These jobs offer great pay and opportunities for advancement, and often require only a few months or a couple of years of training.
And they aren't going anywhere for a while. With aging boomers requiring more health services and health workers about to retire in droves, health care is expected to generate more jobs than any other sector over the next decade.
Here are five allied health jobs that pay more than $40,000 a year with only two years of training.
Radiologic Technologist
If you've ever had an X-ray taken, chances are it was done by a radiologic technologist. They are responsible for taking X-rays and administering non-radioactive materials into patients' bloodstreams for diagnostic purposes. They prepare and position patients (physical strength to lift and move disabled patients is a must), set controls on the X-ray machine to produce images of the appropriate density, detail and contrast. Employment for this job is projected to grow faster than average, as elderly patients are primary users of diagnostic procedures.
Annual salary range: $41,270 to $60,540
Required training: Certificate program
Respiratory Therapist
When a "code blue" -- an alert that a patient has stopped breathing -- is issued at a hospital, respiratory therapists are often the first to arrive. Lifesavers in the most literal sense, they treat patients using oxygen or oxygen mixtures, chest physiotherapy and aerosol medications, and connect them to ventilators and place oxygen masks as needed. Respiratory therapists provide complex therapy requiring considerable independent judgment, such as caring for patients on life support in intensive-care units of hospitals.
Annual salary range: $42,780 to $59,040
Required training: Associate's degree
Ultrasound Technologist
Ultrasound technologists, also known as diagnostic medical sonographers, are often the first to discover news -- good and bad -- about a patient. For example, they are the ones who show pregnant women the first image of their growing babies and identify kidney stones for patients doubled over in pain. They do so using special equipment that directs non-ionizing, high-frequency sound waves into areas of the patient's body. This produces ultrasonic recordings of internal organs that physicians use to diagnose and treat patients.
Annual salary range: $50,720 to $71,010
Required training: Associate's degree
Radiation Therapist
For patients undergoing cancer treatment, radiation therapists are a steadfast source of clinical and emotional support, and an integral part of the cancer care team. They maintain continual contact with patients throughout the course of their treatment, often working in hospitals or cancer centers. Precision and attention to detail are critical as they use X-ray machines or CT scans to pinpoint the location of the tumor and target radiation exposure on the tumor cells.
Annual salary range: $57,110 to $83,850
Required training: Associate's degree
Dental Hygienist
With a growing population, dental offices are busier than ever and increasingly rely on dental hygienists to perform preventive dental care. Dental hygienists clean and polish teeth, take dental X-rays, administer local anesthetics and educate patients about how to maintain good oral health. They sometimes work chairside with the dentist during complicated procedures and often enjoy perks such as flexible work schedules.
Annual salary range: $53,280 to $76,870
Required training: Associate's degree
Salaries listed are 25th to 75th percentile earnings based on May 2007 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
