Jobs in the healthcare field are projected to expand at a faster pace than in any other industry and these 5 occupations are expected to grow fastest.

Healthcare is a popular commodity in this evolving economy. There are many layers of employment in the career field. From hospital administrators, doctors and nurses to the support staff in the ancillary departments, jobs in the healthcare field are a vital necessity.

Jobs in the healthcare field are projected to expand at a faster pace than in any other industry. The expected rate of growth is 22 percent, or 3.2 million new jobs by 2018. That said, some jobs are more in demand than others.

What is Hot?

The most in-demand healthcare employment opportunities are expected to be in the following areas:

Registered Nurse (RN)

Overall, Registered Nurse is the most in-demand career in the United States. By 2016, about 580,000 new nursing jobs will be waiting to be filled, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis.

There is 26 percent growth in RN employment predicted by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) over the 10-year period of 2010 to 2020. The highest number of new nursing jobs is projected to be in physician’s offices.

There are several reasons for the high demand:

• An aging baby boomer population with growing healthcare needs
• There are close to 3 million RNs in the U.S. and 1 million of them are over 50 years old and nearing retirement

This career choice requires completion of a hospital-based nursing diploma program, Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). RNs must also pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to practice in the field. Some RNs choose to earn a master’s degree in advanced-practice nursing to become a nurse practitioner (NP) or certified nurse anesthetist (CRNA).

Home Health Aide

With the trend for more people to stay in their own home for extended care, home health aides are becoming more in demand. Home health aides assist patients with activities of daily living like bathing, dressing and eating, and also monitor vital signs and be sure medications are taken as ordered. Some home health aides also perform light household duties and as well as cooking meals for their patients.

Home health aides spend a significant amount of time with their patients, especially with the transition to a higher rate of home care in the U.S. The BLS estimates a 69 percent growth in home health aide positions over the next 10 years. This prediction represents over 700, 000 new jobs.

Preparation for this healthcare job is often on-the-job training, although there are formal training programs available at community colleges and vocational schools.

Medical Assistant

Medical assistants are crucial in performing clinical tasks and administrative duties in a variety of healthcare settings, especially outpatient units and physician’s offices. Whether a medical assistant is checking vital signs or drawing blood samples, their role makes them an important member of the healthcare team.

The BLS suggests that there will be 162,900 new medical assistant jobs over the next 10 years. This is a 30.9 percent growth rate.

On-the-job training is sometimes sufficient, but readily available certification programs or associate’s degree programs are the most popular preparation for a medical assistant. It is critical that a medical assistant be familiar with clinical procedures, laboratory techniques and medical terminology.

Pharmacy Technician

A pharmacy technician is a key assistant to a registered pharmacist. They don't give advice or answer questions about medications to patients, rather their role is to count pills, label bottles and perform administrative duties. A pharmacy technician provides support for the registered pharmacist.

The precision with which this job must be executed is critical. A pharmacy technician deals directly with the public so also must exercise patience and compassion, especially since many of the encounters are with patients who are not feeling their best.

A 32 percent job growth, or about 100,000 new positions, will be available for qualified pharmacy technicians between 2010 and 2020.

There are certification programs specializing in becoming a pharmacy technician. This job is also popular among students who are enrolled in a college degree program to become a registered pharmacist.

Medical Secretary

These are detail-oriented jobs in a hospital or medical office setting. It includes administrative office duties like making appointments, filing patient record and medical results, organizing general office activity and more.

The job pool for medical secretaries will increase by 41.3 percent over the next 10 years according to statistics released by the BLS.

Again, on-the-job training or a certification program at a community college or vocational school qualifies a potential medical secretary for the job.

The Top 5

There is a wide range of training requirements, job responsibilities and salaries represented in the current top five healthcare occupations.

Setting personal sights on a goal and following through will bode well with landing a job and ensuing career as a registered nurse, home health aide, medical assistant, pharmacy technician or medical secretary, especially over the next ten years.