The demand for medical careers isn’t slowing any time soon. In fact, there are some healthcare careers that are predicted to experience explosive growth in the coming decade. We’ve gathered information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which healthcare careers are seeing some of the highest demand in 2024.
Could one of these medical careers be for you?
Nursing
Particularly, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners are expected to see a significant increase in demand. In 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that these nursing professions are expected to see an increased demand of 38 percent by 2032. This growth is much faster than that of the national average for all occupations.
Nurse anesthetists, midwives, and practitioners work in a variety of medical settings. These can include hospitals, doctors’ offices, and any specialized clinics. Nurse anesthetists have one of the most high-risk jobs in the medical field. Working alongside surgeons, anesthesiologists are responsible for administering the correct amount of anesthesia for patients undergoing surgery.
Nurse midwives work with OB/GYNs and specialize in reproductive health and childbirth. They provide a range of care and services, along with medical treatments and interventions when needed. Nurse midwives offer prenatal, labor, delivery, and postpartum care.
Nurse practitioners are in advanced practice, and provide primary and specialty healthcare services. They assess and examine patients, diagnose and treat illnesses/conditions, and can order and interpret diagnostic tests.
Overall, nursing is an excellent field to pursue, and specialized positions, like that of nurse anesthetists, midwives, and nurse practitioners, are very in demand and lucrative.
Find nursing programs in your area.
Medical and Health Services Management
Medical and health services management has also reported extremely high demand. By 2032, medical and health service managers are expected to experience an increased demand of 28 percent. This percentage indicates growth significantly faster than that of the national average.
Medical and health service managers are also referred to as healthcare administrators or healthcare executives. They might manage an entire facility, or a specific clinical department. In addition to scheduling and budgeting, they also adhere to different compliance regulations and laws within medicine, may attend investor meetings, and even oversee the ordering process of necessary supplies.
Find medical and health service management programs in your area.
Physician Assistant
Physician assistants are also in extremely high demand in 2024. By 2032, physician assistants are expected to see a 27 percent increase in demand, which is significantly faster growth than that of the national average of all occupations.
Physician assistants are responsible for examining, diagnosing, and the treatment of patients under the guidance of a physician. Along with many other responsibilities, physician assistants can offer various treatments for health conditions or injuries, interpret panels or diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and keep record of patient progress.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
With a growing and aging population comes the increased need for different medical treatments — namely occupational therapy. Not only is demand for occupational therapists expected to increase, but more so demand for occupational therapy assistants. By 2032, demand for occupational therapy assistants is expected to rise 23 percent, which is much faster than the national average.
OTAs help occupational therapists provide critical treatment, care, and exercises to patients. An occupational therapy assistant might guide patients through different therapeutic activities and exercises, instruct patients on using certain equipment, and be responsible for recording patient progress. OTAs occupy an important role in patient care and recovery.
Find an occupational therapy assistant program in your area.
Home Health Aide
As the large population of baby boomers age, access to healthcare at home will become increasingly important. This is why home health aides are expected to see continued demand in this year and in years to come. By 2032, home health aides are expected to see an increased demand of 22 percent, which is again, much faster growth than that of the national average.
Home health aides are responsible for providing care to people with disabilities and/or chronic conditions from the comfort of a patient’s home. Not only do home health aides assist patients with daily activities, they may also provide basic healthcare services. This can include monitoring vital signs, changing bandages or dressing wounds, and assisting with simple exercises.
Find an allied health program in your area to start working toward a career as a home health aide.
Physical Therapy Assistant
Physical therapy assistants are also in demand in 2024, and are expected to remain so for the next decade. Physical therapists themselves are expected to see an increased demand, and with their services comes the need for PTAs. By 2032, it is expected that physical therapy assistants will experience an increased demand of 19 percent. Again, this percentage is much faster than that of the national average.
Working under the direction of physical therapists, PTAs help patients recover and manage pain after an injury or illness. Often, physical therapy assistants are involved directly in patient care; they may show patients the correct way to do certain exercises, observe patient progress, and treat patients with a variety of techniques and tools.
Find a physical therapy assistant program in your area.
Speech Therapist
Body copy. Speech therapists are also among the most in-demand healthcare careers in 2024. Speech and language therapists are sometimes called speech and language pathologists. By 2032, speech and language pathologists are expected to see an increased demand of 19 percent, which is faster growth than the national average.
Speech therapists treat and assess patients with targeted therapy to address language and speech disorders. They might also assist patients who have difficulty swallowing. They develop and carry out treatment plans to help patients with certain milestones. These plans may focus on strengthening muscles in the neck and head, along with maintaining fluency.
Medical Assistant
Medical assistants are our final pick of some of the most in-demand medical jobs in 2024. The growing population marks the need for routine medical procedures and wellness appointments. By 2032, it is expected that medical assistants will see an increased demand of 14 percent, which is faster growth than the national average.
Medical assistants provide support to doctors, nurses, and patients alike. They perform a combination of clinical and clerical tasks. The clinical responsibilities of medical assistants include taking patients’ vital signs, administering injections, assisting doctors in patient exams, and collecting test samples. Clerical responsibilities medical assistants have are recording a patient’s medical history, vitals, and test results, along with scheduling appointments, and ordering inventory.
Find a medical assistant program in your area.
Which Medical Career Should I Choose?
Listed above are just some of the most in-demand medical careers in 2024. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that these careers, among many other medical jobs, are expected to remain in demand in the coming decade.
Whichever career you decide to choose (even if it’s not listed in this article) you’ll be playing a critical role in patient care and support. If you’re ready to take the next step and enroll in fantastic medical training, connect with a school offering medical programs today!
