Regardless of an economy with a less-than-booming job market, those looking for work in healthcare are in luck; predicted to grow approximately 22% in the next six years—which translates to roughly 3.2 million new jobs—the healthcare industry is continues to grow at a surprisingly quick pace. If you’re trying to decide on a career, or have already decided that the healthcare industry is for you, here are some of the fastest-rising healthcare professions out there!

  1. Registered Nurse. Projected to create over 580,000 jobs by 2016, RNs are always in need, making this position a great choice for future healthcare workers. While there are roughly 787,000 Registered Nursing jobs now, experts predict that there will be well over one million RNs in the next four years.
  2. Home Health Aide. Home health aides assist those unable to leave their homes, or those that wish to live in their homes but cannot live without some assistance. As the baby boomer generation ages, home health aides appear to have a promising career outlook ahead.
  3. Medical Assistant. Medical Assistants assume both administrative and clinical responsibilities in the healthcare field, and have become a staple in the healthcare industry. With a projected job growth of 27% in the next four years, now might be the right time to get your Medical Assistant Certification.
  4. Pharmacy Technician. For those looking to get into the medical field without a great deal of schooling, pharmacy technicians have the benefit of helping pharmacists without requiring extensive training. Studies show that approximately 91,000 new pharmacy technician jobs will be created by 2016; why not get a head-start and earn your Pharmacy Technician Diploma for an extra advantage in the job market?
  5. Medical Secretary. Similar to medical assistants, medical secretaries and medical transcriptionists must have an in-depth understanding of both the administrative and procedural aspects of the healthcare field. However, for those skilled in both—and especially for those certified—a career as a medical secretary is both challenging and rewarding.

For other healthcare jobs on the rise, check out this article.  Have you recently found career success in the health industry? How did you prepare for it? Let us know in the comments section!