What are some high paying medical careers that require less than 10 years of school?

• Answer:

  Chiropractor - $104,363 It takes a minimum of 6-7 years of education and training to become a Doctor of Chiropractic. The Doctor of Chiropractic first spends at least two years in pre-chiropractic studies at a college or university. The Doctor of Chiropractic studies all the basic sciences and must pass the State Board of Examiners' basic sciences examination. This is the same basic sciences examination other doctors, including MDs, are required to pass. He or she attends a college of chiropractic for four years, which must include an externship at an outpatient clinic where he or she gets real world experience in a clinical and academic setting. After graduating from Chiropractic College, like an M.D., he or she must pass the State Board Exam in the state he or she wishes to practice in. Psychiatrist - $139,300 A person wanting to become a psychiatrist must complete high school and college before entering medical school. While there is no requirement for a particular major, college students headed for medical school take required courses in the biological and physical sciences (general and organic chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics) as well as liberal arts courses. The prospective psychiatrist may also study social and psychological sciences and psychobiology. Most psychiatrists and other physicians feel that a liberal arts college education is the best preparation for medical school. Medical students follow a standard curriculum, with only a few opportunities for choice. In addition to chemistry, biochemistry and physiology, students take courses in psychiatry, behavioral science, and neuroscience in the first two years of medical school. In the last two years, students are assigned to medical specialty "clerkships," where they study and work with physicians in at least five different medical specialties. Medical students taking a psychiatry clerkship take care of patients with mental illnesses in the hospital and in outpatient settings. They also have an opportunity to work with medical and surgical patients who may have psychiatric problems or who have difficulty coping with their illnesses. Because modern psychiatry places special emphasis on the relationship between mind and body, students pay special attention to issues of stress and physical illness, prevention and behavior change, in addition to learning to care for severely mentally ill patients. Newly graduated physicians take written examinations for a state license to practice medicine. After graduation, doctors spend the first year of residency training in a hospital taking care of patients with a wide range of medical illnesses. The psychiatrist-in-training then spends at least three additional years in a psychiatric residency learning the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, gaining valuable skills in various forms of psychotherapy and in the use of psychiatric medicines and other treatments. After completing their residency training, most psychiatrists take a voluntary examination given by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, to become a "board certified" psychiatrist. Nurse Anesthetist - $73,000 Briefly, in order to obtain a certification in nurse anesthesia you will have to complete the following: 1. Get a 4-year nursing degree; Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) 2. You need to work in a critical care setting (intensive unit for example) for at least one year before applying for the anesthesia program 3. Complete the anesthesia program (it is a Master of Science in Nursing degree, MSN); this may take between 24 - 32 months depending on the program a. Didactic (class room lectures and study) b. Residency (actual hands-on) 4. Pass the certification board exam So you can see already it will take about 7-8 years to become a CRNA. Before you get accepted into a nursing school to get a BSN degree, you may have to work on the pre-requisites which may take another 1 - 2 years. Now, you might be looking at 8-10 years before working as a CRNA. Also before you apply for the anesthesia school, you must take a Graduate Recording Exam (GRE) and obtain a certain score to be competitive (over 1000); the minimum score is established by the university you are applying to. Nurse Practitioner - $74,684 The amount of time to become a nurse practitioner varies on the program that you select and your background. First you need to be a registered nurse with a BSN and one year of clinical experience. The initial BSN program must have provided you with a basic physical assessment course, and usually a basic statistics course. Most Nurse Practitioner programs are MSN programs and are 2 - 21/2 years in duration. The programs vary but generally require a core group of Master's level courses such as Nursing Theory, Public Law & Policy, Advanced Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Nursing Research. After these core course, most programs have required courses with clinical rotations for the specific type of Nurse Practitioner degree you are seeking. Physician Assistant - $64,536 All States require that PAs complete an accredited, formal education program and pass a National exam to obtain a license. PA programs usually last at least 2 years and are full time. Most programs are in schools of allied health, academic health centers, medical schools, or 4-year colleges; a few are in community colleges, the military, or hospitals. Many accredited PA programs have clinical teaching affiliations with medical schools. In 2005, more than 135 education programs for physician assistants were accredited or provisionally accredited by the American Academy of Physician Assistants. More than 90 of these programs offered the option of a master�s degree, and the rest offered either a bachelor�s degree or an associate degree. Most applicants to PA educational programs already have a bachelor�s degree. Admission requirements vary, but many programs require 2 years of college and some work experience in the health care field. Students should take courses in biology, English, chemistry, mathematics, psychology, and the social sciences. Many PAs have prior experience as registered nurses, while others come from varied backgrounds, including military corpsman/medics and allied health occupations such as respiratory therapists, physical therapists, and emergency medical technicians and paramedics. All States and the District of Columbia have legislation governing the qualifications or practice of physician assistants. All jurisdictions require physician assistants to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and open only to graduates of accredited PA education programs. Only those successfully completing the examination may use the credential �Physician Assistant-Certified.� In order to remain certified, PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every 2 years. Every 6 years, they must pass a recertification examination or complete an alternative program combining learning experiences and a take-home examination. Some PAs pursue additional education in a specialty such as surgery, neonatology, or emergency medicine. PA postgraduate educational programs are available in areas such as internal medicine, rural primary care, emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, neonatology, and occupational medicine. Candidates must be graduates of an accredited program and be certified by the NCCPA. Dentist - $131,210 Four years of college with a science degree, then dental school for four years with an internship. Hospital Administrator - $124,000 Health Services Administrators should have a master's degree in health services administration. A master's degree in public administration or business administration may also qualify graduates for entry into health care administration. The health services administration degree usually includes a one-year internship (residency) in a health care center. Graduates with a BA degree in this field may work in a health care center before starting a master's program. Nursing home administrators need to be licensed by the Nursing Home Administrators State Board of Examiners to work for health care facilities that receive Medicare funds. Health Services Administrators normally start as administrative assistants in large centers or assistant administrators in medium-sized institutions. They advance by taking increasing responsibilities such as associate administrator and, finally, CEO. Moving to a higher classification may require transferring to a smaller state. Some administrators of small facilities may choose to accept a lower-level position in a larger center, which often leads to professional growth. Anesthesiologists - $242,886 - $334,121 Anesthesiologists complete a four year undergraduate program, four years of medical school training, a one year internship, and three years of postgraduate training in the form of an anesthesiology residency. The three year residency training encompasses the full scope of perioperative medicine, including pre-operative medical evaluation, intraoperative life support and pain control, post-operative recovery, ICU medicine, and chronic and acute pain management. Anesthesiologists can choose to sub-specialize in areas such as cardiac or obstetric anesthesia, pain management, or intensive care unit medicine. Healthcare Administrator - * $72,875 in practices with 6 or fewer physicians * $95,766 in practices with 7 to 25 physicians * $132,955 in practices with 26 or more physicians Median compensation for hospital administrators of selected clinical departments: * $76,800 in respiratory care * $81,100 in physical therapy * $87,700 in home health care * $88,800 in laboratory services * $90,200 in long-term care * $93,500 in medical imaging/diagnostic radiology * $94,400 in rehabilitation services * $95,200 in cancer treatment facilities * $96,200 in cardiology * $102,800 in nursing services * $113,200 in pharmacies Students should take challenging high school courses in business, science, math, and English. Most healthcare administrators hold master's degrees in healthcare administration or business administration. Nurse Midwife - $50,000 - $70,000 In addition to bachelor and master degrees studies when required, length of certificate study depends on the program, but most run one to two years depending on semester schedules. Optometrists - $116,403 Bachelor's degree and four years of optometry school. Must pass a licensing exam. Nursing Supervisor - $69,532 At least three years of nursing experience as a registered nurse. A Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from a State approved college or university and at least 2 years of nursing experience as a registered nurse. A Master's degree in nursing from a National League of Nursing (NLN) accredited college or university and at least one year of nursing experience as a registered nurse. Health Information Administrator - $54,700 - $85,000 Individuals interested in a career as a health information administrator should take courses in algebra, biology, chemistry, computer skills, data processing, psychology, English, government, history, literature, foreign language, anatomy, sociology, and health occupations/medical professions. Students interested in health information administration must complete a baccalaureate degree program from an accredited institution, which is generally 4 years in length. Graduates are then eligible to take the national registration examination offered by the American Health Information Management Association. Once the exam is successfully passed, an individual then becomes a registered health information administrator (RHIA). Students interested in health information administration should contact schools for information on admission and course of study. Medical Science Teachers (College) - $115,786 Bachelor's degree and postgraduate education in selected field. Internship and residency may be required. At least three years of professional experience generally are preferred. Pharmacist - $84,900 To become a pharmacist, you need to graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from an accredited college of pharmacy, serve an internship under a licensed pharmacist and pass a State examination (NAPLEX) - all of which enables you to obtain a license to practice. A bachelor's degree is not necessary for a PharmD degree. Pharmacy schools require at least 2 years of specific pre-pharmacy coursework in order to enter a PharmD program. However, the majority of students have 3 or more years of college experience upon entering pharmacy school. Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) This 4-year professional degree trains students to practice pharmacy after licensure. Acceptance to a program requires completion of two years of undergraduate pre-pharmacy coursework thus equaling a minimum of 6 years post-secondary education. The PharmD degree can also lead to graduate studies in the areas of pharmaceutical care, pharmaceutical sciences, and pharmaceutical health policy and management. Non-Traditional PharmD (PharmD) This degree is designed for practicing pharmacists with a BS in Pharmacy from an accredited pharmacy school who are interested in practicing at an advanced level. Most often these programs are offered with a very flexible schedule and through online learning, to accommodate the needs of working pharmacists. They also take less time to complete compared to a traditional PharmD. Registered Nurse - $56,880 Today two typical courses of study are available for registered nurses. The ADN or Associate Degree Nurse has to go through a two year degree program while the BSN or Bachelor of Science nurse requires a 4 year degree. Today the debate whether all nurses should require a 4 year degree rages on. The high demand for nurses has made a case for keeping the ADN programs around. Today it is recommended to get the BSN because while experience plays a role, many hospitals will pay you based on your level of education. The BSN also will give you a stepping stone for further education into areas of specialization.