You don’t necessarily have to be a physician to secure a high-paying work position in the healthcare industry. While physicians and surgeons still rack the highest salaries in the field, there are several non-physician jobs that pay just as high.
With the dramatic rise in different healthcare demands that include the need for nurses, physician assistants, healthcare administrators, genetic counselors, etc., higher salaries are being offered to individuals working in these fields.
These careers offer a person stability, chances for career advancement, and a better future prospect. Hence, some of the top highest paying non-physician jobs are:
1. Nurse anesthetics
The nurses responsible for administering anesthesia and providing anesthesia-related care to the patient during different procedures are called nurse anesthetists. These procedures include therapeutic, obstetrical, diagnostic, and surgical procedures. Before these procedures begin, these nurses review the patient’s medical history, illnesses, allergies, and medicines to decide which anesthesia is suitable for the patient.
Then, they administer anesthesia to a local area or the whole body according to the procedure. Moreover, these nurses have to remain present during the whole procedure to ensure the patient’s health and adjust the dosage accordingly. This job pays a median annual wage of $181,040. To become a nurse anesthetist, you need an accredited master’s degree and clinical experience of a minimum one year.
2. Nurse administrator
Nurse administrators are an important part of the management team in a healthcare management facility. Nurse administrators work in nursing homes, hospitals, public health offices, rehabilitation centers, clinics, etc. A nurse administrator is mainly responsible for managing their team of nurses, but they also interact with patients occasionally.
The median annual wage of nurse administrators is $81,033. To become a nurse administrator, you need a bachelor’s degree in nursing as well as a current RN license.
3. Chiropractor
Chiropractors are responsible for treating patients through spinal adjustments and similar clinical interventions. Their job is to help relieve neural, muscular, and skeletal problems in the body.
While many chiropractors practice independently, there are some who work in a group setting. The median salary of a chiropractor is $71,410. To become a chiropractor, a person must earn a doctor of chiropractic degree, a four-year program, after completing their undergraduate education.
4. Physician assistant
Physician assistants, commonly called PAs, are responsible for assisting surgeons and physicians during their work. It includes helping them during physical examination, diagnosis, and patient treatment. Moreover, PAs are often called over to review the patient’s history of treatments, examine them, order diagnostic tests and interpret them, and provide treatment.
Moreover, they also prescribe the patient medication according to their treatment plan and counsel the patient regarding their health and well-being. Typically, a physician assistant is supervised by a physician or a surgeon, but the limits vary according to every state. In many rural and underserved communities, a PA acts as the primary caregiver in clinics when a physician is only present for a few days a week.
The median annual salary of a PA is $115,390. To become a PA, you will need a master’s degree, pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, and possess a license.
5. Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners act as specialty care and primary care providers in clinics, hospitals, well-being centers, and other healthcare facilities. NPS often works in collaboration with physicians or alone.
Their job is to assess the patient’s medical condition and find out the best way to treat them or manage their health. Within nursing, there are several special care branches that serve certain needs, that include pediatric health, geriatric health, mental health, etc.
The median annual wage of a nurse practitioner is $114,507. To become a nurse practitioner, you must possess a master’s degree in an accredited medical program and a license for registered nurses.
6. Nuclear medicine technologist
The healthcare workers responsible for preparing radioactive medicines and drugs that assist with therapeutic purposes or imagining are known as nuclear medicine technologists. They are responsible for operating the imaging equipment and diagnosing the patient or treating them. Moreover, they also help physicians research radioactive drugs and treatments.
The median annual wage of a nuclear medicine technologist is $79,590. To become a nuclear medicine technologist, you will need an associate’s degree from a related program.
7. Speech-language pathologist
Speech-language pathologists, also known as speech therapists, are responsible for diagnosing and treating communication disorders in adults and children—the median annual wage of $80,480. To become a speech-language pathologist, you must hold a degree from an accredited program, preferably a master’s degree. Moreover, some states require a license of practice, clinical experience, etc.
8. Genetic counselor
A genetic counselor is responsible for assessing an individual or a family of inherited conditions and healthcare risks. This includes genetic disorders, birth defects, etc. All of these aspects are done by testing the patient’s DNA and assessing the family’s medical history.
Moreover, they provide relative information to other healthcare providers to diagnose and treat patients better. In addition to that, they also inform the patient about concerns and inheritable medical conditions and counsel them in ways they can save their health.
The median annual salary of a genetic counselor is $85,700. To become a genetic counselor, you will need a genetic counseling or genetics master’s degree. In addition to that, you will also need a certificate from the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
9. Radiation therapist
Radiation therapists are part of the team that is responsible for treating cancer. A radiation therapist is responsible for operating a radiation machine. This machine transfers concentrated radiation therapy to the tumor of the patient.
Moreover, they are also responsible for explaining these treatment plans to their patients by mentioning all the precautions and side effects of the procedure. In addition to that, they determine the affection body region that requires treatment and check for unusual body reactions during the treatment.
The median annual salary of a radiation therapist is $86,850. To become a radiation therapist, you will need an associate’s degree in a relative field.
Conclusion
The healthcare industry is widespread with all sorts of healthcare service providers. Each role is different and can interest people with varying skills and expertise.
In addition to that, the healthcare industry largely depends on these healthcare services providers and assisted healthcare providers, as they ensure patient well-being.
These jobs also offer flexible working hours on top of high salaries, which can prove an attractive prospect for the healthcare industry. Therefore, if your heart isn’t in being a physician, there are plenty more jobs that can tickle your fancy.
