12 May 2008

US News & World Report’s annual list highlights careers that offer prestige, high job satisfaction, strong employment prospects, and competitive pay.

Among the Best Careers for 2008:

• Audiologist, because the technology is advancing rapidly, enabling more people to hear better, audiologists can work in a variety of settings, and few students are entering the field, which makes job prospects even better.
• Dentist, because you can work for yourself, keep regular hours and live just about anywhere – dentists are needed in cities, suburbs and rural areas
• Occupational Therapist, because you can work independently and creativity is encouraged to help patients achieve their own independence
• Physician Assistant (PA), because you can perform many of the functions a doctor performs with less education – Pas are in extremely high demand.

Additionally, Health Informatics Specialist was identified as an “Ahead-of-the-Curve” career – one that uses cutting-edge skills and has a strong job market and salary growth. 

Health careers offer exceptional opportunities for job growth, according to US News & World World Report:

“The already overtaxed U.S. healthcare system will be forced to take on more patients because of the many aging baby boomers, the influx of immigrants, and the millions of now uninsured Americans who would be covered under a national healthcare plan likely to be enacted in the next president's administration. Jobs should become more available in nearly all specialties, from nursing to coding, imaging to hospice. These healthcare careers are likely to be particularly rewarding.”

“Meanwhile, society has been telling high school students that college is the way, so there's an accelerating shortage of skilled people in jobs that don't require college.”