If you’ve ever considered switching to a career in healthcare, you know there are many diverse fields to choose from. Most people want to make career moves quickly without spending a lot of time retraining, which is why two year degree programs are often ideal for those looking to make a new start in the healthcare sector. Many healthcare associate’s degree programs are specifically designed for those who work full time, so classes are often in the evenings or online.
Helping people who are ill or in need is a great way to contribute to your community, and it’s the altruistic nature of the work that draws many to the field of healthcare. Some consider careers in healthcare for more practical reasons, because it’s is an ever-growing field with steady job and wage growth. Often, healthcare workers are protected by unions, and even those who don’t tend to receive decent benefits. Some healthcare fields have slightly more wild hours than the average office job, but if you were never cut out for cubicle life to begin with, that may not be a bad thing. And with flexible scheduling, you may find a job with longer shifts but shorter work weeks. Whatever drew you to consider a career in healthcare, we’ve got a few choice two year degrees you should check out.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers – $72,510/year salary
Diagnostic imaging is an exciting field with many job opportunities and specialties. As a diagnostic medical sonographer, you’ll help a patient’s medical team find the information needed to diagnose and treat different conditions. It will be your responsibility to use very expensive and high tech sonography equipment to take the images medical professionals need to take care of patients. You’ll be interacting with patients yourself, so you’ll need to be comfortable working with the public and be committed to helping people feel at ease during what is often a stressful time.
Medical Laboratory Technician – $52,330/year salary
As a medical or clinical laboratory tech, you’ll be working with fluid or tissue samples to run tests and then be responsible to compile the data from the results of your tests so you can help medical personnel treat and diagnose their patients. This is very detail oriented work that requires a great deal of concentration, but if you’re someone who wants to enter the healthcare field without having to deal much with patients, it can be ideal.
MRI Technologists – $71,670/year salary
MRI techs use magnetic resonance imaging scanners to help doctors treat and diagnose patients. With highly detailed images, physicians are better able to find and pinpoint patient problems, so this is a very important field of medical diagnostic medicine. Health and safety is an important factor in MRI technology so it’s a great field for people who are very responsible and detail oriented. Compensation is usually generous, with very good job security.
