There are a variety of important and essential health industry jobs, which do not require a college degree but lead to rewarding careers.

Not everyone in the healthcare field holds a college degree. There are a variety of important and essential health industry jobs, which do not require a college degree but lead to rewarding careers.

Non-Clinical Jobs

Non-clinical jobs, meaning that these employees do not provide any direct patient care, are critical to the healthcare field. They are mostly administrative and support positions.

These educational requirements for such jobs can include:

• High school diploma
• A certificate in a specialized course relative to the job, sometimes earned online or at a local vocational school or community college
• On-the-job training

These are a sampling of the healthcare jobs that do not require a college degree:

Medical Receptionist

This is the face and the voice of a medical practice or hospital unit. The receptionist is the first person that a patient encounters when they contact the unit or office, either over the telephone or in person.

The primary functions of a medical receptionist include:

• Controlling telephone interactions on incoming and outgoing calls
• Appointment scheduling, including setting, changing and canceling appointments
• General office duties like data entry, filing, copying, scanning or faxing documents and health records

Medical Transcriptionist

This is the record-keeping component of the medical field. Detailed physician dictation, after a patient visit or after performing a procedure, must be accurately transcribed for the patient’s permanent medical record.

A medical transcriptionist works in a professional office or, in some cases, telecommutes from home. Many transcriptionists are independent contractors. They are usually paid by the number of lines transcribed or by the hour.

The educational requirements for this position include:

• An associate’s degree, which typically takes two years to earn
• A one year online, vocational school or community college program that takes about one year to complete
• Optional certification tests available to become a Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) or a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT)

Medical Biller or Coder

Medical coders submit, review and process medical insurance claims for private physicians and/or hospitals. This process is to get reimbursement from medical insurance companies for services rendered by the doctor and/or hospital.

The word code enters the job title because every medical procedure and/or patient visit is assigned a code that corresponds to a specific diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases 9^th revision or ICD-9 code). This code helps insurance companies to accurately track medical claims.

The educational requirements for this job include:

• A high school diploma
• An accredited medical coding program, offered online or live at a vocational school or community college
• Certification by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), if required by the employer

Medical Interpreter

A medical interpreter works as a translator between a physician and a patient when there is a language barrier. They are highly important for basic communication but also serve several other purposes:

• Increase a physician’s base of international patients, especially in an urban setting where the international population is evolving
• Lower medical malpractice and potential risk by assuring that the patient clearly understands the information offered by the physician

These positions are most often hospital-based or in a medical office or clinic. According to a recent statistic released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22 percent of medical interpreters are self-employed and work on a contract, while the remaining are employed directly by the healthcare facility.

The medical interpreter field is expected to expand by 22 percent, or 11,000 new positions by 2018.

The educational requirements for this job include:

• A high school diploma
• A certificate program from an accredited course is encouraged by some institutions

While the these healthcare-related jobs don't offer direct physical care to the patient population, they are important in the medical field to assure competent, safe and complete healthcare.