There has been a steady increase in the number of Americans employed in health care jobs during the past decade. In addition, health care workers can expect excellent employment prospects for the next decade. There are many trends driving the health care job boom, and these trends are contributing factors to what has made health care one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the United States.

The major factors having an impact on these trends include:

• Aging Baby Boomers – The growing population of seniors will have a major impact on health care jobs. The senior population is typically a group requiring greater than average health care needs. As their numbers increase, so does the demand for certain health care jobs and services, including home health care, nursing, and personal care. Health care personnel trained in geriatrics, such as registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and other health professionals are needed to meet this demand.
• New Technology –Genetic Counselors, MRI Technologists, and IVF clinic nurses are just a few of the health care jobs created by advances in research and technology. Advances in medical technology continue to improve the survival rate of severely injured and critically ill patients and enable treatment and diagnosis of conditions not previously treatable. In addition, as medical group practices and integrated health systems become larger and more complex, hospitals and clinics will need networking specialists, information technologists, and other experts in health care jobs to keep things running smoothly.
• Alternative and Complementary Medicine – Less traditional health care methods are gaining recognition and increasing in popularity with patients and health care professionals, leading to more health care jobs. A variety of treatments fall into this category such as stress management, acupuncture, homeopathic remedies, or massage therapy.

Rapid growth is expected in health care jobs outside the inpatient hospital sector, such as home health aides and medical assistants. Future health care workers will have various options other than the traditional inpatient hospital positions, and those who seek health care jobs must be willing to work in various employment settings. Health care jobs in hospitals will show the slowest growth within the health care industry because of the increasing use of outpatient clinics and other alternative care sites.

The outlook for those seeking health care jobs should be excellent. The health care industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the United States, and the general consensus is that career prospects in health care jobs will continue to grow over the next decade and beyond.

Take the next step! Find schools with health care programs!