For working mothers, going back to school can be a serious challenge. Between work and kids, there just isn’t enough time to study, go to class, and take the tests you need to pass. Trust me, I know what that feels like firsthand.
The good news is, there are allied healthcare careers education options for busy women today who need to study on the weekends or online. Some of these degrees can be completed in less than 2 years’ time – ideal for the mother with a tight budget and even tighter schedule.
Let’s get right into these 4 flexible medical careers for moms.
1.) Physical Therapist Assistant
Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA) are in high demand and find their jobs very rewarding. They help Physical Therapists with implementing their treatment plans for patients and can do so in a wide range of settings such as hospitals, private practices, and educational institutions.
Becoming a PTA
You can become a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant by obtaining an associate’s degree in physical therapy assisting, which takes as little as two years to complete after high school graduation. PTA programs consist of completing general education courses and then diving into coursework that focuses on subjects like anatomy, physiology, pathology, therapeutic exercise, pharmacology, clinical practice skills, and patient care.
PTA Responsibilities
PTAs are responsible for helping patients understand and follow the treatment plan set out by the physical therapist. They help patients perform exercises and track progress. PTAs also do a number of admin and office tasks, such as tracking the time each patient was seen and inputting data to make sure the business runs smoothly.
Physical therapist assistants often work with patients who are handicapped or disabled but may also treat trauma victims, athletes, and the elderly.
PTA Salaries
USNews ranked PTAs as the #1 healthcare support job and the BLS shows PTAs earning very competitive salaries. On average, PTAs earn $52,790 in the U.S., but some specialized therapists can expect to bring home more than $65,090 each year.
2.) Medical Assistant
Complete your medical assisting education in as little as 9 months with an online program, but many will take up to 2 years to complete the program and become certified.
Recent data shows medical assistants making over $32,000 per year in the United States. This is only one of the many positives associated with this profession. The Bureau of Labor Statics projects that there will be much demand for this profession in the next ten years, up to 29%.
The data illustrates how much demand there is for new medical assistants in the workforce. This demand will only increase as baby boomers continue to need more healthcare services.
Also, important for mothers who are working from home is the flexibility offered by being able to work around their schedules. Medical Assistant jobs come in all different shapes and sizes. They can be found working in a variety of medical specialty offices, general clinics, hospitals, ER rooms and nursing homes all across the nation!
Becoming a Medical Assistant is a very popular choice for moms. You can choose from many different paths to take, from certificate or associates degree programs to fully online programs. Total time to completion is 9 months to 2 years and the cost ranges from $1,400
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