The 5 Best Healthcare Career Options for High School Graduates
If you’re looking to work in the healthcare industry, it can be difficult to know where to start. Between dozens of career paths, licenses and certifications, schools, and field specializations, it can be hard to determine which one might suit your needs best. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the top five healthcare career options for high school graduates. Take a look!
1) Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a person who helps nurses and physicians care for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, or other healthcare facilities. CNAs are not required to have any formal education or certification, but many employers prefer those with a high school diploma or GED, and some CNAs choose to pursue formal training to become Registered Nurses.
2) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Licensed Practical Nurses, also known as LPNs, work under the supervision of a registered nurse to provide basic care and minor medical assistance. They may perform routine tasks such as taking vital signs and assisting with treatments. LPNs typically work in hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, schools or home health agencies.
3) Registered Nurse (RN)
If you love to help people, have a great bedside manner, and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment then registered nursing may be the perfect career choice. With an RN degree and license, you can work in almost any area of the healthcare industry including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, psychiatric wards, schools and more.
4) Doctor
Becoming a doctor is the most obvious healthcare career choice and it’s also one of the most difficult. These professionals help people by diagnosing diseases, prescribing medicine, performing surgery and providing emotional support.
5) Physical Therapist
One of the best options is to become a physical therapist. Physical therapists work with patients in order to help them get better and move more easily. They often work in hospitals, but they can also be found in private practices or nursing homes. They must go through four years of education and training in order to earn their degree and certification as a physical therapist. The average salary for a physical therapist is about $76,000 per year.
