Healthcare is a booming industry in the United States of America, and it has just received a massive boost with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. You can find out more details about it, but the gist of it is that the federal law has made minimum healthcare coverage mandatory for all citizens (with exceptions).
The increase in business means that not just physicians and nurses, but also the allied healthcare professionals – people who provide assistance to physicians, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists and make up 60% of the health industry will also see growth in their respective professions.
So here are the top ten high paying allied health careers
- Physical Therapist
The Job: Mostly involved with rehabilitation from injuries, physical therapists work with patients to improve motor functions or alleviate pain.
The Pay: The annual average salary as seen on physiclatherapy.org is $86,520.
The Education Qualifications: A Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, and a state license is required to become a physical therapist. - Radiation Therapist
The Job: Cancer treatments usually require radiation therapy. Radiation therapists have to administer these treatments using specific machinery.
The Pay: The Bureau of Labor and Statistics postulates that radiation therapists earn a median wage of $38.05 or an annual package of $79,140 (as of May 2013)
The Education Qualifications: There are certificate programs, associates degrees, and bachelor’s degrees available for individuals interested in becoming radiation therapists. - Dental Hygienists
The Job: Assisting dentists, dental hygienists performing tasks such as cleaning teeth, scrutinizing patients to check for oral diseases and more.
The Pay: As appearing on payscale.com, dental hygienists earn a median of $32 and hour or $50,808 annually.
The Education Qualifications: An associate degree is required at the entry level, and bachelor’s or master’s degrees are needed for more advanced positions. - Occupational therapy
The Job: The primary job of an occupational therapists is to integrate an injured or disabled patient into daily life through therapy involving activities that form a part of daily routine.
The Pay: CNN money accounts that occupational therapists earn a median annual package of $74,900
The Education Qualifications: A master’s degree in occupational therapy is required for this job. - Nuclear Medicine Technologists
The Job: A nuclear medical technologist administers radioactive drugs to the patient, which help provide a better picture for diagnosis of illnesses in the patient’s body. This images are received through the medium of scanner which is also operated by nuclear medical technologists.
The Pay: Indeed.com has calculated the average pay for Nuclear Medicine Technologists to be $72,000 annually.
The Education Qualifications: An associate’s or bachelor’s degree in the field is a requisite to become a nuclear medical technologist. - Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
The Job: Ultrasound technology creates images or sonograms of the body’s organs and tissues, and diagnostic medical sonographers operate ultrasound machines to acquire these images.
The Pay: According to theUS News, diagnostic medical sonographers receive $65,860 annual pay.
The Education Qualifications: Certificate programs, along with associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees are available for this profession. - Audiologists
The Job: Hearing and audibility related issues are diagnosed and treated by audiologists. This includes balance problems and the fitment of hearing aid equipment.
The Pay: ASHA.org released a study in 2012 that stated that on average, audiologists earn $65,000 a year.
The Education Qualifications: A doctoral degree and state license is mandatory for professional audiologists. - Respiratory Therapists
The Job: Respiratory therapists specialize in looking after patients with breathing issues like asthma and emphysema among others. This includes testing lung capacity, performing physiotherapy and administrating ventilators to patients with acute breathing problems.
The Pay: Respiratory therapists receive a $61,489 median as reported on salary.com.
The Education Qualifications: Associate degrees are the minimum, but bachelor’s degrees are preferred. - Dietitians and Nutritionists
The Job: Giving food and dietary advice to live a healthy lifestyle comes under the ambit of a dietitian or nutritionist.
The Pay: Educationportal.com conveys a median salary of $ 55,920 annually.
The Education Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite, with some states requiring a license in addition to this. - Pharmacy Technician
The Job: Providing assistance to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians prepare prescriptions, process insurance claims and maintain patient databases.
The Pay: The median pharmacy technician salary, from Career Step, is $30,430 yearly.
The Education Qualifications: A certificate program is required to become a pharmacy technician.
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