Many people want a career in the medical field. However, going to medical school is stressful and expensive, and it may not be possible for everyone. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find a well-paying job in the medical field. There are many different positions in the medical industry that you can get into without needing to go to medical school. Below we’ll discuss five of them.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
A diagnostic medical sonographer creates sonograms or ultrasounds of inside the body using specialized imaging equipment to help physicians diagnose medical conditions. To become a diagnostic medical sonographer, you need at least an Associate’s degree in sonography, a professional certification from an accredited program, as well as a basic life support certification. You can get these qualifications within just a few years. You can even specialize in certain areas of the body.
Medical Records Coder
Becoming a medical coder requires you to know medical terminology and rules and regulations of insurance providers to ensure that proper coding is used for procedures and diagnoses for insurance claims and billing. There are online medical coding classes to become a medical records coder. Because this isn’t a position that requires you to work with patients in person, you may even be able to work from home.
Nurse Midwife
Like obstetricians, nurse midwives specialize in caring for women by acting as primary care providers for newborns and women. Not only do they deliver babies, but they provide family planning services, prenatal care, and manage emergency situations when they arise. To become a nurse midwife, you must earn a Master’s degree and become a registered nurse before going through an accredited medical program.
Ocularist
An ocularist is a person who makes prosthetic eyes for people who have lost an eye due to disease or injury. They take precise measurements to shape and fit the prosthesis and paint it to match the other eye. To become an ocularist, a person must go through an apprenticeship with a Board Approved Diplomate Ocularist. The salary for an ocularist ranges from $79,000 to $113,700.
Orthotists and Prosthetists
Orthotists and prosthetists earn master’s degrees in orthotics and prosthetics to design and fabricate artificial limbs and braces for patients. The education required only takes about two years before they go through a residency accredited by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education.
There are many careers in the medical industry that don’t require attending medical school, some of which you’ve likely never considered before, such as surgical technologist, audiologist, biomedical engineer, or massage therapist. There’s a career out there for everyone if they know where to look.