Exploring Allied Health Professions
According to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the healthcare sector make up a majority of the 20 fastest growing occupations, and the employment of healthcare occupations is expected to add about 1.9 million new jobs between 2018 and 2028; an average growth rate of 14%.
An article in Forbes, discussing the corona virus effect, mentions one of the job sectors that will thrive after the pandemic are the Health care professions.
This article will focus on Allied Health Professions. Allied Health is a term used to describe the broad range of health professionals who are not doctors, dentists or nurses.
Allied Health Professions work with all age groups and within all specialties. They work in a range of surroundings including hospitals, people’s homes, clinics, surgeries and schools. They work in partnership with health and social care colleagues across primary, secondary and social care, as well as in the independent and voluntary sectors.
The list of occupations within the Allied Health is practically endless, including jobs in five major career paths: diagnostic services, therapeutic services, support services, health informatics, and biotechnology research and development.
1. Therapy:
Therapeutic services range from providing patients with short-term and long-term care, counseling, treatment plans and education to help them manage their diagnosis. Click here to see a list of professions in this career path.
2. Diagnosis:
Through monitoring labs and scheduling follow-ups with patients, diagnostic services are the first step in helping a patient discover the root of their symptoms. Click here to see a list of professions in this career path.
3. Support:
Roles in support assist doctors and other medical persons by offering assistant-type roles like medical aides and veterinary assistants. Click here to see a list of professions in this career path.
4. Information:
The field of Health Information marries technology to apply IT to the healthcare industry. Click here to see a list of professions in this career path.
5. Biotech:
Research and development through biotechnology uses biological processes and organisms to develop treatments and cures for illnesses and diseases. Click here to see a list of professions in this career path.
What is the education path to become an allied health profession?
Healthcare careers exist at every educational level.
Certificates and diplomas can be completed in less than a year and allow you to begin working quickly, but they may limit earnings.
Associate degrees allow for higher salaries and build a foundation for further education, but may still limit a graduate’s ability to take on managerial positions.
If you’re aspiring to these types of roles – but not physician positions – often complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Besides having a degree, will need certain soft skills to work in this field. Dealing with patients when they are sick or in pain requires a great deal of compassion. Excellent interpersonal skills are also needed, as are good listening and speaking skills. You must also be an effective problem solver with superior critical thinking skills.
Before choosing the right career for you, you will need to understand points of entry, projected growth rates, potential salaries, and, perhaps most importantly, educational requirements.
Education is a major investment, but finding the right program can help get your foot into the door of a dream career.
A career counselor can help you understand better and make informed choices.
Africa Federation Education Board offers free career counseling to all community students. You may book your slot by emailing us at education@africafederation.org
We request AFED Member Jamaats to circulate this News Letter to our community members, especially to the students in our community who are aspiring for higher education having the required education qualifications.
SECRETARIAT
AFRICA FEDERATION EDUCATION BOARD