Why People are Pursuing Online Healthcare Degrees

Are you looking for a high-paying healthcare career? Look no further than the healthcare industry.

Healthcare is a term that describes a wide range of careers that provide health services to those who need them. Recently, there’s been significant growth in this lucrative industry.

Nursing homes, hospitals, government agencies, and even private practices are all hiring, meaning you’re provided with a wide selection to choose from. To qualify for these jobs it’s usually required that you have a healthcare degree and any relevant certifications. Today, more and more universities are adopting online learning and offering healthcare degrees over the web. This means you can easily pursue a healthcare degree of your choice from the comfort of your home.

All you have to do is go to the internet, search for online healthcare programs, and kick start your medical career (at your own pace)

Benefits of Online Healthcare Degrees

In traditional programs, students hoping to gain a healthcare degree must spend quite a bit of time in a physical classroom. This is usually a turnoff for most prospective students, especially for adult students with day jobs.

However, those who end up pursing a healthcare degree put themselves in a great position to secure a lucrative job in the healthcare industry.

For example, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can an average salary of $45,710 in the United States. But a home health aide can earn an average salary of about $23,280.  

The difference in salary is because of the varying levels of education. To qualify as an LPN nurse, you need to graduate from an accredited program. A healthcare aide just needs a high school diploma.

An online healthcare degree offers you more flexibility than traditional campus-based degrees. You can go through your coursework, submit classwork and assignments, and do tests at your own schedule while still intermingling with your classmates and professors regularly.

Below, you’ll find a list of other benefits of online healthcare degrees:

Accessibility

As long as you have a strong internet connection and a laptop, you can take your online class from anywhere, anytime – be it at your day job, at home, or even when traveling.

Affordable Tuition

Compared to brick-and-mortar classes, online medical classes are more affordable. What’s even better, the quality of education remains the same. Since colleges and universities use fewer resources to run online classes, the tuition cost is often low.

Accelerated Graduation

Unlike traditional programs, online programs can cut down the time you need to complete a degree. Most online programs allow students to pursue courses in any order. Also, if you’re motivated, you can make the most out of the online program’s flexibility.

While physical school might have certain facilities that are appealing to students, online learning and distance education comes with significant benefits. One of the greatest benefits is flexibility and not having to follow the rigid schedule usually associated with a traditional, on-campus degree.

Online Degrees in Healthcare Offer Great Job Prospects

More and more medical practitioners are retiring every day, meaning there’s an increased demand for new healthcare graduates to fill the gap. With that in mind, here’s a detailed list of healthcare careers projected to grow at a high rate in the coming years:

Physician Assistants

According to the BLS, the demand for physician assistants will grow by 31%. These are individuals who work with physicians, specialists, and other healthcare workers. In 2019, the annual median salary for Physician assistants was $108,430. To become a physician assistant, you need a Master’s degree.

Medical Coding and Billing Specialists

Today, computers are vital in healthcare facilities. They’re used to store and handle patient data. Hence, there is a need for computer specialists. The demand for medical billing and coding specialist will increase by 11% by 2028.

What’s even better, this career path allows students to complete their education program in the shortest time possible. In May 2018, the median annual salary for medical record and health information technicians was about $46,590, with some individuals making up to $66,260.

Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) and Registered Nursing (RN)

A nurse coordinates patient care and educates patients. To become a registered nurse, you must have a 3-year diploma (and pass the state certification exam) or a 2-year degree. In 2021, the median salary for registered nurses was $77,460 with an expected 12%  growth by the year 2028.

A Licensed Practical Nurse offers patients basic healthcare services. In  2019, their median salary $45,710 with an expected  11%  job growth by 2028.

Conclusion

Besides the few careers that we’ve mentioned, other medical fields will continue hiring graduates and qualified applicants over the next several decades. There has never been a better time to enter the healthcare workforce than now, provided you have the right degree or certification.

Through online healthcare programs, you can pursue high-paying jobs in several medical fields,. All you have to do is to visit the internet and look for an accredited online healthcare program.

With a laptop, high-quality internet connection, hard work, and dedication, you can pursue that healthcare degree you’ve been dreaming about.