Jobs in the Medical Field You Probably Haven’t Heard of Yet

The medical field is full of exciting opportunities and jobs with a wide range of duties and responsibilities. But there are also some lesser-known positions in the healthcare system that you may not have heard of yet. In this blog, we’ll discuss four unique jobs in the medical field that you may want to consider for your next career move.

Surgery Facility Accreditation Compliance Consultant

This is an important job for any medical facility that provides surgery services. A surgery facility accreditation compliance consultant ensures that the facility meets all state and federal standards for safety and quality of care. They analyze policies and procedures, review records, and provide training to staff on how to comply with accreditation regulations. This position requires strong knowledge of healthcare regulations as well as excellent communication skills.

Medical Device Reprocessing Technician

Medical device reprocessing technicians are responsible for ensuring that reusable medical instruments are properly sanitized before being reused by another patient. Reusable instruments must be cleaned thoroughly using specialized cleaning equipment before they can be used again safely. It’s a highly particular job that requires attention to detail and technical proficiency, so it’s perfect for someone who enjoys problem-solving and working with their hands.

Medical Researcher

This is a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about advancing medical knowledge. Medical researchers conduct clinical studies and experiments to test new treatments, medications, or surgical techniques. They collect data on the results of their tests and present their findings in scientific papers or reports. Medical researchers need to be organized, analytical thinkers who are comfortable working with complex data sets.

Public Health Analyst

Public health analysts strive to improve the overall health of individuals and communities at large by studying population trends and behaviors. Their job is to identify potential risks that can negatively impact public health, such as environmental hazards or infectious diseases, and develop strategies to address them before they become widespread problems. It’s a varied role that requires excellent research and communication skills.

Clinical Research Coordinator

This is an essential role in any clinical research setting, as Clinical Research Coordinators are responsible for overseeing all aspects of a clinical research study—from recruiting participants to collecting data to analyzing the results at the end of the study. This job requires excellent organizational skills, as well as an understanding of clinical research protocols and practices. It’s a great opportunity for someone who wants to explore cutting-edge technology while helping advance science in the process.

These are just four examples of unique jobs in the medical field that you may not have heard of before! There are many more out there, so if you’re looking for a new career opportunity or a way to break into the healthcare industry, make sure to do some research about these lesser-known positions! With hard work and dedication, any one of these careers can open up many opportunities for you both professionally and personally. Good luck!


Anita Ginsburg

Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family, and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.


Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

4 Ways Data Analytics in Healthcare Can Help Healthcare Administrators Work More Effectively

Data as a concept can be a little mysterious for people who don’t use it regularly. We all know about Big Data. How it’s here whether we like it or not, and how it’s made our YouTube ads a whole lot more specific than they used to be.

But in the hospital setting, data saves lives. In this article, we look at how people with hospital administrator careers are using data to change the way hospitals are run.

What is Data-Driven Decision Making?

Data-driven decision-making isn’t about having algorithms take the helm at your hospital. It’s more about speeding up a process that was already in place. Good administrators have always led by learning. With data, it’s simply easier to understand what has been learned.

The numbers paint a much clearer picture than intuition ever could. You might suspect, for example, that last year your cardiovascular services lagged behind their potential. A look at the numbers will tell you how much they lagged, and maybe even help answer the question of why. It’s not perfect. Certainly, it isn’t magic. But for administrators that want to do their job as well as they can, it is transformative.

 Understanding the Hospital

From a strictly administrative perspective, data can make it easier to understand, and therefore effectively run the hospital. Here’s a situation that many hospitals are currently facing: high turnover rates. Skeleton crews. Five people doing the work of ten.

You’ve heard about this, of course. Nursing shortages. The great resignation as some call it. The hospital administrator might not be responsible for solving this crisis, but they will need to know how to work with it.

When you can only do so much, how do you direct your resources? Data can help shine a light on where the greatest sources of need are. Using that information, administrators can make the most of what they have, helping to guarantee a higher impact.

This was particularly impactful during the height of the pandemic. There weren’t nearly enough hospital beds. Ventilators? PPE? Hand sanitizer, for goodness sake! Healthcare systems just didn’t have these things, at least not in a serviceable quantity.

It took a tremendous level of ingenuity to keep things running the way they needed to. And therein lies the magic of data. The numbers couldn’t magically summon more resources, but they could help administrators decide how to use them.

Of course, data doesn’t need a pandemic to be useful. Administrators can also use the numbers for smaller things. How much ink and toner should we order? What do our utility bills look like relative to historical numbers? Nuts and bolts stuff that, while not as urgent or desperate as the pandemic felt, are critical to keeping the hospital effective.

 Understanding the Community

Hospitals may mostly look the same from the outside, but to be truly effective they need to cultivate the care they provide specifically to the needs of the community. So many variables can crop up that create sweeping health impacts for most or all people living in a geographical area.

Maybe there is a paper mill that has negatively impacted the quality of drinking water. Or lead pipes that shed harmful materials. A factory polluting the air, etc.

It doesn’t even need to be a scandalous issue. Some communities struggle more with diabetes or obesity. Others have exorbitant rates of vaccine hesitancy. Then there is the rural plight. Hospitals that service enormous geographical locations.

What percent of people are participating in preventative care? Is anything at all being done to alleviate the transportation-induced struggle of healthcare?

In other words, there are a million questions that data can answer. Using the numbers, an astute administrator can help shape a hospital into exactly what the community needs it to be.

 Forecasting the Future

Data is good but it isn’t magic. Analytic-produced forecasting is kind of like the weather report. Good enough to make plans by but also highly subject to change. Nevertheless, looking back into the past helps administrators see patterns that can directly influence their behavior in the future.

Using hospital records, they can determine what services need the most attention. Where they should channel their efforts to deliver the highest possible level of care.

 Contextualizing the Past

Finally, data is a great way to perform a highly nuanced post-mortem on the previous year. What was done well? What wasn’t? The numbers don’t lie. Administrators can help identify issues within the hospital by holding the microscope up to the past.

In fact, this is data’s cleanest and most dependable application. Using it to make decisions for the future is fine — good even — but it will always be done under a cloud of uncertainty. When it comes to reviewing the past, the skies are clear. You see everything, and you learn from it.


With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.


Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Helping Behind the Scenes: 5 Advantages to Being a Medical Lab Professional

If you’re looking for a career in healthcare behind the scenes, being a medical lab professional could be a great option.

Physicians and other clinicians rely heavily on lab testing to help care for patients. That means the medical lab professionals who conduct those tests are vitally important. As the volume of testing grows and new types of testing emerge, medical lab professionals will continue to be in great demand.

If you’d like to play an active, hands-on role in the healthcare field but aren’t necessarily drawn to working directly with patients, becoming a medical lab professional could be a great fit for you.

Below, I’ll describe five advantages to being a medical lab professional. But first, let’s take a closer look at the professions I’m talking about.

 

Understanding the roles of medical lab professionals

There are two types of medical lab professionals who commonly perform testing. They vary in the education required and in the kinds of responsibilities they typically have.

1. Medical lab technicians

Medical lab technicians generally work in clinics and other healthcare facilities that provide lab services. They use specialized medical instruments and automated technology to conduct a variety of testing and analysis on specimens taken from patients.

Although they may occasionally have direct patient contact, most of their tasks are conducted within the lab.

A common path to becoming a medical lab technician involves completing a two-year associate degree program. Note that a medical lab technician can pursue further education to become a medical lab scientist (see directly below).

2. Medical lab scientists

Medical lab scientists commonly perform more advanced hands-on lab tests in hospitals and large clinics. These procedures often go beyond the more automated processes that a medical lab technician is likely to perform. In addition, medical lab scientists often take on lab leadership roles.

Working as a medical lab scientist requires at least a bachelor’s degree. Note that there are a number of options you can take to obtain that degree, including a bachelor’s degree completion program.

Let’s now turn to the advantages of a career as a medical lab professional.

1. Become a healthcare professional within a shorter amount of time

If you’re interested in a healthcare career but are concerned about the time and expense it can take to earn an advanced professional degree, pursuing a career as a medical lab professional could be an excellent option.

For example, you could be working full-time in a medical lab environment in as little as two years by earning the appropriate associate degree. In fact, if you have transferable credits, that time could be even shorter. (See How to Become a Medical Laboratory Technician for more information.)

And with approximately another two years of education, you can obtain a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science. This can open up additional opportunities for taking on leadership positions and conducting more advanced lab procedures. (See How to Become a Medical Laboratory Scientist for more information.)

2. Choose a profession with a bright future

Although there are no guarantees when it comes to obtaining employment, you should know the current — and expected — demand for medical lab professions is high.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “70% of today’s medical decisions depend on laboratory test results.” In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has served to underscore just how crucial medical lab professionals are.

Another encouraging indicator is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which projects a positive job growth rate for medical lab professionals over the next decade. (Note: The BLS uses the terms clinical laboratory technicians for medical lab technicians and clinical laboratory technologists for medical lab scientists.)

3. Channel a science background into a valued healthcare profession

If you obtain a medical lab degree, you’re going to have a specific healthcare profession to enter upon graduation. This isn’t necessarily the case if, for example, you major in a subject like biology.

In fact, people who are drawn to medical lab education programs may already have college science credits and even job experience. But what they lack are the credentials to establish a specific career in healthcare.

An associate degree in medical lab technology or a bachelor’s degree in medical lab science can change that.

4. Enjoy a schedule that fits with your lifestyle

Medical lab technicians are typically employed at clinics. That means they generally work steady weekday shifts, during regular daytime hours, with occasional weekend rotations. Also, medical laboratory technicians usually have plenty of opportunities for part-time positions.

Medical lab scientists, who often have positions at hospitals, may work daytime shifts as well as evenings, weekends, and holidays. Note that working non-daytime shifts often comes with additional pay on top of the base hourly wage.

In either case, as a medical lab professional you’ll likely be able to find a schedule that fits well with your lifestyle and your responsibilities outside of work.

5. Play a key role in helping care for patients

Although you may not have a lot of direct interaction with patients, as a medical lab professional you still play a vital part in caring for them. And that can be incredibly rewarding.

On a daily basis, you’ll be using specialized medical instruments and cutting-edge technology to conduct a variety of testing and analyses on specimens taken from patients.

The resulting information helps physicians and other healthcare providers make critical decisions in the prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment of illnesses and diseases.

 

Take the next step and start exploring programs

Becoming a medical lab professional gives you the opportunity to join the exciting and ever-expanding field of healthcare — while also working behind the scenes without extensive patient interaction.

If that sounds appealing to you, I strongly suggest you take the next step and begin researching medical lab programs.

 


Jessica Hoernemann, MS, MLS(ASCP), is an assistant professor and the program chair for the Medical Laboratory Technology and Medical Laboratory Science programs at Northwestern Health Sciences University.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

12 Grants Awarded to Fund New Treatments of Rare Diseases

A third of the new awards aim to accelerate cancer research, and another 25% of the new awards fund studies evaluating drug products for rare endocrine disorders.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced this week that it has awarded 12 new clinical trial research to enhance the development of medical products for patients with rare diseases. The grants, which total more than $18 million over the next four years, were awarded to principal investigators from academia and industry across the United States through the Orphan Products Clinical Trials Grants Program.

The awarded grants include:

  • Alkeus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts), Leonide Saad, phase 2 study of ALK-001 for the treatment of Stargardt disease – $1.75 million over four years
  • Arizona State University-Tempe Campus (Tempe, Arizona), Keith Lindor, phase 2 study of oral vancomycin for the treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis – $2 million over four years
  • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles), Shlomo Melmed, phase 2 study of seliciclib for the treatment of Cushing disease – $2 million over four years
  • Columbia University of New York (New York), Yvonne Saenger, phase 1 study of talimogene laherparepvec for the treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer – $750,000 over three years
  • Emory University (Atlanta), Eric Sorscher, phase 1/2 study of Ad/PNP fludarabine for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma – $1.5 million over three years
  • Fibrocell Technologies, Inc. (Exton, Pennsylvania), John Maslowski, phase 1/2 study of gene-modified ex-vivo autologous fibroblasts for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa – $1.5 million over four years
  • Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore), Amy Dezern, phase 1/2 study of CD8-reduced T cells for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia – $750,000 over three years
  • Oncolmmune, Inc. (Rockville, Maryland) Yang Liu, phase 2b study of CD24Fc for the prevention of graft versus host disease – $2 million over four years
  • Patagonia Pharmaceuticals, LLC (Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey), Zachary Rome, phase 2 study of PAT-001 (isotretinoin) for the treatment of congenital ichthyosis – $1.5 million over three years
  • The General Hospital Corporation (Boston), Stephanie Seminara, phase 2 study of kisspeptin for the treatment of dopamine agonist intolerant hyperprolactinemia – $1.4 million over four years
  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis), Kyriakie Sarafoglou, phase 2a study of subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion pump for the treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia – $1.4 million over three years
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, North Carolina), Matthew Laughon, phase 2 study of sildenafil for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia – $2 million over four years

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

China Withholding Deadly Flu Samples from U.S. Researchers

Americans have zero immunity against the deadly H7N9 flu, and China is refusing to share much-needed samples with U.S. Researchers hoping to combat a potential outbreak.

More than a year after a deadly H7N9 avian influenza outbreak spiked in China, infecting 766, U.S. researchers have yet to receive samples of the viral strain to help them develop vaccines and treatments to combat it, despite persistent requests from officials and research institutions, according to reporting from The New York Times.

A new strain of H7N9 first surfaced in China in 2013, infecting both humans and animals, though the National Institutes of Health has said the strain is not easily transmitted between humans—most human infections were in those who had contact with live poultry or visited markets where the birds were sold. Still, it is concerning, as there have been five significant outbreaks of the virus, which has a near 40% fatality rate, and, if it mutates, it has the potential to cause a pandemic, as most people—especially Americans—have little to no immunity against it, making research essential.

Under an agreement established by the World Health Organization, participating countries—which has, until this point, included China—must transfer influenza samples with pandemic potential to predetermined research centers around the world, in a “timely manner.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

FDA Supports New Steps to Further Nicotine Replacement Therapy Research

Use of FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy products may double the likelihood of a successful attempt to quit smoking.

In a statement released this month from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., it was announced that the agency is taking new steps to support the development of nicotine replacement drug therapies (NRTs) to assist smokers in their efforts to quit.

“As a public health agency, there is no greater impact we can have to improve the health of our nation than to significantly reduce the rate of tobacco-related disease and death. Through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s comprehensive framework for regulating nicotine and tobacco, we’re developing policies that support the possibility of a world where combustible cigarettes could no longer create or sustain addiction. A key part of this framework are steps to pave the way for products that help currently addicted smokers move away from the deadliest form of nicotine delivery,” Gottlieb said in the statement, which was issued on August 3, 2018.

Gottlieb goes on to say that, “The development of novel NRT products, regulated as new drugs, is a critical part of our overall strategy on nicotine.”

The CDC reports that nicotine may be as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol, and that 70% of adult smokers in the United States want to quit, with nearly half trying to quit each year and only few succeeding. Research has shown that use of FDA-approved NRT products may double the likelihood of a successful quit attempt.

The FDA’s Nicotine Steering Committee, established in September of 2017, has been evaluating new, evidence-based opportunities to advance NRT products, and last week, the FDA released the first of two draft guidances aimed at supporting the development of novel, inhaled nicotine replacement therapies, similar to current over-the-counter pharmaceutical NRT products, that could be submitted to the FDA for approval as new drugs.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Philanthropists Are Getting Behind a New Push for Government Science Funding

Only one in four Americans believes the U.S. government’s role in funding research is irreplaceable, according to a study by ScienceCounts.

from Inside Philanthropy

A handful of private funders have joined several professional societies and a couple of corporate partners in support of ScienceCounts, an emerging effort to protect government funding of science by bolstering public support.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

BU Wins $20M for NSF Engineering Research Center

The recipient’s ultimate goal is to advance nano-bio-manufacturing methods that could lead to large-scale fabrication of functional heart tissue, which could replace diseased or damaged muscle after a heart attack.

from BU.edu

Boston University has won a $20 million, five-year award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create a multi-institution Engineering Research Center (ERC), with the goal of synthesizing personalized heart tissue for clinical use. The grant, which is renewable for a total of 10 years and $40 million, is designed to accelerate an area of engineering research—in this case, bioengineering functional heart tissue—that is likely to spur societal change and economic growth within a decade. “The goal is moving from the basic research capability to a technology that could be disruptive,” says BU College of Engineering Dean Kenneth Lutchen, who notes that the ERC program is designed to stimulate translation of research to practice by facilitating worldwide corporate, clinical, and institutional partnerships. “The center will transform cardiovascular care by synthesizing breakthroughs in nanotechnology and manufacturing with tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,” he says.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Man Moves Paralyzed Legs Using Device That Stimulates Spinal Cord

Researchers say these results offer further evidence that a combination of this technology and rehabilitation may help patients with spinal cord injuries regain control.

from Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic researchers used electrical stimulation on the spinal cord and intense physical therapy to help a man intentionally move his paralyzed legs, stand and make steplike motions for the first time in three years.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

5 Researchers Share $500,000 Prize for Work on Gene Editing

The recipients of the annual Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research are being recognized for their contributions related to the development of the tool, called CRISPR-Cas9.

from Washington Post

The recipients of the annual Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research were announced Tuesday. They are being recognized for their contributions related to the development of the tool, called CRISPR-Cas9.

The recipients are: Emmanuelle Charpentier of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Germany; Jennifer Doudna, University of California, Berkeley; Luciano Marraffini, The Rockefeller University, New York City; Francisco J.M. Mojica, University of Alicante, Spain; Feng Zhang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.