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Hispanic Males Needed in Health Professions

Gustavo A. Mellander

Health Care July 2022 PREMIUM

I have spent decades encouraging Hispanics to go to college. I still believe it is the wisest of decisions.

But not everybody needs to go to a four-year college. There are scores of high-paying and fulfilling careers that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Education that can provide lifelong opportunities or become a stepping stone for other opportunities is readily available nationwide.

Healthcare careers

The job market has shifted from manufacturing to the service sector. Many blue-collar working-class men have lost their livelihood. The trades may not be dying out, as some suggest, but their growth and sustainability are in peril.

Healthcare careers offer other options and are rewarding on multiple levels.

Regardless of the specialty, medical professionals help people. That’s a life-long, satisfying career reward. In America, they are also well-compensated and respected. Further, the growing need will provide considerable job security.

With better health care available to more individuals and the aging of America, healthcare has become an ever-expanding industry.

It is pleasant to report that the number of female doctors, including surgeons, has risen dramatically from 6 percent in 1949 to 33 percent in 2015. In 2017, for the first time, more than 50 percent of medical students were female. The trend has continued. In 2021, the majority of medical students were women.

Historically, nursing and providing healthcare were considered “more appropriate” for women. Today, if we exclude medical doctors, most healthcare positions are held by women.

While doctors and surgeons are predominantly male, nearly 80 percent of American allied healthcare professionals are female. There is a growing desire to hire more men.

Medical doctors used to do virtually everything - from taking temperatures to administering injections. But today, a team approach has evolved. Many functions are handled by others.

Nursing remains a female-dominated profession. That’s partly based on the age-old theory that women are simply better at direct-care work, especially with elderly people and children. A false premise, but well entrenched.

Other prejudices abound. I know from first-hand experience that many nursing programs were ill-disposed toward male students. Thankfully gender-specific higher education is losing traction. Men have proven to be excellent healthcare professionals. New pathways have been created which provide men with more opportunities.

Growth Galore

The Bureau of Labor reports that Allied Health professions will grow faster than other sectors. Aging Baby Boomers, who will comprise nearly 20 percent of the population by 2030, will receive extensive care that their parents never did.

That translates into decent job security for prospective healthcare workers, especially in contrast with blue-collar manufacturing workers.

One can earn an excellent income in various health professions without a bachelor’s degree. Some positions require an associate degree offered at hundreds of community colleges nationwide.

Dismantling gender stereotypes

In my research interviews, I was repeatedly told there is a growing need for more men. Allied health practitioners are setting aside old myths about who should be in the profession. Hispanic men should consider these fields; being bilingual is an asset. Interestingly, vacancies for men occur regularly because many males are frequently promoted.

Eight occupations seeking more men

1. Licensed Practical Nurse

Median salary: $48,820

Education needed: postsecondary certificate

Job growth: 9 percent

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) work with doctors and registered nurses (RNs) to assist with patient care. They take vital signs, administer medication, and complete paperwork. LPNs don’t require a college degree; registered Nurses (RNs) do. They earn associate degrees.

2. Surgical Technologist

Median salary: $49,710

Education needed: postsecondary certificate or associate degree

Job growth: 7 percent

They assist surgeons and nurses during operations. They prepare the operating room and all the instruments physicians need throughout the surgery.

3. Hearing Aid Specialist

Median salary: $52,630

Education needed: high school diploma

Job growth: 10 percent

Hearing aid specialists work with audiologists to fit, fix and maintain hearing aids for patients. They conduct screenings and tests to ensure the hearing aids are in working order.