If you’re looking to get into a healthcare profession, but aren’t interested in the intense educational path and financial burden involved with becoming a surgeon or pediatrician, there are a number of non-traditional directions from which you can choose. The advantages of having a non-traditional healthcare profession include having the ability to make your own schedule and the freedom to not be restrained by hospital or industry codes and practices. However, with this freedom, comes a greater risk, as most of these professionals are privately insured. Though there is a greater risk involved, you may find that an alternative healthcare career path is both highly rewarding and extremely interesting.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors are becoming increasingly popular as the Baby Boomer generation begins to age. As a conservative, non-invasive treatment for back pain, chiropractors are usually the first stop for those suffering from chronic back pain. The idea of back surgery is simply too daunting for many individuals, and chiropractors offer healing that can drastically improve a person’s ailment without any incisions, time off work, or drastic changes to their lifestyle. The philosophy behind chiropractic care is that the body has incredible self-healing powers that can be triggered by correcting specific joints that are out of place in the spine and neck, a process called spinal manipulation. By correcting these issues, along with offering a patient advice for adjusting their diet, posture, and exercise routines, chiropractors can help patients ease their chronic pain.

Most chiropractic schools are three-to-four year programs and require at least an associate’s degree from an accredited college or university. However, once you’ve graduated from school, you can immediately begin practicing, with a majority of chiropractors choosing to open their own practice. Having your own practice allows for more freedom, but chiropractors usually have to work around their patients’ busy schedules, so traditional workday hours are mostly out of the question. Also, beginning a private practice takes a substantial amount of initial capital and usually comes with a high insurance premium. However, if you can find an investor or find a way to put up some initial capital, owning a chiropractic facility can lead to a very lucrative career.

Massage Therapy

Along the same lines of chiropractic care, massage therapy is another non-invasive, conservative treatment for those suffering from back, neck, and shoulder pain. However, there is much less education and financial commitment required for massage therapists. Most massage therapy programs only require a high school diploma for admittance, and, depending on the state, you may not need certification to begin practicing. Many massage therapists start out as part-time employees of a spa or existing massage therapy clinic, and may work at multiple locations in order to work full-time. Once an individual has established themselves in the industry, they may choose to invest in opening their own spa or therapy clinic.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is probably considered the most alternative of treatments for various ailments in the body, and becoming an acupuncturist usually does not follow a traditional career path either. In the United States, there are a limited number of accredited schools that teach acupuncture and meet national standards for education. Once enrolled, individuals face a pretty intense three-to-four year program that trains students not just in the Chinese tradition from which acupuncture was founded, but also in the anatomy of the human body. Acupuncture is focused on locating precise points on the human body to stimulate while creating a deeply relaxing atmosphere. Like most alternative careers in the healthcare industry, acupuncturists face the challenge of either opening their own practice or finding their niche within another facility. However, once established, acupuncturists tend to enjoy their careers, as their profession requires little physical exertion.

John Soland is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Soland is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to healthcare careers.

John Soland is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Soland is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to healthcare careers. http://www.topworkplaces.com/frontend.php/regional-list/company/tampabay/laser-spine-institute

Author Bio: John Soland is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Soland is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to healthcare careers.

Category: Medical Business
Keywords: healthcare careers