Why healthcare might be the right career change for you

While there is much discussion about students getting ready to embark on the careers they’ve studied for throughout their educations, much less attention is paid to professionals who branch out. You are not tied to the career you selected when you first entered the workforce. On the contrary, many people find that after they spend a few years – or decades – in one career tract, they want to move on to a different area. One of the fields calling today’s career-changers is healthcare. 

There are many reasons why you should consider changing careers to healthcare, and we’ll go over the most important of them in this article.

Why are people switching to healthcare?

Healthcare has always had its fair share of employees. It has only recently boomed in popularity, however, with more professionals indicating that they intend on either returning to school to earn a degree or leveraging the skills they learned in their first career to help them ascend in the industry. 

One of the biggest reasons people are flocking to healthcare is the relative dearth of providers. The shortage of nurses and physicians has become a hot topic across a variety of news mediums, with the shortage estimates recorded at 124,000. These numbers have risen sharply since the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has driven a record number of healthcare workers out of the industry. Given the dire estimates and ominous figures, maybe it is no surprise that professionals both old and young have risen to the challenge.

The good news is that because so many people are searching for entry into the field, hospitals will soon be full of educated and competent professionals to ensure that patients receive the care they need and deserve. Potential shortages also present good opportunities for anyone interested in nursing, primary care, or almost any other addition to the healthcare system. If you are interested in entering the industry, now is an excellent time to begin. 

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the top reasons more and more people are considering changing their careers to healthcare.

Easy entry

One of the biggest reasons people are entering the medical field as a second career choice is the ease of entry. While more technical jobs like nursing and primary care typically require at least a four-year degree, there are other options that require little more than a high school diploma. Depending on your overall goal, you could even potentially work in healthcare as a physician or nursing assistant while you work on your advanced degrees to enter the workforce as a specialist. It is also worth noting that some positions don’t require a background in healthcare, making it a particularly good choice of career changes for established professionals. 

Job security

We mentioned the increasing shortage of healthcare workers earlier in the article, but we didn’t talk about the impact this shortage might have on professionals in the field. Because the demand for nurses and physicians is rising, the field offers excellent job security. If you are interested in a field where your presence is critical and you will be an essential part of the team, healthcare might be the perfect job for you. This is especially true if you are interested in entering fields like nursing or primary care, but it holds true for less complex jobs, too. A career in the healthcare industry is a great choice if you are interested in as much job stability as possible.

Impressive growth and good pay

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), healthcare is expected to grow roughly 13% from 2021 to 2031. This is much faster than average for all occupations and will result in around two million new positions over the decade. An additional two million job openings are expected to be available every year due to common replacement and growth needs. If you’d like to be part of a quickly-expanding and always-developing field, healthcare might be the right choice.

Along with job security and job growth comes good pay. While salary might not be the single most important factor in job satisfaction, it is certainly one of the more pressing. The good news is that the average annual wage for technical and healthcare practitioner careers is higher than the national median average for all other occupations. The exact amount of money you earn depends largely on the facility in question as well as your experience and qualifications, but you can expect to have the opportunity to find a well-paying job, at the very least.

Wide variety of jobs

If you’re wondering if healthcare is the right field for you, you could consider nursing as a second career option. When studying at reputable institutions such as Rockhurst University, students can specialize in pediatric care, gerontology, and psychiatry, among other fields of medicine. Make sure to pick the right education facility for your goals. A university such as Rockhurst University, is an excellent choice for people wanting to switch careers and begin to help people around them. Whatever your medical interest, chances are good that you can find a job to suit your tastes in the medical industry.

Job satisfaction

Finally, many people are considering second careers in healthcare because they are looking for meaningful work that matters to them. The medical industry often attracts workers who want to help those around them and have a positive impact on society in general, and many of them are typically happy with their work. In fact, one study found that nearly 80% of healthcare workers are satisfied with their jobs. 

Are you ready for a change? Whether you’ve been in your field for decades or only have a few years of experience behind you, the healthcare industry could use your professional expertise. Why not do some research into the best job for your interests, education level, and skills? Start with a job that interests you and dig into it more deeply. You can expand your search to related positions over time. Eventually, you’re sure to find the right fit and can start making a positive difference in other people’s lives.