Best Medical Specialties to Pursue
So you’re planning on going into the medical field? Advancements in technology create new specialties and treatment options. Medical practices are becoming more complex, requiring more administrative help—and that’s just the beginning.
To help you figure out where you best fit into the medical mix, we put together experts’ predictions for the fastest growing healthcare jobs and highest paying physician specialties.
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Based on recent statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare employment will continue to grow significantly through 2028 in the following areas, among others:
- Home Health Aides and Personal Care Aides (36% growth)
- Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides (31% growth)
- Physician Assistant (31% growth)
- Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners (26% growth)
- Medical Assistant (23% growth)
- Physical Therapist (22% growth)
- Respiratory Therapist (21% growth)
- Orthotists and Prosthetists (20% growth)
- Athletic Trainer (19% growth)
- Veterinary Technician/Technologist (19% growth)
- Veterinarian (18% growth)
- Occupational Therapist (18% growth)
- Audiologists (16% growth)
- Registered Nurse (12% growth)
- Dental Hygienist (11% growth)
- Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses (11% growth)
Overall, inpatient care positions, like hospital jobs, aren’t expected to change as drastically as outpatient fields, which show the most potential for growth.
Want an even clearer forecast? These are not only the fastest growing jobs in the healthcare profession, but in all professions—a very promising sign of the climate ahead for prospective medical students and others starting out the medical field.
After four extra years of school, the struggle to pay tuition, 60-hour weeks, night shifts, board exams, high stakes, and whatever other challenges you might encounter and work through as a medical student … it’s natural that you would want the largest return on your investment you could get—while still pursuing your dreams, of course. Needless to say, salary often plays a big role in helping medical students choose their future specialties.
- Orthopedic Surgery: $464,500
- Cardiology (invasive): $461,364
- Cardiology (non-invasive): $447,143
- Gastroenterology: $441,421
- Urology: $424,091
- Hematology/Oncology: $396,000
- Dermatology: $370,952
- Radiology: $368,250
- Pulmonology: $351,125
- General Surgery: $336,375
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Speciality you’re going for not listed here? Don’t worry—doctors’ salaries still tend to exceed those of many other professions. In other words, your hard work and noble pursuits are very likely to pay off, no matter what speciality you pursue.
Just remember—the key to success and fulfillment in any field is not about how much you make, but how much you love what you do. You may spend most of your career on call, meeting the needs of others, so make sure your chosen field will satisfy you emotionally, as well as financially.
[ TOP MEDICAL SCHOOLS BY SPECIALTY ]
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