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7 Credit the aging population for much of the expected boom in medical careers. As people grow older, they typically require more care, thus creating a demand for health workers. Also, advances in medical technology have generated new positions for health care specialists who help identify and treat conditions that used to be untreatable. Plus, pressures to containmedical costs will produce new opportunities for support workers, such as dental assistants, occupa- tional therapy aides, physical therapy aides, and pharmacy technicians. Workers in these sup- port positions play a vital role in keeping our health care system running. More important, many of these jobs are open to high school graduates with a willingness to learn new skills. One advantage of entering a field where employers are scrambling to fill key positions is that you can often negotiate valuable fringe benefits. Many health care providers, for example, reimburse employees who continue their educational training, while others provide family- friendly benefits, such as child care services and flexible schedules. In this volume, you’ll learn about the many rewarding career opportunities for high school graduates. The training requirements will vary, depending on the job and the employer. In some dental offices, for example, you may be able to start working right out of high school, and you will receive your training on the job. For more complex jobs, such as that of an emer- gency medical technician (EMT) or a dialysis technician, you’ll need to enroll in specialized courses to become certified in your field. However, just because these courses focus just on the skills needed to do a specific job there’s no need to put your life on hold. In many cases, the required training can be completed within just a few months. While the job descriptions may vary, workers in health care all share one common goal: improving the health of their patients. Depending on the job title, the care provided may be dramatic, such as when a paramedic performs lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on an accident victim. The care can also be given indirectly, such as when a medical receptionist fast-tracks paperwork so a worried patient can schedule a biopsy to screen for cancer sooner rather than later. No matter what their job titles are, though, providers must be able to work together as a team. An EMT needs to communicate with his or her supervising emergency room doctor while treating a patient at an accident scene. A pharmacy technician must share information with doctors, nurses, and insurance specialists to ensure that patients get the medicine they need. Similarly, a medical technician must work in concert with medical technologists and doctors to analyze a patient’s blood work. • 29 percent for genetic counselors • 29 percent for audiologists • 27 percent for hearing aid specialists

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