Alternative career options for healthcare workers

Alternative career options for healthcare workers

Are you exploring new and innovative healthcare careers? Being a physician are you seeking personnel fulfillment and flexibility without risking financial security? Or being a doctor or being some health professional is getting tough for you. And you are aiming for creativity with a non-clinical job for a better and healthier life? You must be thinking how is this possible…? We will provide you with valuable information regarding alternative career options for healthcare workers, Keep reading!

Evolution in Healthcare System:

The Healthcare sector is a complex and emerging profession with diversity. You can say healthcare is a tree with many branches. In this profession, you can find career opportunities beyond the limits and are not limited to only doctors or physicians.

No matter! You are a professional resident doctor or you are aiming to be one. You can find many different and more demanding careers within the healthcare setting. Such as nursing, nutritionists and dieticians, therapist, and medical experts which are major contributors to the health industry.

In this article you will learn a medical coordinator, a healthcare agency, a physical or occupational therapist, a technologist, or a technician are earning far more flexibly as compared to the resident doctors and physicians. Let’s break down the various fields in the healthcare system which will help you develop your interests for the future. Keep reading in both cases: you want to graduate or you want work-life balance by switching to other careers.

You can practice any of these healthcare approaches with less investment of time and money. Various options have opened the door to high wages, among them are:

  1. Therapist:

A therapist in the old era is a person with knowledge of using physical methods. Which they use to treat wounds or minor injuries. But now in the 21st century, a therapist is a person who can be a speech therapist, a respiratory therapist, a psychotherapist, a cognitive-behavioral coach, or a professional counselor.

Professional Qualifications: To become a therapist, you have to graduate with three years degree program known as a doctor of physical therapy (DPT). This program enables you to have a license and practice for the community.

Median Salary: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics average income of a therapist falls anywhere between $30,000 to $95,620 annually. Whereas, their salary depends upon the specialty or domain in which they are serving. For example; a respiratory therapist is specialized in treating patients having breathing problems. From neonates to adults and from normal to chronic levels respiratory therapists are efficient enough to treat them all.

Salary in Pakistan: They can get Rs 294174 per year.

Statistics: According to the survey, this profession is in high demand from the year 2016 onwards. About 23% rise is observed after the pandemic Covid-19 which has affected the mind, body, and overall health of people.

  1. Dieticians and Nutritionists:

These health professionals have keen insight into the minor and major details of a person’s body, routine, and diet. People use to hire them for weight loss and maintain body health. Many among us are dealing with diseases and they consult dieticians and nutritionists to have boosted immunity. They are experts in managing food plans and regular exercises. They are guiding and educating people on how to fight diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and obesity. They are important key players in promoting and creating awareness of healthy eating habits for children, women especially pregnant women, and older people.

Qualifications: Being a nutritionist you need a bachelor’s degree. They can opt for post-graduate diplomas at later stages. They have also licensed personnel with training and residency.

Median salary: Nutritionists and dieticians mark up to $65,620 in the year 2021. For registered RDN, it may vary from $65,620 to $93,640 annually. Here, it is important to mention that professionals working in different institutions or organizations show differences in pay scale.

Salary in Pakistan: There PayScale fall between 23,300 to 45,600 PKR monthly.

Statistics: This profession is growing and is rising on a growth chart showing an 11% rise from the year 2020 to 2030.

  1. Nursing:

Nursing is a well-known profession that is dedicated to patient care, family support, and general assistance. They are highly skillful and experts to perform their defined roles. Being a nurse registered licensed is required to serve the community in hospitals, clinics, patient home care, and health care centers.

Qualification: Bachelor’s degree program is offered in nursing featuring chronic care and preventive care. Registered nurses (RN) can also go for an associate degree or diploma from an authorized body of the state.

Median Salary: On average registered nurse (RN) income ranges from $77,600 according to 2021 data.

Salary in Pakistan: Registered Nurse can get on average Rs 495580.

Statistics: 9% growth is seen in the previous few years in this profession. But in coming years it may rise to 15%.

  1. Technologist/ Technicians:

Technologist is a versatile area of study but is a non-physician job. One can be a radiologist, MRI expert, Sonographer, cardio-vascular technologist, or another imaging technologist. Similarly, he can be a veterinary technologist, surgical technologist, nuclear technologist, or medical laboratory professional. Area of interest will help you decide the best route for being a technologist. You must know that the main role of a technologist is to step up the scanning or imaging of the body and perform an initial diagnosis for the physician. With the development in technology, their demand is also at its top. They ensure safety standards by working with doctors, in a laboratory or hospital workplace along with handling technical equipment.

Qualifications: They must be associate degree holders. While in some cases technicians can go for bachelors such as safety and healthcare providers.

Median Salary: Expected average income of technologists varies according to the area of work. But mostly it falls in the zone of $48,530 for surgical technologists, $61, 240 for MRI and Radiologist technologists, and $78,760 for nuclear technologists.

Salary in Pakistan: There salaries are not too much in Pakistan, roughly till falls in between 25,400 till 45,000 PKR per month.

Statistics: Clear, predictive growth is seen in this category. Overall, 8% to 13% progression is expected in the coming years.

  1. Orthotic and prosthetic specialists:

They are skillful in designing and engineering the desired prosthetic device. They are efficient to fabricate surgical devices like limbs, braces, or even pacemakers of the heart. This class of specialists is also non-clinical but is as important as clinical ones.

Qualification: These professionals must have a master’s degree with residency to work in this area. They are required to be certified before diving into the job.

Median Salary: They are earning $75,440 yearly. Not that bad, hm?

Salary in Pakistan: 1,675,002 PKR gross

Statistics: Impressively you can see 18% growth in coming years. More jobs are created every year faster than on average.

  1. Doctor of Chiropractor:

Professionals aiming to be chiropractors are highly educated. Chiropractors are non-physicians doctors who are experts in interventions at neural, muscular, and skeletal levels. They care for and fix muscles, nerves, bones, and ligaments associated with issues. Many people go to them for alignment and manipulation of spinal issues. alternative-career-options-for-healthcare-workers

Qualifications: Doctoral or state license is needed to work.

Median Salary: $75,000 per year chiropractors are earning.

Salary in Pakistan: Lowest 50,000 and highest 93,500 rupee

Statistics: Around 11% rise is indicated in coming years.

  1. Pharmacist/ Pharmaceutical medicine makers:

On our list, they are one of the highly professional persons dealing with health and wellness. Pharmacists are responsible for patient care, prescribing, and dispensing medicines. They keep checking and balancing drugs and their dosage to ensure safety and precautions. alternative-career-options-for-healthcare-workers

Qualification: Doctoral degree is required to work as a pharmacist. Register pharmacist is a licensed body from the state.

Median Salary: $178,000 annually

Salary in Pakistan: The retail pharmacist is earning 45,000 to 55,000 per month while the industrial pharmacist is earning from 50,000 to 120,000 PKR. Their salary depends upon their experience.

Statistics: Only a 6% rise is recorded.

When you open the list of careers in healthcare, you will find no end to it. Other than the above-mentioned alternatives your future can be as a genetic counselor, speech pathologist and psychotherapist, medical manager, coordinator, and medical educationist. People are changing lines from the last two years of Covid-19 within the health sector. But it is important to understand that for moving to any other career you have to be skillful enough to cope with the everyday challenges.

Educational Expenses and Health Market:

Educational expenses are not the same in all regions of the world. They may be less in some developing countries and higher in developed ones. Also, it depends on the specialty, degree level, and university you are targeting to have an education. This will automatically affect the healthcare market where people can have lower salary incomes as mentioned in the article. Many universities are offering academic programs to fulfill the future needs of the healthcare system.

Scope of other healthcare fields in Pakistan:

There is a common perception about being a doctor is the only way you can be associated with the healthcare sector. But that’s not true, all the above-mentioned fields are emerging fields in Pakistan with a scope of a hundred percent growth in the future. You can earn anywhere between 30,000 to 150000 Rupees and even more in certain specialties.

Summary:

Whether you are a health professional or not, ‘your progression, change, adaptability, and confidence are important. You can make assets by trading in multiple and transferable sectors of healthcare. We advise you to look into graphs of your own state or country before diving into the pool of education. Also, you should research and try for international scholarships that help you get polished in a particular subject. This will bring positivity, growth, and pride to your own country as well. Last but not the least, don’t sacrifice your peace and vision by sticking to your medical career!

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