If in this pandemic we’ve learned something, it’s that when change occurs, we shall adapt accordingly to eliminate uncertainties. The pandemic has been affecting not just threatened people with the virus; it changed the whole system, the education, the workplaces, healthcare system, businesses, and whatnot. In this global health and economic crisis, the healthcare system shocked us all as we saw how the doctors and nurses started fought the situation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic rise in jobs in the healthcare sector. Some of the healthcare professionals, like epidemiologists, nurses, etc., are in high demand as they are the ones that make up the frontlines of the Covid crisis. To know more about the top career paths that rose from the pandemic in the health care sector, keep reading.
Nursing
As soon as the outbreak of COVID-19 spread, the demand for registered nurses increased, and depending on the current health situation, the demand will keep on increasing. According to the BSL (Bureau of Labor Statistics) research, the worth of nursing is predicted to grow by 7% from 2019 to 2029. The increased demand for nursing career paths is particularly because of an increased focus on preventive care and demand for health care activities among an aging population.
Research associate and pharmaceutical experts
The pharmaceutical industry is continuously fighting COVID-19 to produce a cure for the disease, manage existing drug demands, and carrying out other such rewarding jobs. Research in pharmacy is a growing field now; pharmaceutical companies are hiring more and more research associates to find out which medicines can be the best to cure the disastrous virus. The experts run the tests to check the medicine’s effectiveness, risks, and benefits and ensure if it is safe to use so that it can be forwarded to the market for public use.
Biotechnologists
With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, PPE (personal protective equipment) kits and other production and development testing kits are high in demand. This has unveiled the significance of biotechnologists. A large number of biotechnologists are working on generating the most efficient and smart testing kits. Along with the testing kits, biotechnologists are also working on personal protective equipment like masks, face shields, gloves, and gowns to prevent the spread of the virus. Because the biotech industry is playing a major role in this global crisis, their jobs are high in demand.
Mental health therapist
For a lot of people, it was not easy to survive this pandemic. Many were suffering from pre-existing mental illnesses or falling into desperation due to the situation. That’s how the call for mental health professionals increased. According to research, jobs in the mental health department have risen to 28% since 2019 and are predicted to increase 25% more by 2029. If we talk about professions like counsellor, therapist, and psychologist, the growth increased to 56% in 2020.
Clinical laboratory technologists
Clinical laboratory technology played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic. When there were more COVID-19 patients, the hospitals needed more clinical laboratory technology to tend to more patients, and that’s how the significance of it increased dramatically.
Clinical laboratory has always been there, working behind the scenes but the pandemic shone a light on it like never before, therefore inviting more people to join the field and fulfill the increased demand.
Epidemiologist
When you contract a disease, or you become sick for any unknown reason, an epidemiologist is the one to investigate the cause of it; they check where the disease came from and who’s health could be at risk due to it. If the disease is contagious, they even figure out ways to control its spread. To scrutinize the core of the disease, they work in laboratories and private and government offices. During the COVID 19 crisis, epidemiologists were the most in demand, and they are predicted to be in demand even after the pandemic.
Personal care aid
Another career path that was greatly valued during the pandemic is personal care aid. Because COVID 19 is contagious, people are reluctant to travel to hospitals for the safety of both their safety and that of the people in the treatment centers. Most of the people with Covid symptoms are more interested in inviting the personal care aid to their homes and getting their swab tests done. The employment growth of this profession is expected to jump to 34% from 2019–2029.
Takeaway
According to researches, COVID-19 is just the beginning, and many epidemics like this are likely to occur in the future. Because of this reason, the jobs in the health care sector will have significance. Because of the highly contagious virus and the growing number of patients during COVID-19, hospitals have suffered a lot. The need for healthcare treatment centres and professionals now is more than ever before. There is no doubt in saying that during the pandemic, health care professionals have shown their superhero-like abilities, which we cannot appreciate enough.
Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
