Industry Insider: Allied Health Care

According to the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest growing occupations in 2009 are heath related because of the growing population of baby boomers needing health care.

When you think of professions in health care naturally the first thing that comes to mind are doctors and nurses, which require substantial education and degrees. There are, however, many fields that have little to do with medicine, nursing or dentistry. These careers fall into the allied health care category and they work to make the health care system function and thrive.

Currently, it is estimated by the Association of Allied Health Care Schools that there are five million allied health care providers who work in more than 80 different professions. This represents approximately 60 percent of all health care providers, only a fraction of how many allied health care workers are needed to meet current and future health care needs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that more than 36 percent more workers will be needed in the allied health fields in the next ten years.

Some of these professions include clinical psychology, dental assistants, technicians and hygienists, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, massage therapy, medical assistants, lab technicians, medical transcription, midwifery, nutritionists, optometry, orthotics, physiotherapy, podiatry, radiation therapy, respiratory therapy, speech pathology and social work. There are huge variations in salary based on a number of factors. For instance, while an anesthesiologist assistant can have a starting salary as high as $95,000 a year, an art therapist can still earn as little as $32,000 a year with the same amount of education.

Once you’ve chosen your desired allied health care job, you need to investigate the institution you plan to attend. It is crucial that the offered allied health care program be accredited, as many employers will only hire those who received their education from a program with a specific accreditation.

If you’re looking for long term job security in a respected profession, you’re on the right track with allied health care. According the U.S. Bureau of Labor, of the twenty fastest growing occupations,, eight of them are in health care. It is anticipated that 20 percent of new jobs created between now and 2014 will be in the health care industry.

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