It is always encouraging when we consider that most of the people treating us in hospitals or other healthcare institutions are top qualified professionals bringing to bear years of education and practical experience on the care that they offer us. Where it matters, this is certainly the case, but it has led to a somewhat discouraging misconception where health jobs are concerned.

Healthcare is a calling that, most fundamentally, operates on a person’s desire to help people in need. And people that have such a calling are not always those that have been afforded the educational opportunities that is all but necessary to become a qualified physician. Therefore, healthcare can sometimes seem off limits to such people, but this is not the case.

A hospital is a broad and dynamic institution that sees many different people, occupying many kinds of roles. Moreover, as surprising as it may seem to some, not all those roles require a university education. In fact, there are many roles within the hospital – all entirely necessary for efficient running of such an institution – that do not require any type of degree at all (and we are not talking about working in the hospital shop or cafeteria).

The Healthcare Job Market

Furthermore, just like the many different healthcare roles, many of these positions actually offer impressive salaries and the high levels of job security that healthcare jobs are well-known for. Just a quick perusal on healthcare job boards such as Health Jobs Nationwide will return many different vacancies which do not require college degree. This is not to say that you can just walk off the street and straight into such a position, but they are certainly available for those with the commitment to work hard.

No-Degree Healthcare Jobs

So, what actually are these hospital positions that do not require an expensive and time-consuming college degree? Here follows some of the most attractive for those with the calling to make a difference in the world of healthcare:

·        Cardiovascular Technologist

Despite the highly complex and technical sounding name, you do not actually need a university degree to assist cardiovascular operations in a hospital. In this job, you can expect to work with imaging, testing, and surgical procedures involving the heart and the vascular system. You can expect to work closely with surgeons and doctors in this role.

·        Ultrasound Technicians

Anybody who has ever been a mother will be familiar with the hospital staff who guide you through the ultrasound procedure and use sonography equipment to scan your pregnant belly. There are a number of other ultrasound applications in hospitals as well. This role does require a few years training and the acquisition of a certificate, but there is no college degree needed.

·        Massage Therapist

Massage therapists are vital for alleviating muscular and joint pain in patients who require it. They are essential for many injury recovery procedures. Moreover, should you become a massage therapist, you can work in many places besides a hospital – anywhere where massage therapy is offered, in fact.

·        Medical Assistants

Medical assistants are neither nurses nor physician assistants. Instead, they usually work in areas such as lab techniques and first aid as well as in clinical and diagnostic procedures. They are an essential part of the healthcare team.

From EMTs to phlebotomists and physical and occupational therapists, there are many other hospital careers that require no degree. We have just scratched the surface here. However, this should be enough to convince anyone that, degree or not, healthcare is a welcoming place to work for those with the calling.