ALLIED HEALTH CAREERS

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ALLIED HEALTH CAREERS

• Careers highlighted in this presentation are not
  necessarily taught at the University of Texas
  Medical Branch. For a complete list of degree
  offerings, visit http//sahs.utmb.edu/career.asp

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Who, Where, How Much

• Who do they work with
• Where do they work
• Salaries
• Growth factors

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CAREER OPTIONS IN ALLIED HEALTH

• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Dictionary of Occupational Titles
• www.OOHInfo_at_bls.gov
• www.mel.lob.mi.us/health/health-career.html
• www.whittier.edu/career/biolguide1.html

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Anesthesiologist Assistant

• Responsibilities - Pre-operative tasks such as
  insertion of intravenous arterial catheters,
  assist in administering nerve blocks
• Demand good to excellent
• Salary starting at 95,000 120,000
• Educational Requirements -
• Bachelors
• 2 yr anesthesiologist
• program

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Athletic Trainer

• Responsibilities - Works with athletes to
  recommend exercises and diet for strengthening,
  prevent illness and injury, and managing weight
• Demand - good especially at high schools
• Salary - 23,928 - 41,841 starting 50-70 later
• Minimum Educational Requirements - Bachelors
  degree in athletic training program

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Audiologist

• Responsibilities - do tests to identify hearing
  disorders, may fit patient with hearing aids
• Demand - better than average
• Salary - 40,000 - 70,000
• Education Requirements -Masters degree and may
  change to doctoral degree w/in 10 years

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Cardiovascular Technologist

• Responsibilities - Perform invasive and
  noninvasive exams to diagnose heart conditions
  under the supervision of a doctor
• Demand - Average
• Salary - 36,000 - 75,000 if licensed
• Educational Requirements - Associates or
  bachelors degree

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Clinical Dietitian

• Responsibilities - Plans and monitors meals for
  patients and hospitals
• Demand - average
• Salary - 33,419 - 51,974
• Educational Requirements - Bachelors degree in
  dietetics, food service systems management, or
  nutrition

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Clinical Nutritionist

• Responsibilities - Similar to dietician
• Demand - average
• Salary - 28 - 44,000
• Educational Requirements - Bachelors degree in
  nutrition

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Cytotechnologist

• Responsibilities - Microscopic inspection of
  cells to detect diseases such as cancer,
  endocrine disorders, or infectious lesions
• Demand - average
• Salary - 41,454 - 54,600
• Educational Requirements - Bachelors degree and
  certification

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Dental Hygienist

• Responsibilities -
• perform oral exams, remove stains and deposits
  from teeth, assist in surgery, etc. under the
  supervision of a dentist
• Demand - better than average
• Salary - 42,796 70,576
• Educational Requirements - Associates degree
  minimum many have Bachelors degrees in Dental
  Hygiene

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Dental Laboratory Technician

• Responsibilities - Construct and repair dental
  appliances. Does not usually have direct contact
  with patients
• Demand - on the decrease
• Salary - 18,536 34,958
• Educational Requirements - Associates degree or
  on-the job training

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Sonographer (Ultrasound Technician)

• Responsibilities - Use equipment that produces
  pictures of the internal organs using sound waves
• Demand - excellent
• Salary - 51,860 72,230
• Educational Requirements - 1 to 4 year program in
  radiologic technology

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Emergency Medical Technician

• Responsibilities - Provides emergency medical
  care until patient can get to the hospital
• Demand - excellent - but competitive with
  firefighters, rescue squads, police
• Salary - 16,903 27,954
• Educational Requirements
• 100-200 hour EMT course
• 10 hour internship

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Environmental Health Technician

• Responsibilities - Collect analyze materials to
  determine hazard level inspect facilities to
  identify environmental hazards
• Demand - on the increase
• Salary - 43,665 79,038
• depending on education and
• experience
• Educational Requirements
• Bachelors degree in environmental health or
  physical science

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Exercise Physiologist

• Responsibilities - Design and choose exercises
  that fit the patient and their condition. Works
  closely with physician
• Demand - Excellent
• Salary - 37,254 48,137
• Educational Requirements - Bachelors degree or
  concentration in exercise physiology.
  Certification exam available.

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Health Information Administrator(Medical Records)

• Responsibilities - Develop and maintain health
  information systems for recording, storing and
  retrieving medical and patient data
• Demand - plentiful
• Salary - 30,000 entry to 75,000 directors at
  large hospitals
• Educational Requirements - Bachelors

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Health Services Administrator

• Responsibilities - Plan, organize, coordinate,
  and manage the delivery of health services by a
  facility or agency
• Demand - good to excellent
• Salary - 43,000 89,000 average
• Educational Requirements - Bachelors degree in
  Health Care Administration or Business
  Administration

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Medical Illustrator

• Responsibilities - Use different media to
  illustrate medical information
• Demand - dependent on market and skills
• Salary - 45,000 75,000
• Educational Requirements - From On-the-job to
  Bachelors degree including premedical science
  courses

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Medical Laboratory Technician

• Responsibilities - Perform lab tests under the
  supervision of a medical technologist or
  pathologist
• Demand - average
• Salary - 43,748 - 52,680
• Educational Requirements - On-the-job or
  associates degree

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Medical Technologist(Clinical Laboratory
Scientist)

• Responsibilities - Perform lab tests on blood,
  tissues, body fluids using sophisticated
  instruments
• Demand - average to good
• Salary - 35,127 42,280
• Educational Requirements
• Associates degree minimum Bachelors degree
  in Medical Technology preferred

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Nuclear Medicine Technologist

• Responsibilities - Use radioactive materials to
  diagnose and treat diseases
• Demand - good to excellent
• Salary - 43,846 58,900 with bachelors degree
  experience
• Educational Requirements - Associates or
  Bachelors degree, certification

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Occupational Therapist

• Responsibilities - Use creative, educational, and
  recreational activities to help physically and
  mentally disabled patients become as independent
  as possible with daily living skills
• Demand - Good
• Salary - 42,983 71,684
• Educational Requirements
• Masters degree in OT license

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Perfusionist

• Responsibilities - Operate extracorporeal
  circulation equipment that performs the function
  of the heart lungs during surgery under the
  direction of a surgeon
• Demand - excellent
• Salary - 45,000 60,000
• Educational Requirements -
• 12-24 month program with
• some prior college level science

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Physical Therapist

• Responsibilities - Help patients restore
  strength, mobility, endurance, and coordination
  of the major muscle systems using massage,
  electricity, equipment, etc
• Demand - good
• Salary - 47,424 77,947
• Educational Requirements - Masters degree in
  Physical Therapy license

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Physician Assistant

• Responsibilities physical examination, patient
  history, diagnose, prescribe treatment, order
  tests, prescribe medications
• Demand good to excellent
• Salary - 59,019 86,557
• Educational Requirements 4 year Bachelors
  program or 2 year Masters program

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Prosthetist

• Responsibilities - Prepare, repair and fit
  artificial limbs and support devices using a
  variety of materials
• Demand - good to excellent
• Salary - 52,725 80,388
• Educational Requirements -
• Bachelors program in
  prosthetics or orthotics

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Radiation Therapist

• Responsibilities - Expose cancerous areas to
  radiation
• Demand - not favorable at this time
• Salary - 45,614 67,457
• Educational Requirements - 2 year certificate
  program or associates degree in RT

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Radiographer(Radiologic Technologist)

• Responsibilities - Process x-rays or medical
  images using magnetic resonance imaging and
  advanced computer-aided imaging equipment
• Demand - Market overcrowded at
  this time
• Salary - 33,618 - 48,169
• Educational Requirements - 2 year
  associates degree or 1 yr if a second
  health certification

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Recreational Therapist

• Responsibilities - Provide recreation activities
  in rehabilitating patients from illness or
  disabling conditions - helps develop
  socialization skills
• Demand - Good
• Salary - 20,545 37,917
• Educational Requirements - Bachelors degree in
  Rec Therapy

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Respiratory Therapist

• Responsibilities - Work with patients that have
  cardiopulmonary disorders asthma, bronchitis,
  drownings, pneumonia, etc.
• Demand - Good
• Salary - 34,848 45,024
• Educational Requirements - 1 year certificate
  program or associates degree

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Speech Pathologist

• Responsibilities - Diagnose and treat speech and
  language disorders
• Demand - Good
• Salary - 36,655 56,392
• Educational Requirements - Masters degree in
  Speech Pathology

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Surgical Technologist(Operating Room Technician)

• Responsibilities - Help set up operating room and
  prep patients for surgery. Check vital signs
  during surgery, help team suit up
• Demand - Better than average
• Salary - 22,547 36,350
• Educational Requirements - 9-24 month programs -
  depending on educational background

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How is Professional School Different

• Volume and scope of work
• Professionalism at school
• Community and school leadership
• Opportunity to work is limited
• Small classes
• Clinic Experiences as a Learning Tool
• Need to be mobile for Clinicals

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HOW ONE PREPARES TO ENTER PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL

• Narrow down your choices
• take some interest inventories
• determine your long term goals
• get to know yourself
• attend workshops on career development

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• Become familiar with the prerequisites for the
  professional program of your choice
• Get in contact with the school that offers your
  program and meet with Admissions personnel to
  check transcripts
• Get applications from programs

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What Professional Programs May be Looking For in
a Candidate

• Volunteer Experience
• Relevant Classes
• Work Experience
• Shadowing Experience
• Research Interests
• Community Involvement

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Competitiveness

• Dependent on Program
• Check with Association or Academy that licenses
  profession
• Talk with students from the program
• Talk with health professionals already in the
  field
• Check out the internet