5 Careers to Get You into the Medical Field Without a Degree

The medical field is a busy yet rewarding field.

It’s also one of the fastest-growing industries with 2.4 million jobs being added through 2026.

Interested in jumping into this fast-paced, exciting career field? You can even if you don’t have a degree.

Healthcare certifications can lead to positions as a medical assistant, pharmacy technician, phlebotomist, and other supporting professional opportunities. Best of all, most healthcare certification training can be done online, and it’s short term!

Here’s a list of five jobs that will put you right in the center of the medical field without a degree:

1. Medical Assistant

Training time: 27 weeks

The pay: $33,610 per year

The work: Medical assistants are often cross-trained to work administrative and clinical duties. From taking blood pressure to updating a patient’s medical history, medical assistants play a vital role in keeping healthcare offices running smoothly.

If you're hoping to move into a career as a Medical Assistant, we offer three online Medical Assistant programs depending on what certifications you are interested in.

2. Pharmacy Technician

Training time: 16 weeks

The pay: $32,700 per year

The work: Unless you have a specific question about your prescription, a pharmacy technician is usually the one you interact with upon picking up your medication at your local pharmacy. As a pharmacy technician, you may dispense medicine to patients, assemble medicine, and even supervise staff.

3. Phlebotomy Technician

Training time: 15 weeks

The pay: $34,480 per year

The work: This work isn’t for the faint of heart. As a phlebotomist, you’ll draw and collect blood for a variety of tests, donations, and more, depending on where you work. This role plays an important part in getting doctors’ the information they need to diagnose diseases and other health concerns.

4. Electrocardiograph (EKG) Technician

Training time: 15 weeks

The pay: 34,281

The work: As an Electrocardiograph (EKG) Technician, you’d be responsible for running tests and monitoring the heart activity of patients using an EKG machine. In this role, you are supervised by a specialist or physician and are responsible for providing test results to them and patients.

5. Patient Care Technician (PCT)

Training time: 27 weeks

The pay: $36,605 per year

The work: Helping patients with everyday tasks is one of the biggest responsibilities of a Patient Care Technician (PCT). You also assist nurses with drawing blood and administering IVs. It is a very hands-on position and could lead to a career in nursing.

Healthcare Certifications Get You Working Faster

You don’t need to be a doctor or even a nurse to find a rewarding career in the medical field.

All you need is empathy, ambition, and an online healthcare certification to get started. Each of the five careers above puts you in a role to help others live healthier and more comfortable lives.

With a projected 18% growth in healthcare occupations, positions of all sorts need to be filled in the coming years — not just the ones that require a medical degree. While healthcare certifications take a lot less time to complete, it’s also a lot more affordable than traditional schools, too.

And, you don’t have to wait for a semester to start, either. With most online healthcare certifications, you can start whenever it’s convenient for you.

Ready for a career in healthcare? Check out our healthcare programs that can get you working in the medical field in less than a year!