One of the most exciting aspects of working in the medical field is that it is an ever-changing and ever-evolving field with many jobs being introduced to the workforce every year. With the rapid advancements of medical technology and the push to digitize all medical records, many exciting opportunities are being made available.
With all of this change, there will be jobs introduced in the near future that we’ve never even heard of. So, what is the future of the medical field, and what are some of the jobs that are beginning to emerge? If you’re a medical professional, or an upcoming graduate, pay attention to these jobs to see what may be available to you and your career.
Cryopreservation is the practice where parts of the body, including organs and tissue, are frozen in carbon dioxide after death in the hopes of preserving them for the eventual day when science can cure what caused them to die. A cryopreservation specialist is the technician in charge of the freezing of these organs or tissues.
While the most common current uses of cryopreservation are freezing sperm and eggs for the use in in vitro fertilization (IVF), science is working hard to find more ways to use this specialty. Expect more jobs in cryopreservation to become available in the near future.
One of the most exciting emerging jobs is a telesurgeon -- a position that enables surgeons to operate on a patient from a remote location by operating highly sophisticated robotic arms and using multimedia image communication.
These robotic arms are not a thing of the future, and they are already being used by surgeons in a variety of specialities. This speciality will allow the most specialized surgeons to perform surgeries across many different locations, without having to travel.
This will also allow many hospitals to advance their specialities in specific surgeries by contracting with top surgeons who normally work elsewhere. This is not a job of the future -- it is going on now -- and it will become even more prevalent in the coming years.
Mashable.com recently referred to the careers of a healthcare navigator as “crazy jobs that will exist in the future.” Interestingly, this job exists now, and hospitals are already looking for qualified professionals to fill this in-demand role, which is considered to be a hybrid position between several current hospital careers.
What makes this hospital job so necessary and valuable? It lies in the fact that the hospital system can be very confusing to families dealing with sick loved ones. A healthcare navigator will also have intimate knowledge of the healthcare system, as well as the insurance and legal side of things, but they can also help consumers understand the U.S. health insurance marketplace.
With the knowledge of a healthcare management professional, and the care and patience of a social worker, a healthcare navigator is an emerging profession that healthcare professionals need to seriously consider.
While medical scribes can be seen in hospitals throughout the country, the profession is becoming more and more in-demand. Due to the emergence of meaningful use and EHR’s, physicians have had to deal with an influx of clerical work.
This additional paperwork bogs them down and takes them away from their patients. Enter the medical scribe. Gathering patient information, performing clerical work, and helping the physician perform efficiently are the primary objectives of a scribe.
If you are interested in becoming a scribe, or want to know more about the job, read our blog about the life of a medical scribe.
According to the AACP official website, medical coding is “the transformation of healthcare diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes.”
The codes for a diagnosis or medical procedure are taken from doctor’s notes or lab results, and the medical coder is tasked to make sure that the codes are copied correctly during the billing process.
The coder must be very careful and meticulous when reviewing the physician notes to ensure that there are no errors. Doing their job properly also ensures that patients are billed correctly and that physicians, clinics, and hospitals are properly reimbursed for care given. If you are interested in learning more about being a medical coder, visit our career profile page!
The future of the medical field is bright and exciting. The ever-advancing technological innovations in medicine will ensure that many new and intriguing jobs will be created faster than you know it. At HospitalCareers, we will keep our vast database of jobs updated with all of the newest medical and hospital careers. So visit our job pages regularly, and see what jobs are available in your area.