Philadelphia Tribune - Index

Philadelphia Tribune - Spring 2009 Education Guide - Index

Philadelphia Tribune
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Page 19
Hot health careers in
high demand now
Medical research, technological
advancements and a
population that is living
longer are all reasons that the
health care field continues to
grow. Although the industry
is demanding more workers,
there isn’t enough space in
training programs to accommodate
the numbers of students
who are interested.
Thousands of potential students
are turned away each
semester due to faculty shortages
and limited class size. If
you find yourself on a waiting
list to get into a health care
program, consider your options.
There are many new
jobs that are emerging in this
ever-changing field each year,
and to meet this demand, colleges
are offering new degree
programs.
Here are some new health
care degrees that are projected
to be in high demand in
2009 and beyond:
* Associate Degree in Applied
Science Electroneurodiagnostic
Technology (ENDT)
There is a high demand for
people who can help doctors
diagnose brain and nervous
system disorders. In fact, the
U.S. Department of Labor
projects a 26 percent increase
in jobs in this field by 2014.
Electroneurodiagnostic technology
is a good option for
students looking for a unique
and fast-growing health care
segment.
“Electroneurodiagnostic
technology is the scientific
process of recording and analyzing
electrical activity in the
human brain and nervous
system,” explains Forough
Ghahramani, dean of business
technology and director
of electroneurodiagnostic
technology at DeVry University
— North Brunswick. “As an
ENDT technologist, students
operate sophisticated EEG
equipment to help doctors in
diagnosing brain and nervous
system disorders such as
brain tumors, strokes, sleep
disorders, epilepsy and
Alzheimer’s disease. Due to
major technological advances,
the demand for skilled ENDT
technologists is rising.”
* Certificate in Health Services
Management (HSM)
A health services management
certificate could help
you develop a foundational
background in finance, marketing
and health services
that will help move your career
forward in this growing
field. You’ll learn a variety of
management skills that are in
high demand in the health
care industry that will help
you stand out from other candidates
for leadership positions.
* Associate Degree in
Health Information Technology
(HIT)
If you have an interest in
the health care industry, but
you’d rather not work directly
with patients, a career in
health care technology could
be for you. An associate degree
in health information
technology could be your
doorway to a career as a clinical
coder, data analyst, patient
information coordinator
or health record technician.
“The future of health information
holds many opportunities,”
says Dasantila Sherifi,
associate professor and HIT
program chair at DeVry University
— Fort Washington.
“Health information technology
impacts every component
of the health care system in
the U.S. HIT graduates give
their contribution in working
with physicians, patients,
payers, government agencies
and other health care organizations.
They focus on information
management, privacy
and security, public health
education and research, electronic
health records and
more.”
* Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical
Engineering Technology
(BMET)
Biomedical engineering is a
career field that will increase
at about 26 percent per year
through 2012 according to
the U.S. Department of Labor.
Biomedical engineering technology
degree holders work
with physicians, therapists
and other technicians in the
design, construction, implementation
and maintenance
of sophisticated health care
equipment and lifesaving devices.
“Modern medical equipment
such as CT, MRI, Ultrasound,
PET and Proton therapy have
transformed how medicine is
practiced today,” says Dr.
James McGinn, chair of the
BMET program at DeVry University
— Fort Washington.
“Graduates receiving a B.S.
degree in biomedical engineering
technology are technically
positioned to work
with some of the largest medical
imaging companies in the
world to bring these medical
advances to medical centers
across the country.”