- Physicians make most of the final decisions on patient care and bear the ultimate responsibility for it. Becoming a physician requires a 4-year college degree, 4 years of medical school, and residency training that can range from 3 to 10 years depending upon specialty. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) median salaries for physicians range from around $160,000 a year for primary care specialties to more than $400,000 a year for specialized surgeons (See References 1).
- Physician's assistants (PAs) assist physicians in routine patient care tasks. These tasks can range from performing an initial physical exam in an office to assisting with surgery. Becoming a PA requires a four-year college degree followed by two-year training program, which may or may not award a master's degree. According to the BLS, salaries for PAs are about $80,000 a year (See References 2).
- Nurses provide much of the hands-on aspects of patient care. There are several nursing or nursing-related professions, with different degrees of training and responsibility. Becoming a certified nurse assistant (CNA) requires a 3- to 6-month training course. CNAs are responsible for much of the routine aspects of patient care, such as feeding, moving and cleaning patients. Becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) requires 1 to 2 years of training. LPNs are responsible for some of the technical aspects of patient care, such as giving medications and taking vital signs. Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) usually requires a four-year college degree in nursing. RN's are responsible for monitoring a patient's condition and knowing when to alert the physicians, and for administering the other members of the nursing staff. According to the BLS, median salaries are nearly $23,000 a year for CNAs, $40,000 a year for LPNs, and $60,000 a year for RNs (See References 3).
- Allied health therapists administer many of the treatments prescribed by physicians. Careers in the field include physical therapists, who plan and administer physically-based treatments and rehabilitation, and occupational therapists, who plan and administer rehabilitation designed to get people back to work. Becoming a physical or occupational therapist usually requires a 4-year college degree and at least a master's degree (typically 2 years) after that. According to the BLS, salaries are about $75,000 a year for physical therapists and about $70,000 a year for occupational therapists (See References 4).
- As more technology is used in health care, there is a need for more people to operate that technology. Health care technicians include radiology techs, who operate the X-ray and CAT scan machines; respiratory techs, who administer certain types of lung treatments; and surgical techs, who assist surgeons with their instruments in the operating room. Most tech professions require a 2-year associate degree, although there are 4-year programs that offer bachelor's degrees. According to the BLS, median salaries are about $40,000 a year for surgical techs and $50,000 a year for radiology and respiratory techs (See References 5).
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