list of options is nurse practitioner. People working in this field have roughly the same duties as physicians, except the training requirements are considerably lower. You’ll do things like test patients, analyze lab results and even prescribe medicines. As a result, salaries tend to be quite high, at more than $100,000 per year, but you’ll also need to engage in continuous training as well to keep your skills fresh.
Speech-Language Pathologist
If you love working with children, you might also want to consider becoming a speech and language pathologist. These professionals help kids and sometimes adults, manage their linguistic difficulties in a variety of settings, including schools, clinics and at home. Median salary is around $80,000 per year, and you’ll need a master’s qualification to get your license.
Respiratory Therapist
These days, there are a large number of people with breathing difficulties, ranging from asthma to COPD. Therefore, demand for respiratory nurses is rising. People want professional physicians who can diagnose their respiratory problems and offer treatment.
To become a respiratory therapist, all you need is an associate’s degree. Once you have it, you can earn a median salary of $63,000 per year.
Phlebotomist
A phlebotomist is a medical practitioner who specializes in drawing blood and bloodwork. It’s a great career path for anyone who isn’t squeamish at the sight of a needle.
If you go down this path, you’ll need a phlebotomy license renewal every two years or so. States like to check that practitioners are maintaining their skills and keeping them relevant.
Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists are assistants who help disabled, sick or injured people return to health, allowing them to perform regular, day-to-day activities, such as showering, cooking, walking and cleaning.
You can think about occupational therapists as being similar to physios. Their help to slowly bring people back to health, seeing each patient as a long-term project, perhaps lasting months.
Optometrist
Optometrists are people who specialize in providing new glasses or contact lenses to patients. Their job is to examine the eyes, interpret results of tests, and then make prescriptions.
Medical professionals provide treatments for both eye disease as well as pre- and post-operative care. They may also refer people to healthcare providers.
Dentist
Lastly, you might want to become a dentist. To do this, you’ll need a doctorate. But once you have it, you can earn salaries in excess of $160,000 per year.
Dentists’ work involves filling cavities, whitening teeth, and treating issues involving the mouth and gums. They may also prescribe drugs, such as antibiotics, if required by patients.
