The 5 Reasons Why You Need to Pursue an Allied Health Career

If you’re looking for a lucrative career where there is no shortage of jobs, the allied health field may be your best option. Allied healthcare is made up of ancillary support networks for healthcare organizations of all types. These roles comprise around 60% of all the available jobs in healthcare. Whether you’re interested in a career in physical therapy, nutrition services, dental hygiene, or any other supportive role in the healthcare field, allied healthcare is an area where you’ll always be in demand. 

What is Allied Healthcare?

Allied healthcare professionals deliver ancillary services to patients. This is a uniquely distinct subset of healthcare delivery designed to support a patient’s primary medical care. These professionals are the allies of nurses and doctors in the care of patients of every age and demographic.

Allied healthcare encompasses a broad range of jobs but all are tasked with diagnosing, evaluating, and treating chronic and acute medical conditions. Allied healthcare workers focus strongly on preventative treatment and lifestyles as well as wellness disease prevention for their patients. The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) says, “Allied health plays an essential role in the delivery of health care and related services in the U.S. throughout the world.”

These advanced practice professionals serve an important function for all kinds of healthcare organizations, from nursing homes to hospitals, home care agencies, to physical rehabilitation facilities. Healthcare staffing agencies like i4 Search Group have dozens of jobs so you’ll have a variety of choices to consider. Some typical allied healthcare roles include:

  • Dental personnel
  • Diagnostic medical personnel
  • Emergency first responders
  • Exercise science professionals
  • Health educators
  • Imaging specialists
  • Nutritionists
  • Occupational therapists
  • Pharmacy personnel
  • Physical therapists
  • Physician assistants

This is just a short list in a big field. But why should you consider a career in any of these areas? Are there benefits associated with a career as an advanced practice professional in allied healthcare? We have five reasons for you to consider.

Advantages of Pursuing an Allied Healthcare Career

1. Flexibility

There are more medical jobs related to allied healthcare than just about any other type of job in the field. Not only do you have the flexibility of choosing what type of advanced practice professional role you will pursue, but you’ll also have choices when it comes to your location, the type of facility you work in, and more.

You also have the flexibility to choose a role in allied healthcare that requires less training so you can enter the workforce more quickly. For example, you could pursue a physical therapy degree that takes years or go after a medical assistant job that requires about a year. You can become a certified phlebotomist in about six to 12 weeks, depending on the training program. There are many jobs in assisted living that could put you to work with on-the-job training in housekeeping or dining services.

The point is that allied healthcare positions offer you enormous flexibility in career choices. Healthcare staffing agencies like i4 Search are actively hiring for these medical jobs as you read this.

2. Job satisfaction

It’s no secret that the majority of the American workforce is disengaged. But if you enjoy working with people to help them feel better, allied healthcare allows you the opportunity to avoid becoming a part of this statistic. Allied healthcare gives workers a chance to give back to their patients and the community they serve. These roles make a difference every day, which increases your job satisfaction by knowing you are part of something bigger than yourself. However, if you become unhappy in the job you also have the option to work with a healthcare recruiting firm to find another job. You won’t have to settle for anything less than job satisfaction ever again.

3. Career security

In tumultuous times we look for career paths that offer job security. Allied healthcare is that career path. The Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently ranks healthcare as one of the most stable and expanding career paths. Many of the jobs in allied healthcare don’t require extensive training but pay well. Some of the fastest-growing allied healthcare careers include:

  • Medical assistant
  • Physician assistant
  • Respiratory therapist
  • Athletic trainer
  • Medical/health service administrator
  • Dietitian 

Allied healthcare jobs are highly in demand in part due to the aging Baby Boomer population who is putting more pressure on our nation’s care delivery systems. We need more advanced practice professionals to handle this patient load! This means you have job options and job security if you decided to enter this field.

4. Great pay and benefits

The cost of insurance these days is hefty and growing worse, but if you have a medical job, these benefits are typically less expensive and better than in other jobs. But it is the pay that often becomes the number one attractant to enter the allied healthcare field. U.S. News & World Report lists some of the average salaries that advanced practice professionals make:

  • Physician assistants—$112,260
  • Nurse practitioners—$110,700
  • Speech language pathologists—$79,120
  • Occupational therapists—$84,950

In addition to high salary opportunities, the more advanced practice professionals in allied healthcare have many options for jobs, with literally thousands available in markets all over the country. Top pay, top benefits, and options, all define the medical jobs available in the allied healthcare field today.

5. Healthcare staffing agencies are standing by

The demand for allied healthcare professionals today means that you really won’t have to work hard to find the medical job that’s right for you. Healthcare staffing agencies are standing by to work closely with you to help find you an exact match. 

Is an Allied Healthcare Job Right for You?

Ultimately, you get to decide if a job in allied healthcare is right for you. There are clear advantages to seeking out these roles from the volume of available jobs to the pay they offer.

We believe a job in allied healthcare gives you options. I4 Search Group is committed to helping you explore them. Talk with our team today about how we can help you find your next career.

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