��������

It’s a great time to work as an allied health professional. Not only do they represent nearly 60 percent of the overall workforce in health care – they are also some of the most in-demand medically trained professionals in today’s health care industry. 

Allied health professionals can lead from a wide variety of job titles and positions; in fact, the profession is home to some of the fastest growing occupations in the nation.

What is an allied health professional?

Allied health professionals are distinct from nursing and other medically trained roles and possess unique abilities to:

• Leverage evidence-based practices to diagnose and treat an assortment of illnesses.
• Knowledgeably advocate for disease prevention.
• Utilize scientific methods to promote wellness.
• Possess skills in administration and management to organize and support health care systems.

Respiratory therapists, medical assistants, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants, medical laboratory technologists, imaging specialists, nutritionists, dental hygienists,  and exercise science professionals are just some of the professionals in allied health.

While some careers in allied health may only require an associate degree, an increasing number of employers are now requiring professionals to possess a bachelor’s degree, which can be earned through a completion program like the Bachelor of Science in Integrated Healthcare Studies offered within the College of Health Sciences and Professions at .

Here are five career paths in health care available across the United States to allied health professionals:

Medical Sales Representative

Average annual salary: $78,959¹

Sales in the health care industry can be a rewarding experience. As a link between companies that make medical equipment and products and the consumers who use them, medical sales representatives play a vital role in developing customer relationships, managing accounts, answering questions of clientele and more. The customer base of a medical sales representative includes pharmacists, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals.

A degree in health care or a health-related field can often increase the likelihood of obtaining a position as a medical sales rep.

Clinical Application Coordinator

Average annual salary: $62,702² 

On the technical side of health care, an application coordinator can hold a vast range of job responsibilities. Application coordinator positions may also be able to become certified in Epic — software utilized by many large hospitals and health organizations — to increase their value and earning power to an average annual salary range of $107,950.

Requirements could include:

• Assists in defining and translating business needs into system functionality and application requirements
• Troubleshooting, problem solving, auditing, debugging and resolution of assigned system issues
• Analyzes and evaluates system design specifications and recommend changes as needed
• Provide system coding and programming
• Optimize system performance and technology utilization by clinical practitioners
• Work collaboratively with clinicians and businesses to identify solutions and system enhancements and efficiencies

Veteran Service Officer

Average annual salary: $44,711³

A veteran service officer (VSO) advocates for and assists veterans and their families in obtaining benefits and/or assistance. Trained to answer questions and provide options, veteran service officers are knowledgeable of the resources that are available at the federal, state and local levels. They are also able to represent veterans at benefits hearings and can advocate and educate on matters of health care, employment, housing, compensation, pension and more.

“I love what I do,” said veteran service officer James Clemente, both a veteran and graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Integrated Healthcare Studies program at . “It’s a perfect fit as I get to deal with veterans every day. Helping the veteran community and giving back to them is a rewarding experience.”

Patient Access Coordinator

Average annual salary: $44,571⁴

Patient, or clinical access, coordinators help organize and oversee daily functions of a primary care physician’s office, hospital, clinic or other health care facility.

“I check patients in and help at the front desk. I go over charts with patients to make sure everything is registered in time for their visit and go over records to make sure everything is up to date,” said Bianka Ferreira, a clinical coordinator with the Allegheny Health Network, and a 2018 graduate of ��������’s . “We reach out to patients to schedule physicals and other appointments as well and take care of anything else that’s needed during operation of the doctor’s office.”

Clinical coordinators may also perform or assist in the performance of tasks such as ordering supplies for the health care facility, hiring and managing schedules of other staff and coordinators, and general operations of the facility.

Medical Claims Examiner

Average annual salary: $43,088⁵

A medical claims examiner job description may include working with insurance companies to evaluate insurance claims, ensuring that applications are factual and accurate and all necessary guidelines are met in order to facilitate payment.

Attention to detail, strong administrative skills and an understanding of medical terminology are all valuable qualities that should be possessed by a medical claims examiner, and employers often prefer to hire those with a bachelor’s degree in a related health or life science field.

***

Sources: