What is a Medical and Allied Health Career?

The medical and allied health care career field is a very broad designation. It encompasses anyone working to provide preventative, restorative, and comfort providing care to others. Some of the specific career paths under this umbrella are doctor, nurse, physical therapists, radiologists, lab technicians, massage therapists, and chiropractors. If your career is concerned with providing health and easement to others then you fall into the medical and allied health career field.

Are Medical and Allied Health Careers in Demand?

In fact the highest rate of job increase in the US over the next several years is projected to be enjoyed by medical assistants. The rising average age of the American public helps to fuel the need for more and more health care providers. The burden on physicians and nurses has created a need to spread responsibility out to support roles when possible. The staggering rate of technological advances in the medical field also adds its own increased demands on all areas of medical and allied health careers.

How Can I Get into a Medical and Allied Health Career?

The education you will need will depend upon which particular health career you hope to get into. Fortunately the US has 146 medical schools, 495 medical assistant programs, and 133 physician’s assistant courses all accredited to provide you with a quality education. The time frame you can expect to spend will also depend upon your goals.

Allied Health Care Job Opportunities

The broad umbrella of allied health care encompasses many diverse job opportunities. The entirety of the field employed more than 12.9 individuals in 2002. Some of the jobs include:

Medical Assistants

This allied health care job opportunity gave employment to 387,000 persons in 2004. This job involves the performance of a variety of tasks within the medical offices of physicians, dentists, chiropractors, and other medical practitioners.

Physician Assistants

Physician assistants provide health care under the supervision of physicians or surgeons. Depending on where you practice this particular allied health care job, the level of supervision varies. In some remote or high needs areas physician assistants can work almost independently with the supervising doctor checking in one or two days a week.

Counselors

Counselors can provide a wide range of emotional and psychological assistance. The various areas of expertise include grief counseling, victim counseling, and drug counseling. This allied health care job is focuses on helping people to cope in their social environment.

Dental Hygienists

In this allied health care job you will work independently within dental offices. The health care services provided by dental hygienists include, examination, evaluation, testing, and cleaning. Often the first contact that a patient makes within a dentist’s office is with the dental hygienist. In fact, only for actual dental procedures and oral surgery are dentists involved at some offices.

Respiratory Therapists

These allied health care providers are trained to provide specialized care to patients suffering from respiratory ailments. The conditions they focus on include asthma, pneumonia, emphysema, and respiratory congestion caused by other conditions. They provide physical relief and training to patients in need.

Job Outlook for Allied Health Care Careers

Several factors are currently influencing the spurred need for allied health care workers across the board. An aging population who are more health conscious than every before is primary among those reasons. Advancements in diagnostic technologies help to improve over all health of the nation but also require technicians to perform the tests and treatments. Another reason the need for allied health care workers is increasing is the clamp down on immigration which is keeping foreign health care professionals from entering the job market.

Allied Health Care Careers Employment Figures and Projected Increases

• All allied health care positions employed 145,612 people in 2004 and is expected to increase 14% by 2014.
• Allied health care providers working in hospitals in 2004 numbered 14,062 and should grow by 27.3% by 2014.
• Nursing homes and residential living care facilities gave work 5,301 in 2004, expected to increase by 27.8% by 2014.
• Workers in physician’s offices in 2004 amounted to 2,054 in 2004 and should grow by 37% by 2014.
• There were 773 providers of home health care services in 2004, a number expected to rise by an amazing 69.5% by 2014
• In 2004 there were 760 allied health care professionals working in dentist’s offices which is estimated to increase by 31.7% by 2014.
• A sizable increase of 42.7% by 2014 is expected to take place in the offices of other health care practitioners including chiropractors.
• Outpatient care facilities are another area of considerable expected growth by 2014 when the 446 workers is projected to increase 44.42%.

Earnings in Allied Health Care Careers

The average wage range for individuals in allied health care careers tends to be higher than that of other private industry sectors. While there are some pockets that side slightly on the lower end the overall average this upward trend is encouraging.

Average Earnings and Work Week Length for Allied Health Care Careers

• Allied health care workers employed by hospitals work an average of 35.2 hours/week and earn $20.31/hour.
• Medical labs and diagnostic facilities pay an average of $18.15 and employees work 35 hours a week.
• 33.4 hours of week is average for allied health workers employed in physician’s offices where they earn an average of $18.41/hour.
• An average wage of $18.57 for their 34 hours of work weekly can be expected for allied health workers in outpatient care facilities.
• Dentist’s offices pay an average of $18.96 to their allied health care workers and the work week is 26.9 hours on average.
• The allied health care workers making their careers in home health care providers average a wage of $14.41 and work 28.8 hours per week.
• Registered nurses working in hospitals earn an average of $25.66/hour while those in ambulatory care facilities average $23.69, and those in long term care centers bring home $16.95.
• Curiously enough, LPN working in long term care earn the highest at an average of $16.95 while those in ambulatory care average $15.59 and those in hospitals about $15.71.
• An average wage of $12.60 is earned by dental assistants working in ambulatory facilities while those in hospitals earn $14.20.
• Medical secretaries working in ambulatory care earn the highest average for that career at $12.88, hospital employed medical secretaries average $12.60, and long term facility medical secretaries bring in $12.00/hour.

The Nature of the Allied Health Care Industry

What Type People Work in the Allied Health Care Industry?

The allied health care industry is primarily a people assisting profession. As such, workers within these careers should have a keen sense of caring for those they help. Being strong and healthy is also a beneficial quality to those working in this field. The exposure to disease, infections, and work related strains will put your physical endurance and resistance to the test. Being able to maintain high level of professional ethics, the ability to work well under stress, and maintain a professional appearance are also valuable qualities.

What is the Allied Health Care Industry Like?

Many of the career paths within the allied health care industry work an average work week that is somewhat shorter than that of the rest of private sector positions. The average American working in the private sector puts in 33.7 hours/week. Dental workers tend to have some of the shortest work weeks at about 26.9 hours/week. Substance abuse and psychiatric care workers are slightly above the national norm with an average week of 36.4 hours/ week. These lower averages are due in part to the fact that many allied health care workers are part time employees. Shift work is a reality for many in the allied health care field because so many facilities operate round the clock. Some work on rotating shifts, others find it best to maintain a static shift though those who can work extended shifts of nights are very few.

All in all, allied health care workers do have sterile, climate controlled facilities to work in for the most part but the work can be demanding and grueling none-the-less.

SOURCES:
Allied Health Industry
Allied Health Career Earnings
Allied Health Career Stats
Allied Health Career Statistics
Allied Health Career Planning
Allied Health Career Guidance