5 Careers Suitable for Tech Nerds in the Medical Field

When you’re looking for a career, you must think about if it includes some part that relates to a hobby or something you enjoy. If you are interested in writing, you’d want to take on a career within the medical field that requires the writing of some sort, like medical transcription, etc. Those who enjoy electronics and technological advancement and want to work in the medical field have many options available for them.

Because the medical field is becoming more and more technically advanced, more positions are being created. While medical careers are consistently available for professionals, sometimes people find that their career doesn’t particularly fit their needs and wants. Some people even find themselves wanting to do advance in the medical field or even change their profession.

Technology has been extremely beneficial for healthcare and has lead to more accuracy, from surgeries to diagnoses. Jobs will continue to transform over time as technology grows and healthcare becomes more dependant upon it.

Ultrasound Technician

Ultrasound technicians are responsible for understanding and using ultrasound machines to accurately show a baby’s health and growth during pregnancy. Though results are usually interpreted by physicians themselves, ultrasound technicians or sonographers, are responsible for pointing out any issues with the wellness of the baby.

Ultrasounds create images of babies using high-frequency sound waves. This process is usually done abdominally as the sonographer views the baby’s development through the skin. It can also be done transvaginally which happens through insertion.

Requirements for this kind of position is a two-year Associate’s degree. You won’t have to spend much time in school or get too much into debt unless you decide you want further education and receive a Bachelor’s or Masters’s in sonography.

Radiologist

Radiologists, being one of the highest paid medical professionals, focus on the examination of bones and inner organs. A career in radiology will consist of analyzing and reading x-rays to diagnose cancers, broken and fractured bones, tumors, heart issues, and even brain damages. The issues and complications patients have that can’t be seen with the naked eye is what radiologists can see and diagnose. You must know the anatomy of the body extremely well to be proficient at this career. Radiologists are responsible for the treatments of many serious diseases and conditions.

Academic requirements for this career is rather extensive. You must go through years of college and years of residency to obtain a radiologist position.  

Medical Illustrator/Animator

Combining art and medicine is what medical illustrators do to keep the understanding between medicine and the public and professionals simple. Through pictures and figures, medical illustrators and animators make it easy for complicated subjects and topics to happen smoothly. Those in this position have found a balance between their knowledge and understanding of medicine with art and creativity.

This can be an ideal job for those who want to be able to express their creative side while on the job. The education required for this career happens to be focused on medicine. You must also be proficient in editing software like Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Medical Lab Careers

There are countless positions for those who enjoy technological advancements and are interested in medicine. Most of the time those who obtain these careers enjoy being behind the scenes without any patient contact. There are many positions that do require patient interaction, though.

Medical labs are responsible for testings and examinations that provide physicians and other medical professionals the correct patient information to diagnose and treat them precisely. These professionals work in a wide variety of environments, including hospitals, universities, government institutions, and more. The many positions included in medical lab careers are:

• Pathologist
• Medical Lab Technologist
• Phlebotomist
• Medical Technologist
• Histotechnician
• Cytotechnologist

Salaries vary as there are many different levels of expertise and job descriptions. Though the overall education required is a high school diploma minimum, there aren’t many positions that don’t require a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Healthcare IT

Health care IT is one of the positions ideals for people who want to work away from patients and illnesses directly. These professionals are responsible for the efficiency of healthcare for patients and professionals. The focus is on computers and other digital technologies. Healthcare IT positions are perfect for tech nerds who want to help in medicine.  (I recommend BCA IT if you want more information on IT or tech support)

Healthcare IT professionals’ duties include using and establishing coding and billing systems, keeping electronic records, and digital imaging. Many people usually switch from other positions to health care IT as a way to subside their need for a new career. Transitioning from a regular IT job to one that is focused on medicine can be difficult but it is possible. You must have medical experience to work in any medical environment.

The education needed to obtain a position like this one is a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare related subject. Advanced degrees are always good-looking for anyone who wants to become a good healthcare IT professional.

The education needed to obtain a position like this one is a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related subject. Advanced degrees are always good-looking for anyone who wants to become a good healthcare IT professional.

Other Non-Traditional Medical Jobs

These jobs prove that the medical field can accommodate a wide range of interests and backgrounds from art to IT. But if you’re not a tech-nerd and have other interests such as languages, are there any options for you? There are indeed! Specifically a medical translator, medical interpreter, and a medical transcriptionist.

Medical translators and medical interpreters are a specialized profession that makes communication between foreign patients and their healthcare providers possible. Medical transcriptionists, on the other hand, perform an unsung but critical job that involves accurately transcribing voice-recorded medical reports down the punctuation and decimals. But as you can expect with the listed jobs here, you still need to go through the required training, extensive knowledge of medical terminology and earn the right certification/s. After all, it’s the medical field we’re talking about