The Healthcare Industry
The Healthcare industry includes hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, veterinary hospitals, elder care facilities, home health care, etc. Doctors can’t diagnose ailments without the help of imaging and lab technicians. Physical Therapists help patients overcome injuries and recover from surgeries. Nurses directly care for the patients. They administer medications and treatments prescribed by the doctors. They also monitor the treatment’s progress and work more closely with the patient than the rest of the medical team. If you want to care for the sick and injured, the elderly, or pets and livestock, there are many opportunities in this field. Jobs in healthcare require specialized knowledge and strong interpersonal skills.
JRTI has two programs to prepare you for working in the Healthcare field. You will learn about these programs in the next two lessons.
Who Works in Healthcare?
Example Job Titles
- Phlebotomy Technician
- EKG Technician
- Monitor Technician
- Nurse
- Doctor
- Therapist
- Surgical Technician
- Dietician/Nutritionist
- Physical Therapist
- Insurance Coder
Education Requirements
Although many people enter this industry without a college degree, most job listings will state that a four-year Bachelors Degree is required. A certificate from a technical school or a two-year Associates Degree can get your career started. However, higher levels of education can increase the opportunities you will have. Even if you plan to attend college, studying this field in high school can give you the foundational skills that will make your college experience easier.
Example College Programs
- Radiology – HCC, Hagerstown, MD
- EKG Technician – Blue Ridge CTC, Martinsburg, WV
- Respiratory Therapy – WVU, Morgantown, WV
- Veterinary Science – Marshall University, Huntington, WV
- Nursing – Blue Ridge CTC, Martinsburg, WV
- Nursing – WV Junior College, Martinsburg, WV
- Internal Medicine – WVU, Morgantown, WV
- Radiology – HCC, Hagerstown, MD
Frequency of Skills Used in this Field
| Skill Categories | Very Often | Often | Occasionally | Rarely |
| Hands-on/operate equipment and tools | X | |||
| Critical thinking/creative problem solving | X | |||
| Basic math problem solving | X | |||
| Advanced math problem solving | X | |||
| Computers & technology | X | |||
| Written communication | X | |||
| Interpersonal and social | X |