When you think of health care, more often than not, the first people you think of are doctors and nurses. That’s because those are the people you interface with 90% of the time when you’re being treated for a disease or need surgery. However, allied health professionals cover a veritable cornucopia of jobs that are technically demanding, and are essential in successful patient care. There are literally thousands of jobs available in the allied health field, and the demand for these jobs will continue to grow.

Allied health professionals are essentially anyone in the health care field that isn’t a doctor or a nurse. These professions include anesthesiologists, occupational therapists, laboratory technicians, ultrasound technicians, x-ray technicians, phlebotomists, medical assistants, insurance coders, pharmacists, nuclear medicine technologists and dozens more. Almost any job that is a part of the health care industry, directly or indirectly involved in patient care is a part of the allied health system.

Statistics state that allied health professionals make up over 60% of the health care system. This means that while there is continual growing demand for doctors and nurses for patient care, the support structure for these doctors and nurses will continue to grow as well. Hospitals, ambulatory care (out-patient and doctors offices) and long term residential care continue to seek professionals in all of the allied fields and as our overall population ages and many health care professionals retire, that need will continue to increase. This means that jobs in virtually any area of the health care field, from anesthesiologists all the way through Chief Executive Officers will need to be filled with qualified individuals.

The best part of becoming an allied health professional, regardless of the field you wind up in, is the fact that you will always have a job that makes a positive impact in the lives and well being of other people. While the compensation and benefits of being in the health field will always be in your best economic interest since health care is one of the few recession proof fields you can be a part of and know that your future is secure. Being a part of the allied health field usually means great benefits as well. Not only do you have generous vacation time available, but many jobs provide you and your family with free or reduced cost health care as a perk.

When looking for a new job or for a career path that will give you economic and health security, there are no better jobs to look at than those as an allied health professional. You’ll be able to provide for your family and will have a job that you can be proud of.