When people think about a career in the healthcare industry, they’re usually thinking about becoming a doctor. That puts a lot of people off because, although they’re interested in a job that gives them the chance to help people, they don’t like the idea of having to train for that long. Some people also can’t deal with the stress and long hours involved with being a doctor. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dream of working in the healthcare industry because doctors are only one small part of it. These are some of the best alternative healthcare careers out there right now.

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Mental Health Specialist

Physical health is a big part of healthcare but in recent years, we’ve started to realize that mental health is equally important. There are so many people that are struggling with mental health issues which means there is a lot of demand for people that can help treat those problems. There are a few different ways that you can work in mental health; you could consider training as a counsellor to offer talking therapies to people and help them to work through their issues. There are also some areas of social work that deal with mental health issues as well. It’s such a rewarding job because you can make a real difference to people’s quality of life. It’s also a good area to get into now because the demand for mental health professionals is on the rise.

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is a huge issue that can ruin lives. For people that are trying to deal with addictions, having a support network of professionals is absolutely key. If you’re already trained as a social worker, you can get qualified to help people with substance abuse issues if you take an advanced masters in social work online accredited. You can do this in your own time while you’re still working which makes it ideal for a late career change. There are other courses available for people that don’t already have a masters degree in social work as well. Just be aware that you will have to deal with some incredibly difficult situations so it’s not for everybody.

Hospital Admin

People forget that it’s not just medical professionals that keep a hospital running. There are plenty of office roles that help with the organization and management of the patients as well which is just as important as the treatment itself. If you’re already working in an admin role but you don’t find it that rewarding, it’s worth seeing if you can do a similar role in a hospital instead. You’re not going to be working directly with patients but you’ll get more job satisfaction just knowing that you’re an essential part of the hospital.

There are more senior roles in this line of work like hospital administrators. They’re the people that are responsible for overseeing departments and making sure that they’re all running smoothly. Without a hospital administrator, the hospital wouldn’t be able to deliver a good level of care to patients so it’s a very important and rewarding role.

You don’t have to be a doctor if you want to work in the healthcare industry and help people, just try one of these great alternatives instead.