Allied health careers are healthcare jobs that don’t fit neatly into the physician or nurse categories. Allied health professionals provide direct or indirect patient care as part of a medical team. These highly trained healthcare professionals can work in almost any area of the industry.
The majority of allied health jobs fall into one of two categories: assistants or technicians and therapists or technologists. In general, an assistant or technician assists therapists, technologists, physicians, or nurses with tasks that necessitate some level of supervision. Therapists or technologists, on the other hand, are self-employed and frequently conduct assessments and develop treatment plans. The therapist or technologist may be able to diagnose patients in some cases.
Careers in allied health can be found in almost every aspect of healthcare. Allied health professionals help provide a well-rounded team to diagnose and treat patients in a variety of settings, from veterinary studies and alternative medicine to traditional venues like physical therapy and radiology. However, several allied health professions are in high demand these days. Medical assistants, for example, assist nursing staff in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Medical assistants, or MAs, can assist patients directly or assist with inter-office tasks such as record keeping, insurance forms, and appointment scheduling.
Cardiovascular technicians and technologists are another fast-growing allied health career path. These highly trained allied health professionals assist physicians in diagnosing and treating patients with cardiovascular or heart disease, as well as peripheral vascular or blood vessel disease. Some cardiovascular technicians have received training in invasive procedures or surgical monitoring.
A diagnostic medical sonographer, also known as an ultrasound technician, is another fast-growing allied health profession. These skilled technicians took diagnostic images of internal organs with specialized equipment in order to diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses and diseases. Ultrasound technicians can also assist pregnant women.
Physician assistants, or PAs, are allied health professionals who are trained to help physicians deal with the high demand they face. Under the direct supervision of a licensed physician, they are highly trained to provide preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services. Along with another allied healthcare profession, surgical technologists, PAs are a valuable addition to surgical teams.
Athletic trainers, who treat and prevent injuries in amateur and professional athletes, and dieticians or nutritionists, who help prevent and treat a variety of illnesses and disease processes through healthy eating, are two other allied health careers that have seen significant growth. Respiratory therapists are people who help with breathing problems.
If you don’t want to work directly with patients, allied health careers like clinical lab technologists or lab scientists can help with disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as medical and health services management. The majority of what these allied health professionals do is deal with paperwork. In accordance with the physician’s recommendations, they can also direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of the healthcare program.