What health care careers are the most satisfying?
I plan on enrolling in college soon and I’m sure I want to do something in the health care field but I don’t want to be unhappy with whatever I choose… So does anyone know what health care jobs have the highest satisfaction rate?
Physician assistant
$75,000 AVERAGE PAY 50% 10-YEAR GROWTH 4,000 ANNUAL JOB OPENINGS STRESS C FLEXIBILITY B CREATIVITY B EASE OF ENTRY C “We can focus on medicine and spend time with patients. To shake the hand of someone who was nearly dead or cure someone of an illness, there is no feeling like that in the world.” –LAWRENCE HERMAN, 52, PHYSICIAN’S ASSISTANT, HOLBROOK, N.Y.
WHY IT’S GREAT For most doctors, the worst part of their job is filling out paperwork and battling insurers. Physician’s assistants get to skip all that. Under a doctor’s supervision, they provide routine health care–conducting physical exams, ordering lab tests, prescribing medications, treating illnesses. PAs can specialize, from the E.R. to pediatrics to orthopedics, and they can switch fields. Thanks to an aging population and demand for more cost-effective care, this job offers a level of security other professions can’t match.
WHAT’S COOL Doctors’ work, bankers’ hours. PAs average 35 to 40 hours a week, and they can work part time and in a variety of settings.
WHAT’S NOT You’re not the ultimate decision maker on patient treatment; there’s little room for advancement.
TOP-PAYING JOB Specialists in cardiothoracic surgery earn over $100,000.
EDUCATION Four years of college, two to three years of training in an accredited program, plus national exam for certification.
Pharmacist
$92,000 AVERAGE PAY 25% 10-YEAR GROWTH 10,100 ANNUAL JOB OPENINGS STRESS B FLEXIBILITY B CREATIVITY C EASE OF ENTRY C
WHY IT’S GREAT Demand for pharmacists is exploding as the population ages and new medications are developed. By 2010 the number of prescriptions filled is expected to rise 27% to 4.1 billion. Pharmacists also give advice on over-the-counter meds and help patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes. About 60% work in retail settings, the rest in hospitals and nursing homes and in research or sales for drug companies.
WHAT’S COOL Pharmacists are in such demand that graduates today can expect multiple job offers, signing bonuses and $90K-plus salaries.
WHAT’S NOT Dealing with insurers and angry patients; limited advancement.
TOP-PAYING JOB Pharmacists at major retail chains can earn six figures.
EDUCATION A doctor of pharmacy degree program is six years long.
Psychologist
$66,500 AVERAGE PAY 19% 10-YEAR GROWTH 6,800 ANNUAL JOB OPENINGS STRESS C FLEXIBILITY B CREATIVITY A EASE OF ENTRY C
WHY IT’S GREAT Feel stressed or anxious? So do a lot of people. That and the decreasing stigma attached to seeking help have fueled demand for psychological services. The pay is good, the hours are flexible, and it’s pretty hard to top the psychological benefit that comes with bringing relief to a troubled mind. Greater awareness of how mental health and behavior issues affect learning makes school psychology a particularly fast-growing specialty.
WHAT’S COOL Shrinks are four times as likely to be self-employed as other professionals.
WHAT’S NOT Years of training; stiff competition for slots in graduate programs; insurers.
TOP-PAYING JOB Clinical and counseling psychologists can earn $95,000-plus.
EDUCATION Ph.D. and one-year internship; to be a school psychologist, three years of graduate study and a one-year internship.
Health Insurance: Cost Sharing
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Urnex Dezcal Home Activated Descaler, For Home Coffee & Espresso Equipt., 4 – 1 oz Packets $0.01 Dezcal Activated Scale Remover is specifically formulated to quickly and effectively descale the hot water tanks and components of coffee and espresso machinery. By removing mineral deposits which clog and impair brewing equipment, Dezcal allows machines to perform at optimal levels. Non-toxic and bio-degradable, Dezcal is suitable for use by both professional technicians and home users alike. Ret… |
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Ove’ Glove Hot Surface Handler, 1 Glove (Pack of 2) $23.00 Five-fingered flexi-grip. For left or right hand. Withstands extreme heat up to 480 degrees F. The Ove Glove is perfect for the kitchen, barbeque and handling hot surfaces around the house. The Ove Glove exterior layer is made of DuPont Nomex and Kevlar. Interior layer of soft doubleknit cotton. Machine washable. The thermal properties of The Ove Glove outer layer, which is made of Nomex and Kevla… |
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Self-Healing with Sound and Music $10.20 Andrew Weil, M.D. & Kimba Arem Have you ever been deeply moved by a piece of music? If so, then you may already recognize the incredible impact of sound on your health and well-being. Today, sound therapy is used to effectively treat a surprising range of health challenges including chronic pain, stroke, stress, and much more. On Self-Healing with Sound & Music, bestselling author Dr. Andrew Weil … |
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Self-Healing with Guided Imagery $12.26 The verdict is in: guided imagery works. Study after medical study during the past three decades has found that the power of the mind can influence almost every major system of the body- from breathing and heart rate to digestion and immune response. On Self-Healing with Guided Imagery, Dr. Martin L. Rossman, widely considered the No. 1 expert in the therapeutic use of guided imagery, joins truste… |
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Olay Skin Smoothing Cream Scrub, 6-Ounce (Pack of 2) $11.88 Deep cleans, gently exfoliates to rejuvenate, leaving skin radiant & noticeably smooth…. |
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Cancer Doesn’t Scare Me Anymore! $13.00 As a physician who developed cancer herself, Dr. Lorraine Day was well aware that physicians are more afraid of cancer than patients are, because doctors KNOW that chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are NOT the answer to cancer. She will help you understand why you don’t need to fear cancer. She explains to you in terms you can understand all the confusing medical jargon you will hear from docto… |
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Who Plays God? Medicine, Money, and Ethics in American Health Care This program explores a variety of life-and-death situations to illustrate the spectrum of highly controversial ethical decisions made on a daily basis in modern American medicine. Hosted by ABC News medical correspondent George Strait, and featuring noted authorities such as health-care economist Uwe Reinhardt, the program takes an in-depth look at the decisions that underlie the use of health-ca… |
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Living Yoga – Back Care Yoga for Beginners [VHS] $4.00 Yoga focuses on keeping the spine open and supported, so it is understandable why millions of people turn to yoga for self-care of their back, explains instructor Rodney Yee in Back Care Yoga for Beginners, a gentle, easy 30-minute introduction to yoga. Its 20-minute yoga workout maximizes the movements of the spine and Yee carefully demonstrates the back-strengthening yoga postures, sometimes usi… |
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O’Keeffe’s Healthy Feet Creme 3.2oz Jar $5.49 Creates the perfect microenvironment for skin to repair itself, O’Keefes utilizes three chemical properties: hydrates the skin with both water and glycerin, traps the moisture at the cellular level to prevent evaporation, and alters the pH in the dermis layer to activate the production of the body’s own potent compounds. Guaranteed Effective. Completely Odorless and oil free for a non-greasy feeli… |
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Jaguar Plastics Red 40-inch c 46-inch Health Care Bio-hazard Printed Trash Liners (Case of 100) $54.99 Health Care Bio-hazard Printed Liners, 1.3 millimeter, 40 inches x 46 inches, red, 100 per carton.High-visibility red medical waste bags hold toxic materials and liners. |
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Jaguar Plastics Red 24-inch x 23-inch Health Care Bio-hazard Printed Trash Liners (Case of 500) $83.99 Health Care Bio-hazard Printed Liners, 1.3 millimeter, 24 inches x 23 inches, red, 500 per carton.High-visibility red medical waste bags hold toxic materials and liners |
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Jaguar Plastics Red 33-inch x 39-inch Health Care Bio-hazard Printed Trash Liners (Case of 150) $45.87 Health Care Bio-hazard Printed Liners, 1.3 millimeter, 33 inches x 39 inches, red, 150 per carton.High-visibility red medical waste bags hold toxic materials and liners. |
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Medline Unisex White Knee Length Lab Coat $13.99 Designed with the needs of the health care professional, this Unisex White Knee Length Lab Coat is a perfect blend of function |
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Synovial Max Soft Chews (240 Tabs) $54.99 Joint health care chewsFlavor: NaturalPackage contents: 240 soft chews |
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Medline White SMS Disposable Lab Coat – Small (Case of 30) $53 Lab coat designed with the needs of the health care professional in mindCoats also feature three reinforced pockets and a back ventFour snap-front closure ensures secure fit but also enables swift removal |
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Synovial Max Soft Chew Minis (120 count) $18.99 Joint health care chewsFlavor: NaturalPackage contents: 120 soft chews |
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Dycem Forest Green Non-slip Material Roll (8 inches x 30′) $95.99 This forest green Dycem non-slip material roll measures 8 inches x 10 yards. This Material is used by many occupational therapists, physical therapists and health care professionals as an effective anti-slip material. |
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Carex Universal Transfer Bench $75.99 This transfer bench was designed and developed after extensive research and input from occupational therapists and health care professionals. The backrest has two built-in handles to make positioning easier. |
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Back Cold Compression $32.04 Back cold compression therapy reduces back painHealth care product reduces pain caused by back strain, chronic back ache and injuriesCompression is especially useful after back surgery |