Healthcare Education Resources

Healthcare professionals play a fundamental role in society, affecting each of our lives. They diagnose illnesses, as well as prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. Occupations committed to patient care and health promotion are experiencing a huge growth spurt. The growth is not limited to healthcare practitioners and technical occupations such as physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, pharmacists, speech-language pathologists, and veterinarians, to name a few; it also includes the many occupations of the healthcare support subgroup, including physician assistants, medical equipment technicians, massage therapists, and dental assistants. In fact, healthcare support occupations will number among the fastest and largest growing occupations between 2002 and 2012.

The five jobs with the greatest projected job growth between 2000 and 2012 are health related. Together, healthcare practitioner and technical occupations and healthcare support occupations are expected to grow at a 28.8-percent rate. Healthcare support jobs will increase by 1.1 million new positions, while healthcare practitioners and technical occupations will see a 1.7 million job increase. Healthcare occupations have the distinction of holding fifteen positions out of the thirty fastest growing occupations between 2002 and 2012. Examples of rapid industry growth include physical therapists, physician assistants, home health aides, and medical assistants. What are the duties of these occupations and what kind of growth will they experience? Physical therapists help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent long-term physical disabilities of patients. They restore, maintain, and promote total fitness and health. The occupation will grow 35-percent between 2002 and 2012, creating 48,000 new jobs. Physician assistants provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive services under the guidance of a physician, such as examining patients, prescribing medications, and noting medical histories. The occupation will grow 49-percent from 63,000 positions in 2002 to almost 95,000 positions in 2012. Home health aides enter the homes of the elderly, disabled, and convalescent to assist in their care. They administer medications, check patients' temperatures and pulse rates, and help patients in their daily routines. By 2012, home health aides will hold over 800,000 jobs, up 48-percent from 580,000 in 2002. Medical assistants keep the offices of health practitioners operating; they answer phones, handle medical records, and oversee minor clinical functions. This occupation is expected to be the single fastest growing occupation throughout the 2002-2012 time period, increasing 59-percent from 365,000 jobs.

• Physical Therapists - median annual income of $57,330
• Physician Assistants - median annual income of $64,670
• Home Health Aides - median hourly income of $8.70
• Medical Assistants - median annual income of $23,940