Careers in Medicine: The Time is Now

Posted on June 17, 2010

If you’re interested in a career in medicine, but you’re worried that pursuing higher education will result in a lot of debt and very few job offers, you may not be looking at the big picture.  Yes, our country is in the toilet and doesn’t look to be turning around any time soon.  Yes, there is less help available for students trying to finance a college education.  And yes, the majority of the job market is going through layoffs and cutbacks in an attempt to deal with an economy that is feared to be in freefall.  However, certain professions are continuing to hold steady and may even realize growth in the near future due to certain factors.  Medicine is one such field and for the medical billing and coding professional, the future looks very bright indeed.

While you may associate jobs in the medical profession primarily with doctors and nurses, there are several fields that play a supportive role to these more prominent positions.  Medical billing and coding certification can offer you the same opportunities to help people without many of the hassles that come with actual patient interaction.  For one thing, careers that allow you to treat patients require extensive education.  Medical billing, on the other hand, requires only a 1-year certification (although there are certainly options for higher degrees, and like any medical field, continuing education can be extremely beneficial).  In addition, helping patients in person can be frustrating and messy.  It takes a special combination of personality traits (compassion, selflessness, ego, and superior intellect, just to name a few) to do this kind of work, so if you prefer to work behind a computer, or you just aren’t comfortable with the idea of holding another life in your hands, consider helping patients from afar by filing claims with their insurance company.  Your job has its own special challenges and rewards, even if it is virtually unseen.

That said, now is a great time to take advantage of opportunities in this growing field.  Qualified professionals with knowledge and/or experience in medical billing and coding are in high demand, due to the fact that there is a gap in the supply of workers, as well as the fact that literally every physician must fill this important position if they want to get paid for their services.  If employment in a doctor’s office does not sound appealing, you can also seek a position with an insurance company or even work from home in a freelance capacity.  In addition, jobs in medicine are poised to explode in the near future, regardless of the economy, for two reasons.  For one thing, a huge number of baby boomers have become (or will soon become) senior citizens, with all the health problems that attend growing older.  The second reason is health care reform.  The public option will provide insurance to millions of patients who were not previously covered.  And beyond that, changes in insurance coverage will no doubt lead to subsequent changes in billing practices, which could put you at the head of the class.

If you thought that careers in medicine were just as scarce as everywhere else in the job market, you’ll be happy to hear they’re on the rise.  And now is the time to get in on the racket, before everyone jumps on board.  By the time people realize that this vital gap is waiting to be filled and take action to remedy the situation, you’ll already be well on your way to receiving the education and experience necessary to ensure a job, and job security.