For those who are passionate about healthcare, getting a degree in health services might be the way to go. There are many comprehensive study programs available in the field that can help aspiring health services personnel to make a good start to their careers.
In general, the outlook for health services jobs is quite encouraging for the coming years. For instance, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment opportunities for Medical and Health Services Managers to increase by a huge 18% between 2018 and 2028. This means an additional 71,600 vacancies.
Interested in joining this sector? Read this comprehensive piece to learn about the best Health Services degrees as well as popular career paths.
What Are Health Services?
Health Services include the myriad activities involved in the provision of medical facilities to people. The field relates to the management, administration, and leadership of public health facilities, hospital networks, and the complete healthcare system. Degree programs in health services usually focus on sciences, laboratory work, and research.
What Can You Do With a Health Services Degree?
After earning a Health Services degree, you can pursue employment in different areas. Some of the popular occupations include Medical and Health Services Manager, Nursing Home Administrator, Healthcare Management Researcher, Healthcare Compliance Manager, Surgical Technologist, Paramedic, Clinical Manager, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Anesthesia Technician, etc.
In the next section, you can access information about the salary and career outlook for a few of these jobs. The data provided has been taken from the latest records of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Medical and Health Services Managers
Medical and Health Services Managers oversee the affairs of an entire healthcare facility, a single department, a particular clinical area, or the medical practice of a group of doctors. They are also commonly referred to as “healthcare administrators” or “healthcare executives.”
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $100,980 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 18% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $115,160 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | California | 36,940 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | District of Columbia | $150,040 |
Surgical Technologists
Surgical Technologists assist doctors and surgeons during operations. They arrange the needed equipment, set up the operating room, and prepare everything else to help doctors perform all surgical and non-surgical procedures effectively.
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $48,300 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 9% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $50,110 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | Texas | 10,220 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | Alaska | $67,660 |
EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) and Paramedics
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics are first responders to medical emergencies in the country. They rush to the scene of the incident and provide immediate medical help to the sick or injured. Quite often in such situations, people’s lives are dependent on the speed of the reaction of paramedics and EMTs.
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $35,400 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 7% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $38,830 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | California | 21,990 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | Hawaii | $56,610 |
What to Expect from a Health Services Degree?
A degree in Health Services will teach you about Health Services Management, Healthcare Informatics, Medical Laws and Regulations, Healthcare Delivery Systems, Medical Terminology, Anesthetics, Public Health Problems, Ethics in Healthcare, Health Services Marketing, Health Economics, Epidemiology, etc.
How to Choose a Health Services Degree?
Like any other program, the first thing that you need to consider when choosing a Health Services degree program is its accreditation status. After that, your decision must also give weight to the curriculum, cost, available specializations, research opportunities, location of the campus, hostel facilities (both within and outside the campus), ease of commute, future job prospects, etc.
Health Services Degree Entrance Requirements
Admission criteria are different for different levels. Also, various schools set their own unique entrance requirements. In general, however, you will most likely need to finish high school to enter an undergraduate degree program in the field.
Conditions for entering a certificate or diploma program are similar as well. With regard to a Master’s program, students often have to fulfill a minimum GPA requirement (for Bachelor’s degree holders) while also needing to take a standardized entrance test.