When you think of healthcare, you might immediately think of doctors and nurses, but there are many professionals in healthcare who work behind a microscope, within a spreadsheet, or in a sterilizing room. The healthcare industry offers a variety of roles across a number of disciplines for introverts, extroverts, and everyone in between.

Choosing a Career in Healthcare

People choose careers in healthcare for a myriad of reasons:

1. Healthcare jobs in are in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in healthcare occupations is expected to grow 13 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations over the next eight years. Just a few of the in-demand healthcare careers they list include dental assistants,vocational nurses, medical assistants, medical records and health information specialists, pharmacy technicians, diagnostic medical sonographers, cardiovascular and surgical technologists, and EMTs.

2. There are a wide variety of career paths and work environments to choose from. A degree in healthcare can land you a job in nutrition, personal healthcare, occupational safety, emergency medical services, public health, disease prevention and control, pharmaceuticals, and more. This means you have a variety to choose from at the start of your career, but it also means when you're ready for a change, there's room to make a big change without going back to school or learning a new discipline.

3. There is limitless opportunity to specialize. Many new graduates across all industries are looking for ways to advance their knowledge, education, and experience, and healthcare offers that through specialization. Whether you enter the field as a medical assistant or a physician, you can become specialized in a single area like dermatology, internal medicine, or psychiatry.

4. Educational requirements vary by position. While all attorneys need the same level of education just to enter the field, you can join the healthcare industry with a certificate or a doctorate. This means there's room in healthcare for everyone - those who don't have an appetite for years of college and those who do.

5. Work is innately meaningful in healthcare. You don't have to convince yourself every morning that the work you do makes a difference; you have the opportunity to be part of a team that identifies and treats life-threatening conditions, ensures healthy pregnancy and delivery, helps patients improve their self-confidence through cosmetic surgery, or relieves pain through dental intervention - to name but a few examples.

The Demand for Healthcare Professionals

Although the primary reason students choose a career in healthcare is passion, a close second is the demand for healthcare professionals nationwide. According the BLS, employment in healthcare occupations is expected to grow 13 percent from 2021 to 2031. This increase in demand for healthcare services is due to a variety of factors, including an aging population.

This demand for healthcare workers means students seeking a degree in a healthcare field are more likely to find openings when they graduate than students seeking degrees in occupations with slower growth. It also means there may be additional opportunities for scholarships, grants, loan forgiveness, and financial aid in fields where shortages exist. It improves job security overall and makes it easier to relocate in the future, knowing that there will likely be a healthcare job at their new destination as well.

Careers in the Medical Field

There are dozens of careers in the medical field, which means whether you want to provide direct patient care or code procedures from home, there is room for you in the healthcare industry. There are multiple healthcare certification and degree programs available at The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP). Below are a few medical careers to consider:

Coder

Medical coders and billers assign billing codes to the care provided to a patient by the healthcare facility. The Medical Billing and Coding certificate programs are offered online or in a blended format, both online and in-person classes, where you will be trained to comprehend and apply code sets.

Dental Assistant 

Dental assistants aid a dentist during dental procedures, like extractions, fillings, root canals, crowns, and orthodontics. The online or in-person Dental Assisting programs can equip you to take your certification test to become a state-registered dental assistant.

Healthcare Administrator

Healthcare administrators handle everything from the administrative tasks in a healthcare facility to HR functions. Earn an associate degree in Health and Medical Administrative Services with a fast track to higher level positions online or in-person or consider the Health Care Office Administration certificate program.

Healthcare Manager

 Healthcare managers can oversee entire healthcare organizations, strategizing for future success while mitigating risk and leveraging opportunities. Earn a bachelor’s or associate degree in Health Care Management online.

Limited Medical Radiologic Technologist

LMRTs take limited scope X-rays of patients’ chest, extremities, skull, facial bones, and vertebral column. The blended LMRT certificate program equips you to perform X-rays as well as medical assistant functions. 

Medical Assistant 

Medical assistants provide both administrative (billing, scheduling, medical records, and insurance claims processing) and clinical (medical history, vital signs, specimen collection, and immunizations) support in the outpatient setting. You will gain expertise in clinical and administrative areas in the online or blended Medical Assistant certificate program.

Nurse

ALicensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) assists patients with activities of daily living, monitor vital signs, and provide preliminary nursing care. The Vocational Nursing certificate program prepares you to become a LVN and learn how to provide patient care.Registered nurses (RN) provide advanced patient care, assess and triage patients, educate patients and the public, and advocate for their patients and their families. The blended in-person and online Nursing associate degree program prepares you to take your NCLEX-RN exam to become a RN.

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in daily pharmacy operations: receiving and filling orders, processing payments and claims, and providing patients with educational materials. The Pharmacy Technician program prepares you to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.

Physical Therapy Technician

Physical therapy technicians, also known as rehab therapy technicians, provide support under the supervision of a physical therapist, stocking supplies, preparing patients for treatment, setting up rooms, and more. The Physical Therapy Technician and Rehabilitation Therapy Technician certificate programs prepare you to take the Certified Rehabilitation Therapy Technician exam.

Sonographer

Sonographers, also known as ultrasound technicians, can specialize in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Cardiac Sonography, or Cardiovascular Sonography with one of our associate degree programs. Sonographers use sound waves to capture images of internal organs, structures, systems, or even the fetus inside an expectant mother.

Surgical Technologist

Surgical technologists assist surgeons during surgical procedures. They prepare the operating room prior to a procedure, prepare sterile supplies and equipment, pass instruments and supplies to the surgeon during the procedure, apply dressing to the closed incision, count supplies, transfer the patient, and prepare instruments for sterilization. Earn an associate degree in Surgical Technology.

Revenue Cycle Manager

Revenue cycle managers help ensure the shortest number of days between the moment care was rendered and the time payment for that same care is received. Earn an associate degree in Coding and Revenue Cycle Management online.

Radiologic Technologist

Radiologic technologists perform radiographic examinations, provide quality patient care, and assist the radiologist with diagnostic procedures. Earn an associate degree in Radiologic Technology online.

Radiology Manager 

Leaders in radiology oversee the operation of their department, including budget, performance management, patient satisfaction, and more. Earn a bachelor’s degree in Radiologic Science Management online.

The College of Health Care Professions offers two dozen healthcare programs in person, online, or in a hybrid format for your convenience. There is a program for everyone at CHCP:

  • Our blended programs cater to students who have jobs 

  • Our online programs allow you to go to school at your own pace, on your own schedule

  • Our offerings range from certificate programs that take a few months to complete to two-year associate degree programs and four-year bachelor’s degree programs, so we can satisfy every 'appetite' for learning

  • We offer certificates and degrees for both clinical and administrative tracks, so you can choose CHCP whether you envision yourself providing direct patient care or supporting from an administrative position


If you're ready to start your career in healthcare, explore our offerings online. First, consider your areas of interest. Do you envision yourself providing direct patient care? Are you hoping for the opportunity to advance into leadership? Use the answers to those questions to narrow down the list of programs. Then, consider your appetite for post-secondary education. How much time and money are you willing to invest in your education? Six months? Two years? Four years? Finally, consider the career outlook and salary expectations for the remaining programs on your list to help you decide.

Then, it's as simple as applying online. We'll reach out and assist you from there!