The healthcare industry has no dearth of high paying careers. Many people believe that only doctors, dentists and nursing careers offer high salary benefits. However, there are multiple other medical careers that prove to be rewarding in terms of high earning. Most of the hottest careers for the year 2011 also belong to the medical sector. If you have a passion for working in the healthcare industry and earn a higher salary, given below are a number of high paying careers for you to choose from. Depending on your skills and career interests, you can consider one of these.

 

Chiropractor
Employment for chiropractic jobs are expected to grow by 14%, adding a total of 60,000 jobs to the medical industry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the field will grow faster than the average of all other occupations through to the year 2016. Candidates aspiring to become a chiropractic should possess four year degree from a chiropractic college and fulfill the licensing requirements which may vary from one state to another. Chiropractors earn a median annual salary of around $127,366, one of the highest paying in medical sector.

 

Pharmacist
Today's pharmacists have more complex duties to perform, apart from only compounding. They are responsible for advising and educating patients. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 53,000 additional jobs are expected in this field of medical industry, between the years 2006 and 2016. To work as a pharmacist, candidates need to complete a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an accredited pharmacy college. The median annual salary of a pharmacist is $107,910.

 

Cardiopulmonary Perfusionist
This is yet another high paying career that candidates with an interest in medical science can consider. A cardiopulmonary perfusionist is an important part of the surgical team. These medical professionals work in close contact with anesthesiologists and surgeons. They are responsible for making sure that heart/lung and other surgery equipment function appropriately. The occupation of a cardiopulmonary perfusionist requires a combination of chemical, mechanical and electrical skills. Candidates aspiring to pursue this medical career should possess a bachelor's degree along with a one to four year perfusionist training program. Certification requirements also need to be fulfilled. The median annual salary of in this occupation is $108,055.

 

Optometrist
If you are planning to pursue a rewarding career in healthcare, becoming an optometrist is a fine option to consider. Many people confuse the occupation of an optometrist with an opthalmologist's or an optician's profession. Major job responsibilities of an optometrist include diagnosing vision problems, prescribing glasses and contact lenses and offering effective treatment for a wide range of eye diseases. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a job growth of 11% for these medical jobs between 2006 and 2016. Four years of undergraduate study and a Doctor of Optometry degree are required to pursue this medical career. The median annual salary of an optometrist is around $104,923.

 

Physical Therapy Director
A physical therapy director works closely with physical therapists. They are responsible for setting policies and planning schedules and report the same to the upper management. To become successful with this high paying career, candidates need to obtain a lot of administrative expertise. Many professionals work their up to this job position while working as physical therapists and gaining administrative experience. Ample employment growth is expected for physical therapy director jobs. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an employment growth of 20% for physical therapy jobs from 2006 through to 2016. Though a bachelor's degree (along with extensive work experience) is the minimum educational requirement to work as a physical therapy director, a master's degree in physical therapy will increase your chances of landing this medical job position. The median annual salary of a physical therapy director is $98,414.

 

Physician Assistant
Role of a physician assistant may vary from one state to another. Though a physician assistant (PA) works under the keen guidance of a physician, many states allow these medical professionals to provide primary care on their own. Around 18,000 additional jobs are expected for these medical jobs, through to the year 2016. A bachelor's degree followed by a 2 year physician assistant program is the typical educational requirement for this high paying medical career. While working as a physician assistant, you can earn a median annual salary of $82,874.

The healthcare industry offers a host of career opportunities for those who have a strong passion for helping people every hour of the day and establish a successful career. One of the hottest career options is stepping into the field of pharmacy. A career in this field brings you great job satisfaction, professional growth and financial rewards. There is a growing demand for pharmacists in hospitals, clinics, nursing care facilities etc. To make the most of your pharmacy careers, you need to be formally educated and trained. Below, we discuss about multiple fields of pharmaceuticals and career opportunities in this growing field of health care industry.

 

Career Options in the field of Pharmacy
The twenty first century brings a lot of benefits to those who aspire to become pharmacists. These professionals work in a wide range of areas. Most of the people believe that a pharmacist's career is just about counting pills. This is a wrong notion. Today's pharmacists have a number of job duties to perform beyond just working behind the counter.

 

Given below are diverse career possibilities that the pharmaceutical industry offers. Trained pharmacists can choose to work in the following areas.

 

Community Pharmacy
Hospital Pharmacy
Academic Pharmacy
Consultant Pharmacy
Clinical Research & Development
Public Health Services
Retail Pharmacy

 

Career Specialization
The areas mentioned above are generalized categories of the pharmaceutical industry. Formally educated and trained pharmacists can also choose to specialize in a specific field depending on their job skills, interest and experience. These special career opportunities include Nuclear Pharmacy, Oncology Pharmacy, Forensic Pharmacy, Pharmaco Therapy, Geriatric Pharmacy, Nutrition Support Pharmacy, Psychiatric Pharmacy etc.

 

Pharmacists Job Duties
There is a lot more to a career in pharmacy than just working behind the counter and counting pills. Being a thriving occupation, the pharmaceutical industry has made a great impact on the health care system. Pharmacists are responsible for offering information and counseling patients so that the latter can efficiently manage their medication therapy.

 

Formally trained and professionally trained, today's pharmacists are considered to be expert health care professional. Besides offering information and advice to patients, these professionals are also responsible for handling research and manufacture of a wide range of medication drugs. Their job duties may vary depending on the career possibility they choose. For example, pharmacists who work in hospitals assist the physicians by handling tasks like drug composition, their dosage, effects and side effects. They advise patients on the appropriate use of medications and how to avoid the side effects that drug medications may cause.

 

Pharmacists who are employed in the pharmaceutical industry work for pharmacy companies. In these companies, they are responsible for conducting researches, studying, analyzing and testing of various drugs. In addition, they may also handle the marketing and promotion of specific medication products. Candidates who aspire to work in pharmaceutical companies should possess a post graduate degree in pharmacy.

 

Educational Qualification & Training
Pharmacists who are employed in the United States possess a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Earlier, a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree was awarded to students. However, the Doctor of Pharmacy degree is the present replacement of the bachelor degree. To get enrolled in a Pharm.D. program, candidates need to complete two years of specific professional study including courses in mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics etc. A Doctor of Pharmacy degree usually requires four years for completion. Candidates who aspire to work with pharmaceutical companies and acquire management job positions obtain a master's degree in business administration (MBA).

 

Besides having a degree in pharmacy, candidates also need to obtain a license to practice pharmacy, depending on the state where they work. To acquire the license, students first need to complete a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an accredited pharmacy college, approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

 

Employment Facts
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, pharmacists in the US occupied around 269,900 jobs in the year 2008. Most of these jobs were in the field of retail pharmacy. Rests of the professionals were employed in hospitals, clinics, physician's office, federal government etc. Job prospects are excellent in this field, with the employment growth being faster than the average of all other occupations.

 

Annual Salary
A pharmacy career does not bring greater job satisfaction, but it is a financially rewarding career as well. In the year 2008, the median annual salary of pharmacists was around $106,410. Most of the professional earn an annual salary ranging between $92,670 and $121,310. The salary of experienced pharmacists can go up to $131,440 annually.