Choosing a Career in Allied Health Care
Choosing the Right Allied Health Care Career
Allied health care is one of the top career fields under consideration for students and would-be students interested in working in the medical field. No only does it tap into the huge prospects of working in health care, a field that continually provides job opportunities and higher pay rates than most other professions, but the current shift of health care policies only serves to increase future possibilities for professionals.
Allied Health Care Occupations
As the name implies, allied health care is all about people working together to provide comprehensive care to patients. It combines professionals from all around the health care field – from dental hygienists to opticians – into a single category. Individuals work with everything from the prevention and identification of disease to rehabilitation and nutrition services.
Although this list certainly isn't comprehensive, as there are over 200 specific professions listed by the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions, some of the more popular allied health care professions include:
Cardiovascular technicians
Dental hygienists
Medical imaging specialists
Opticians
Radiology technicians
Dietitians
Occupational therapists
Physical therapists
Athletic trainers
Medical billers and coders
Emergency medical professionals
Health care administrators
Respiratory therapists
Environmental health practitioners
Forensic scientists
Medical assistants
Although this list continues, the primary exceptions are physicians and nurses. These professions, while certainly falling under the larger umbrella of health care, are not part of the allied health name. This is because they are incredibly large and diverse fields of their own, and they often operate outside the concept of “allied health.”
Allied Health Options
Most allied health career options fall into two categories: technicians and therapists (or technologists). The two are separated by job duties, required education, and pay scale.
Technicians tend to function more as assistants – whether to doctors or other allied health professionals. These professionals typically perform their specific duties according to the prescriptions and care plans created by others. The educational training required for this type of allied health career is substantially shorter, and can usually be achieved in two years or less. Most of the time, education is received through a community college or a specialty provider specializing in allied health care training.
Therapists and technologists typically have at least a four-year degree. In addition to learning the specific skills associated with their field, these professionals also learn the broader skills of evaluating patients, making diagnoses, and prescribing treatments. While there are private allied health care schools offering training in these fields, many students attend traditional four-year universities and colleges, often going beyond the initial for years to pursue an advanced or Master degree in their field of study.
Allied Health Care Job Security and Prospects
These days, everyone is aware that primary health care is expensive. Visits to the doctor, attention from nurse practitioners, and long stays at the hospital cost consumers and insurance companies billions of dollars each year. In an attempt to lower medical costs as a whole, allied health careers step in with lower-cost alternatives.
Technicians and specialty allied health professionals often offer the same things that primary physicians do, but at a fraction of the cost. They work together to provide comprehensive care in smaller portions, giving patients options about the direction they want their medical issues to head. This approach to health care not only means lower costs to consumers, but great job possibilities for those interested in the field as more and more people turn to allied health care alternatives.
This means that the future of allied health care looks extremely promising. As the Baby Boomer generation ages and more people turn to allied health care to meet their preventative medical needs, there will be room for growth in almost all aspects of the field. The field is estimated to grow at double the national average, and there are hundreds of thousands of new openings every year. Considering how many different professions fall into the category of allied health care, it's no wonder that there are over 5 million people employed as allied health care practitioners in the United States alone.
Allied Health Care Salaries
As a field that encompasses so many different professions, there are many different educational programs and salary levels available. Most individuals will fall within the $35,000 to $75,000 range, with the more advanced degrees associated with being a therapist or technologist falling on the larger end of this spectrum.
Salaries are also dependent on the type of facility in which a professional works; those working in private physician offices typically make less than those who run their own business or work out of a hospital.
Why Choose a Allied Health Care Career?
One of the primary benefits of working in allied health care is the amount of respect the field affords. In many cases – such as when you work as a radiographer – you are considered one of the leading experts for medical needs. Others turn to you for information and referrals, and you can often work in an independent capacity, running your own business or medical office. However, if you prefer the team setting, there are ample opportunities there, as well. You may find yourself working in everything from a co-op type office to a traditional physician's office or hospital department.
Regardless of whether it's the higher salaries, the prestige, or the job security that draws you to the allied health career field, it remains one of the smartest options prospective students can make in today's economy. There will always be a need for health care providers, and allied health care offers everything that those seeking stability and excitement will ever need.
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