Healthcare jobs

Healthcare is a billion-dollar industry with millions of employees. There are many different kinds of healthcare jobs. Some require a lot of education while others are entry-level. Learn what healthcare job might be right for you. 

woman talking to her doctor - healthcare jobs

Immigrants and refugees have a good chance of finding a healthcare job at a hospital or community health center. These large workplaces often serve diverse populations. Hospitals often look for multilingual people so your language skills will be a help.

Which job?

Healthcare jobs can be well-paid and rewarding. With the right training, you can find a stable job with many chances to advance in your career. There are many different types of healthcare jobs. Here are some of them:

Nursing assistant

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is someone who helps a registered or licensed nurse. They get vital signs, like blood pressure and temperature. They organize medical equipment, do sponge baths, and more. In order to become certified, you will need to complete training. Each state has its own rules. The training sually about 75 hours of classroom instructions and clinical training. After your train and pass an exam, you will be certified to work.



Home health aide

A home health aide is in charge of helping disabled, elderly, or sick patients with day-to-day tasks. They help with things such as bathing, dressing, and housekeeping. A home aide may travel between several patients or live with a patient full-time. To become a certified home health aide, you must complete 75 hours of training and pass an examination.

Dental assistant

Dental assistants do administrative duties and basic patient care in a dental office. For example, a dental assistant may prepare a patient for oral cleaning. They may be in charge of filling out and organizing patients records for the office. Training can take anywhere from nine months to two years to complete. It depends on whether it’s a certificate, diploma or degree. Find out how to become a registered dental assistant.

Massage therapist

A massage therapist is a person who uses touch to touch muscles in the body. This can relieve tension, stress, and pain and allows the patients to relax. Massage therapy can help with injuries. You need a license to be a massage therapist. Legal minimum hours for obtaining a massage therapy license vary by state, and these minimums range from 330 to 1,000 hours.


Physician means doctor. Physicians diagnose and treat patients. Many of them work in hospitals, but they may also operate their own practices. Physicians can work in many specialties, including pediatrics, family care, oncology, and intensive care. To become a physician, students are required to complete four years of undergraduate college. They must go through at least four years of medical school. Then, they must go three to eight years of residency training. Residency means that they are working in a hospital with patients. 

Health information technician


Pharmacy technician

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists (or techs) assist patients. They must understand drug names and uses. Pharmacy techs know how to dispense medications and decide the correct dose. They do not prescribe or make decisions about medications. Pharmacy technicians need a certificate. Certificate and associate degree programs can take one to two years to finish.

Registered nurse (RN)

Registered nurses take care of patients in hospitals and clinics. They can administer medication and examine patients. They can also educate patients about treatment and how to prevent disease. You can become an RN by getting an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or a diploma through a hospital program. Then you must take and pass the national council licensure examination. Some schools offer online nursing degrees.

Radiologic technologist

Radiologic technologists perform exams using imaging, such as X-rays and CT scans. They work with radiologists, but they are not trained to diagnose the results of the imaging exams they perform. An associate degree to become a radiologist technician can take up to two years.

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Is healthcare the right field for me?


If your career requires you to get an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, think about if you are willing to invest a lot of time and money in your education. There will probably be a lot of chances for you to advance in your health career. You might consider getting a shorter-term certification now. For example, you can start as CNA and work your way up to become an RN.

Where do I start?

First, choose the job you want to train for. Then, depending on the requirements, you can attend a community college or technical school. You might go to four-year university, or study online. If you do not have your GED, you can take our free online course.

Job Corps is a government program that offers free education and vocational training to young and women ages 16 to 24. Job Corps training includes healthcare jobs such as: CNA, dental assistant, pharmacy technician, medical administrative assistant, health unit coordinator, and licensed/vocational nurse.

ealthcare jobs for the future.What if I am already qualified in another country?

If you have healthcare degree, you might need more education to make it valid in the USA.  Upwardly Global helps work-authorized immigrants, refugees, asylees, and Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs) restart their professional careers in the USA.

Learn more

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