Did you know the healthcare industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the US? According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, the US healthcare industry is currently worth over $4 trillion and will cross $6 trillion by 2028. Employment in the healthcare industry is also growing at a rapid pace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts employment will grow by over 15% by 2030. 

So if you want to enter this fast-growing, well-paying, and gratifying job market now’s the time to get an education. To make things easier, we’ve mentioned some domains you can consider.

1. Public health 

Public health studies cover epidemiology, biostatistics, health systems, disease control, and public awareness, among other subjects. As a public health professional, you’ll be responsible for developing and implementing health education campaigns, evaluation methods, health policy and law, health equity and advocacy, and applied practice experience. You’ll be responsible for the health needs of the general population, with your main focus on mental and physical well-being. You will design material for community education, promote health initiatives and implement them by working with the political and legal systems.

Fortunately, you don’t need an undergrad in a health-related degree to become a public health professional. You can enroll in an MPH degree program online and complete it while gaining relevant work experience. However, you may require a license to practice depending on the job you opt for.

2. Nursing

You can become a registered nurse by completing a two-year program that prepares you to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) exam. As a nursing student, you will learn medical anatomy and physiology, psychology, nursing fundamentals, case management, coordinating care and resources, and community nursing. In addition, you will also gain practical experience through clinical nursing courses. 

RNs are in high demand because of a shortage of frontline healthcare workers, and hospitals and clinics are paying top-dollar to recruit their services. The average salary for registered nurses is over $70k per year. Also, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that the job openings for registered nurses will grow by over 190,000 over the next decade.

As a registered nurse, you will work directly with patients to identify and treat their health conditions. You will have the option of working with kids, the elderly, or patients with chronic conditions. Additionally, you can work in hospitals, community health centers, clinics, or medical offices. Depending on your personality and interests, you can even acquire higher education and specialization to work in niche roles.

3. Healthcare administration

Nowadays, healthcare is big business and requires competent managers to run the systems within organizations. As a healthcare administrator/manager, you will gain expertise in health laws and regulations, policy, human resources, business, financial management and planning, quality improvement in healthcare, healthcare marketing, international healthcare, and public relations, among others. 

Most healthcare management jobs require bachelor’s degrees, which take four years to complete. However, depending on your previous academic achievements, you can earn a master’s degree in healthcare administration or management in as little as 18 months. 

The employment outlook in healthcare management/administration jobs looks good. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects jobs to grow over 30% over the next decade. Part of the reason for this growth is the aging baby-boomer population which has increased demand across multiple fields in the healthcare industry. 

4. Nursing administration

The nursing administration degree prepares you for management roles in nursing. You will gain expertise in nursing theory and research, hands-on knowledge of ethical and legal problems in healthcare, strategic management, organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement, safety, outcomes management, and strategic planning. After graduating from the program, you can start a career in the following roles:

• Charge Nurse (CN)
• Director of Nursing (DON)
• Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)
• Patient Care Director (PCD)
• Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

Your typical responsibilities will be to schedule, manage budgets, oversee the nursing staff, write reports, and maintain a high quality of patient care. Additionally, nursing administration is a fast-growing field since all healthcare organizations need competent nurses who can take up administrative roles. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects job growth of over 15% until 2028.

5. Pharmaceutical marketing and management

As you probably already know, the pharmaceutical industry is enormous. According to statista.com, in 2001, the pharmaceutical industry was worth over $300 billion, and in 2021, its value reached over $1 trillion. Therefore, the pharmaceutical marketing and management major is a promising field for aspiring individuals. 

In this niche, you will focus on subjects like biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmaceutics to gain a comprehensive understanding of the industry and its products. Additionally, you will learn about the challenges pharmaceutical companies face, product management, and associated legal issues. You will also learn about marketing and management through studies relevant to the pharma industry. 

A career in the pharma industry is a great choice. Completing your pharmaceutical marketing and management program can help you land lucrative jobs at industry leaders like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. 

After graduating from the program, you will have multiple options for a career path in roles like:

• Market research analyst: Typical responsibilities include conducting market research to find business opportunities, researching clients, analyzing and organizing data.
• Sales manager: Typical responsibilities include overseeing sales and marketing departments and generating additional revenue through the sale of pharmaceutical products.
• Drug Inspector: Typical responsibilities include testing drugs to ensure they are safe for public consumption. 
• Store drug supervisor: Typical responsibilities include managing inventory of drugs, selling products, and advising customers about the products.
• Quality assurance manager: Typical responsibilities include conducting quality checks at various stages of drug production and verifying the quality of the manufactured drugs.

Conclusion

The healthcare industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the US. Jobs are also growing rapidly, with healthcare organizations looking to hire competent staff. If you are interested in a lucrative health-related career, consider one of the options mentioned above and start obtaining the necessary qualifications and experience.