Healthcare BusinessTop Career Trends in the Medical Field We’re Seeing in 2022

While careers across sectors have changed drastically in the last few years, few industries have witnessed quite the same number of changes as healthcare. Demand was high, the pressure was high, and the safety of employees and patients alike were at risk. All these factors combined led to massive changes to the way that healthcare careers are managed, with new important career trends emerging that every medical professional and soon-to-be medical professional must take note of so that they can make the right decision for their future.

1. The Rise of Temporary Work

Temporary workers, otherwise known as locums, are becoming a popular solution when clinics and hospitals alike are experiencing a shortage of workers. This isn’t just for low-level work, either. Professionals of all specializations are needed, and hired, to cover sick employees or low employment rates.

There are many reasons why professionals themselves would want to consider becoming a locum themselves as well. You will be in complete charge of your schedule, which means you can give yourself more or less work depending on your needs and the type of work/life balance you want for yourself. You will also often enjoy a higher wage. With demand so high, there are many popular platforms, like Workflare, that make it easy to find and manage your schedule all in one place.

2. Remote Work for Digital Health

More healthcare workers are being hired remotely as digital health services rise in popularity. While digital health was coming regardless the pandemic ushered, it moved forward in ways that not many expected, and many patients have benefited massively from the ability to get in touch and stay in contact with their medical professionals.

Digital health services still have a long way to go as there is so much untapped potential. In the future, it will likely become the norm that those with advanced and complicated health conditions have wearable technology that monitors their condition. Alternatively, patients may be taught how to take and submit readings right at home.

While automation can make it easy to monitor results and then ping a healthcare professional when something is amiss, real medical professionals are still going to be at the helm of digital services.

3. The Decentralization of Healthcare

Healthcare is slowly becoming decentralized. While part of this is thanks to the rise of telehealth, there is more emphasis on improving medical services in smaller and rural communities as well. Many states are using high wages to incentivize medical professionals to work in areas that are experiencing massive shortages.

If you want to help, earn a good wage, and enjoy a low cost of living in a quieter area, then this trend of decentralization can be just what you need to make a change for the better. You will need to consider the wage vs. cost of living when looking at salaries, however, as though the wages are higher than they used to be, you may still seem to be taking a pay cut just by moving from the city to the countryside. Rather than the overall salary, work out what your disposable income will be after making the move. If it’s higher than you currently have, it’s a step up, not down.