The Fastest Growing Jobs In Healthcare

Despite the economic slowdown due to various global crises, the demand for healthcare professionals is at its peak, and healthcare industries are flourishing. In fact, according to the BLS, employment in various healthcare professions will have an estimated growth of 13% over the next decade, which is higher than the overall average for all careers. It isn’t just human healthcare workers that are in demand. An increase in demand for pet healthcare careers is also promising with many more opportunities available for those completing veterinary career schools.

In addition, with the increasing demand for certain healthcare professionals, some more than not, it is beneficial for both people looking to get in or require assistance from these professionals. Hence the rise of new hospitals and other healthcare facilities provides opportunities for new employment in these jobs and is predicted to grow by over 35 percent. If you’re interested in having a career as a healthcare professional but need help deciding which path to choose or the growth rate matters for you, we can be of assistance! 

Here are the fastest-growing jobs in healthcare today in no particular order except their growth rate.

NP (Nurse Practitioner)

The Predicted Growth Of A Nurse Practitioner: 52%

Nurse Practitioners or NPs are healthcare professionals who provide medical aid and care to patients by diagnosing and treating various health conditions in patients of all ages, depending on their specialization.

Generally, ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practioner) works under the supervision of a physician or in collaboration with other healthcare providers; in many states, they are independent and now have prescription rights.

Other responsibilities of a Nurse Practioner include:

• Collecting and recording a patient’s medical records and samples.
• Carry out examinations and tests.
• Making accurate treatment plans for various illnesses that a patient is diagnosed with.
• Prescribing proper medication and observation of the patient and their progress.
• Instructing various procedures and tests.
• Be in charge and supervise other registered nurses, CNAs, LPNs, and other staff.
• Work with healthcare professionals like physical therapists to improve patients’ illnesses and plan treatment accordingly.

These responsibilities may vary depending on your location or specialization. Nurse Practitioners work in environments such as a hospital, care facilities, private facilities, universities, and emergency rooms, among other fields. 

Qualifications you need to become an RN include the following:

• Graduating from an accredited Registered Nurse program.
• Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) set by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
• Get licensed in your state.

Prediction of new jobs created: 112,000.

Median Annual Salary: $77,600.

Average Hourly Wages: $37.3.

Personal Care Aide

The Predicted Growth Of A Personal Care Aide: 49%

Personal Care Aides are professionals who work alone or alongside a team, usually under a healthcare professional, to assist people of all ages with disabilities, people recovering from various medical illnesses and the elderly.

Personal Care Aides’ work usually involves self-care and other regular non-medical tasks that the patient has difficulty performing alone. And the work may also involve offering companionship.

Their responsibilities include the following:

• Assists a patient suffering from cognitive impairments using multiple ways.
• Companionship includes various social interactions like having fun playing around, initiating conversations, taking patients on walks, etc.
• Assist patients in self-care rituals like bathing, bathroom needs, brushing teeth, etc.
• Helping or assisting patients from the bed to wheelchairs.
• Prepping their meals.
• Organizing patients’ visits to the doctors or other various important necessary schedules.
• Go on errands like grocery shopping, among others.

The responsibilities of a Personal Care Aide may vary according to the patient’s disabilities or needs. 

PCA, sometimes called Personal Care Assistant, works in settings like hospitals, private establishments, or patient homes and works alongside various healthcare professionals, social workers, hospice agencies, and other organizations.

The tasks involving a Personal Care Aide are similar to a Home Health Aid but do not qualify for any medical services that patients might need.

Qualifications you need to become a Personal Care Aide include the following:

• A high school diploma or equivalent.
• Possible need for certifications depending on employers.
• Good qualities surrounding the profession like compassion, caring, significant decision-making, following protocols, etc.

Prediction of new jobs created: 590,200.

Median Annual Salary: $29,430.

Average Hourly Wages: $16.

Home Health Aide 

The Predicted Growth Of A Nurse Practitioner: 47%

Home Health Aides are professionals who offer help and assist patients with various self-care and other important tasks they cannot perform themselves due to disabilities and other medical illnesses.

Much like Personal Care Aides, they usually work with patients suffering from cognitive impairments, disabilities, and chronic disorders. But the difference is Home Health Aides can assist patients medically if the situation requires it.

Other responsibilities of Home Health Aides include:

• Be of assistance to patients who need regular self-care like taking a bath, dressing up, and toileting.
• Assist patients by doing various housework like laundry, cleaning, or washing the dishes.
• Go on errands like grocery shopping, buying supplements according to their needs, etc.
• Assist in prepping meals.
• Offering companionship if needed. 
• Provide medical assistance depending on the patient’s needs, like administering medication or checking vital signs.
• Organizing schedules, visits to the doctor, and necessary outings.
• Maintaining a record of the progress or decline of the patient’s health and reporting to their supervising health care professionals.

The responsibilities of a Home Health Aide may vary depending on the location or the patient’s needs. 

Home Health Aides work under the supervision of healthcare professionals like nurses or in collaboration with other professionals like physical therapists, social workers, and medical staff for the betterment of the patient.

Also, they generally work for hospice or Home Health Agencies that are required to follow specific medical regulations.

Qualifications you need to become Home Health Aid include the following:

• A high-school diploma or equivalent. 
• Possible need for certifications depending on employers.
• Formal education or on-the-job training.
• Educated in basic medical care.

Prediction of new jobs created: 427,100.

Median Annual Salary: $27,249.

Average Hourly Wages: $14.15.

Physical Therapy Assistant And Aides

The Predicted Growth Of Physical Therapy Assistant And Aides: 35.80%

Physical Therapy Assistants and Aides are professions that involve working directly under or supervised by a Physical therapist. 

They work alongside a Physical Therapist with patients recovering from various movement disabilities caused by chronic illnesses and help them regain their ability to move by using various techniques and also manage the pain caused by it.

Physical Therapy Assistants generally give direct care to the patients, while Aides get involved with indirect care, such as cleaning types of equipment for various procedures, etc.

To be more specific, the responsibilities of a Physical Therapist Assistant include the following:

• Observation of patients before, during, and after therapy sessions and reporting results, good and bad changes, to the primary Physical Therapist.
• Help patients recover, assisting them with various exercises like walking, balance training, etc.
• Treat patients by massaging, helping them stretch out, and using other therapeutic interventions.
• Assisting them in using various types of equipment.

The responsibilities of a Physical Therapist Aide include:

• Cleaning treatment areas and therapy equipment then set it up.
• Washing linens and preparing them for the next session.
• Manage the schedules of patients and answer phone calls.
• Assisting patients to move from or to the therapy site.

Responsibilities may vary depending on the location or the patient’s disabilities, but they both work under a physical therapist’s direct supervision.

Qualification for a Physical Therapist Assistant includes the following:

• An associate’s degree from an accredited Physical Therapist Assistant program.
• Pass the state licensure exam (in most cases).
• Clinical experience.
• Addition certification (optional).

Qualifications for a Physical Therapist Aide include the following:

• A high-school diploma or GED.
• Certification from an accredited Physical Therapist Aide program.

Prediction of new jobs created: 140,800.

Median Annual Salary for Physical Therapist Assistant: $61,180.

Median Annual Salary for Physical Therapist Aide: $29,200.

Average Hourly Wages for Physical Therapist Assistant: $29.42.

Average Hourly Wages for Physical Therapist Aide: $14.04.

Medical And Health Services Managers

The Predicted Growth Of Medical And Health Services Managers: 32%

Medical and Health Services Managers help healthcare facilities, like nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, etc., run more smoothly and efficiently by overseeing various operations and planning.

Other than direct patient care, they perform various tasks, like budget planning and ensuring everything is set accordingly so that the health care professionals do their jobs efficiently.

Other responsibilities of Medical and Health Services Managers include:

• Planning according to the goals of the facilities in question and implementing steps to reach them.
• Setting the proper budget and looking after the finances.
• Ensure the facility adheres to all legal and medical regulations.
• Communicating with staff to learn about issues regarding the facility and solving them in the best possible way.

Qualifications for Medical and Health Services Manager include the following:

• A bachelor’s and master’s degree (optional) in health care administration or equivalent.
• Gain experience in various entry-level medical facilities.
• Get licensed in your state.
• Obtain various certifications

Prediction of new jobs created: 480,700.

Median Annual Salary: $101,340.

Average Hourly Wages: $48.72.