4 High-Paying Healthcare Industry Jobs That Don’t Require an MD

With the increase in inflation in recent years, the need for high-paying jobs with greater job stability is only increasing. Among the various options available, healthcare jobs are in high demand. And the healthcare industry is only expected to grow with the increase in population and life expectancies.

It’s a common misconception that only doctors are well-paid in the healthcare industry. If you’re considering a career in the healthcare industry, your options don’t have to be restricted by a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. A vast array of high-paying professions in the healthcare field cater to multiple interests, abilities, and experiences. In this article, we’ll see four high-paying jobs in the healthcare industry that don’t require an MD.

1.Pharmacist

A pharmacist supervises pharmacy technicians preparing medicines and ensures they are appropriately dispensed. They also advise patients about taking medicines and their possible side effects. Pharmacists can work in community and hospital pharmacies, the pharmaceutical industry, veterinary pharmacies, primary healthcare organizations, and universities for teaching and research.

To become a pharmacist, having a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), a four-year professional degree, and getting licensed is essential. Pharmacists have a mean annual salary of $125,690, with a projected growth of 2% from 2021 to 2031.

2.Nurse Practitioner

A nurse practitioner is a type of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who has specialized in different fields of medicine, such as geriatrics, acute care or family medicine, and pediatrics. A nurse practitioner assesses and diagnoses patients and prescribes treatments. Their job also includes performing physical examinations on patients, ordering tests and analyzing their results, and conducting follow-up visits.

Nurse practitioners work in various settings, such as hospitals, long-term healthcare facilities, schools, correctional facilities such as detentions or prisons, and substance abuse treatment centers. Nurse Practitioners require at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree focused on the desired specialty. These can be on campus or online, for example, an online MSN AGPCNP program, MSN FNP programs, and MSN CNS programs. Nurse Practitioners have a mean annual wage of $118,040, with projected growth of 40% from 2021 to 2031.

3.Physical Therapists

A physical therapist’s job is to work with people suffering from injury or chronic physical conditions and improve their physical health by helping them manage their pain and improve their range of motion. These healthcare professionals also play a crucial role in recovering and rehabilitating surgery patients.

Physical therapists start by taking a detailed history of the patient’s condition and then performing various tests to assess physical abilities or strength relevant to that condition. These professionals then devise a treatment plan, including tools and exercises to help people get better. The required education is a doctoral degree: the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). The mean annual wage is $92,920, with a projected growth of 17% from 2021 to 2031.

4.Dieticians and Nutritionists

Dietitians and nutritionists are experts in food and diet. They use their knowledge to help people maintain good health and manage diseases through informed food consumption. Both nutritionists and dieticians teach people about nutrition, food, and health and help them devise meal plans according to their health or condition. Both work in similar settings, for example, hospitals, long-term care facilities, schools, research, and sports. 

However, there’s a difference: dieticians diagnose and treat illnesses like eating disorders or substance abuse and devise specific meal plans to manage symptoms. However, nutritionists do not perform nutritional counseling or diagnose and treat conditions. Their work only includes working with individuals to devise meal plans to improve their nutrition. Both jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree, both have a mean annual wage of $ 64,150, and their employment is projected to grow 7% from 2021 to 2031.

Endnote

Many people think that working in healthcare requires an MD degree, but that’s not true. You can get high-paying jobs in the healthcare industry that don’t require an MD degree, like being a pharmacist or nurse practitioner. Before choosing a profession to pursue, it’s essential that you carefully analyze the time, money, experience, degrees required, and projected growth in employment for each one.