8 Careers in Healthcare that Will Be Big in 2022

Have you been considering a career change? Maybe you have lost passion and interest in your current career and you’re ready to change direction completely. Then again, perhaps you aren’t yet in a career job and you’re still trying to figure out what would be the best path to take. Healthcare is an industry that is enjoying massive amounts of job growth, branching out at rates never before seen. What makes the industry even more interesting is the fact that the jobs are so varied, which helps them to appeal to a much broader base. Before you make any big decisions, here’s a look at eight careers in healthcare that will be big in 2022.

Nurse Practitioner

It’s always great to find a career that is not only exciting to you, but also has tremendous growth potential. For many people, that career can be a nurse practitioner which is expected to grow by a massive 45% between 2020-2030. In this job, you’ll be offering primary and even specialty care and will coordinate with other professionals. This job is especially appealing to RNs that want to work their way up the career ladder into a more senior-level role.

Nurse practitioners have a median pay of $117,670, and they can stand to make even more than that depending on the job environment and state they practice in. In some states, you’ll be under the supervision of a physician, whereas others will allow you to operate independently with your own nurse practitioner office.

Registered Nurse

Then we have the career of a registered nurse. It probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that this is a career that is in demand right now, and showing many signs of growth. Some states have more growth than others, so that may factor into your decision-making process. Some of the states with the highest job openings for RNs are:

• South Dakota

• Georgia

• Texas

• South Carolina

• New Jersey

In terms of the work environment, pay and duties, there is plenty to cover here. The median salary for RNs in 2020 was $75,330 and the typical work environments are hospitals, nursing care facilities, physician’s offices, schools, outpatient clinics and in-home healthcare settings. 

As an RN, you’ll be responsible for assessing the condition of patients, inputting and managing records, administering treatment and medications, conducting tests, collaborating with a team of healthcare professionals, using the medical equipment and monitoring it, discussing after-care treatment with patients and much more.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree but it’s not in nursing, you can choose an accelerated program to get into the career field faster. The accelerated BSN online programs through Baylor University can be completed in under one year, for example. Upon graduation, you’ll be able to break into this exciting field and start making your mark.

Genetic Counselor

If you like the idea of working in a career that feels high tech and advanced, then a genetic counselor could be perfect. This area is expected to grow by 29%, so there are plenty of great opportunities to take advantage of. As a genetic counselor, it will be your job to make sense of genetic tests that can identify patient risks of diseases and illnesses. This falls under the personalized medicine umbrella, which is a massive trend in its own right. To work in this job, you’ll need a master’s degree and then board certification.

Home Health Aide

As the baby boomers continue to age, many are choosing to remain in their own home and just have help come to them. This is why home health aides are proving to be in demand. As a home health aide, you will be assisting your patients in their homes. This can include such things as helping with their chores, bathing, getting dressed, helping them to organize their daily schedule, medication management and administration and more.

Medical Assistant

Maybe you like the idea of administrative work but still want to be within the healthcare industry. If that’s the case, then the job of a medical assistant may be perfect. Basic job duties include monitoring a patient’s vital signs, recording patient history and information in charts, and then helping the physician during their exam of the patient. There will be a lot of multi-tasking in this role and you need to be detail-oriented with excellent communication skills.

Physical Therapist

Physical therapists are predicted to grow by 21% over the next decade, working in such locations as nursing homes, hospitals, clinics and in the patient’s home (home care visits). The median pay for this job is $91,010 and you’ll need to have a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and be licensed to practice. The number one job of physical therapists is to help people manage pain and improve their movement. You could be working with people who have an illness that affects their physical abilities, or they may have been injured and now they need to recover.

Respiratory Therapist

A respiratory therapist is a highly-trained person that helps with a patient’s breathing. They will need to examine and help with a patient’s breathing using different techniques and tools. During the COVID-19 pandemic, respiratory therapists have played a huge role, and this doesn’t show signs of slowing.

Phlebotomist

Here’s a career you don’t hear much about, but it’s certainly on the rise. As a phlebotomist, you’ll be responsible for drawing blood in patients. This blood is used for donations, transfusions, testing or even research. You’ll need to help nervous patients calm down before the procedure, and ensure they stay calm while drawing blood. This job can be perfect for those who are compassionate, calm and friendly. As for the all-important job growth, this career is expected to grow by 22% between 2020-2030 which is above the national average job growth rate. The median pay is $36,320 and you’ll need to complete an accredited phlebotomy program.

As you can see, there is no shortage of exciting career options in the industry of healthcare. Because so many careers are in demand, the hardest part will be picking just one to focus your sights on.