Working in a quiet environment is the ideal scenario for you. You’re perfectly content just focusing on your work without a ton of social stimulation. It’s not that you dislike interacting with other people—it’s just that too much of it makes you want to just recharge alone. You’ve learned that situations involving too many people make you feel drained, and you’d rather not deal with that every single day at work.

When you look around at job options, healthcare keeps rising to the forefront of your mind. But are there good healthcare jobs for introverts?

It’s true that nurses, medical assistants and pharmacy technicians interact with people day in and day out, but there are as many career paths in the healthcare industry as there are personality types, which means you have options.

The healthcare sector is growing quickly and encompassing more and more types of work. Deloitte reports that a large aging population, financial strain on healthcare systems and new technologies are all combining to create rapid growth, new opportunity and a huge push for innovation that can reduce costs.¹

And that’s good news for everyone in healthcare—even people who prefer little to no patient interaction. If you could see yourself working in healthcare under the right conditions, check out these healthcare jobs for introverts like you.

4 Careers in healthcare for introverts

Human interaction is obviously going to play a role in every career—there’s no escaping it. But that doesn’t mean you need to be stuck in a healthcare role that forces you to be “on” socially at all times. These positions typically find a balance that most introverted people can thrive in:

1. Medical lab technician

How do you feel about science? Medical lab technicians work in a laboratory with all the test tubes and equipment a chemistry or biology fan could wish for. They play an important role in saving the lives of patients, but instead of working with them face-to-face, they’re in the lab analyzing samples of blood and tissue.

Why it’s a good job for introverts: The behind-the-scenes nature of this position can be the perfect fit for an introvert. Whether you work in a hospital or clinic, the medical labs are set apart from patients and the general hubbub of the facility.

You’ll also be able to maintain a sense of independence in the lab while testing samples that are essential to diagnosis. While you may work under the supervision of a lab manager, the majority of your work will be done independently in the peace and calm of the secluded lab.

2018 Median annual salary: $52,330, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).²

Job outlook: Employment of medical lab technicians is projected to increase at a faster-than-average rate of 13 percent through 2026, according to the BLS.² This is tied to the aging population and an anticipated need to test for medical conditions like cancer or type 2 diabetes.

Education needed: Associate’s degree.

2. Health information technician

If you have an interest in technology, you might want to look into health information technician (HIT) roles. These professionals manage healthcare data, preserve medical records, track patient outcomes and ensure quality and accessible documentation for insurance companies, physicians and patients, according to the BLS.²

Why it’s a good job for introverts: Health information technicians spend lots of time and energy on healthcare documents and records. This is a great job for introverts, as you work primarily with organized systems and patient records rather than the patients themselves.

2018 Median annual salary (BLS): $40,350²

Job outlook: Health information technician positions are projected to grow at a faster-than-average rate of 13 percent through 2026, according to the BLS.² Once again, the aging population and the prevalence of electronic health records will create continued demand for professionals who can maintain databases and systems.

Education needed: Associate’s degree.

3. Radiologic technologist

Radiologic technologists are the medical professionals responsible for performing diagnostic imaging examinations on patients. This can include X-rays, MRIs and other advanced imaging methods used for diagnosis.

Why it’s a good job for introverts: While this role does include some patient interaction in that you’ll work with them to explain the procedure and make sure they’re positioned correctly, it’s relatively limited compared to many other patient-facing roles. You focus on getting the necessary images and making sure the patients are at ease—you’re not breaking bad health news to them or tackling other unpleasant social interactions.

2018 Median annual salary (BLS): $59,520²

Job outlook: Like many other healthcare careers, the job outlook for radiologic technologist appears fairly strong. The BLS projects employment of radiologic technologists to grow 12 percent by 2026.² The healthcare industry overall is facing some strain keeping pace with a large aging population, and that holds true for this role.

Education needed: Associate’s degree.

4. Surgical technologist

If you aren’t squeamish about blood, working as a surgical technologist could be a great fit for someone like you! These professionals play the critical role of assisting with surgeries, preparing and sterilizing the operating room and its equipment and assisting surgeons during surgery.

Why it’s a good job for introverts: Surgical technologists will spend some time with patients, but often when those patients are unconscious with anesthesia. They work with a small number of people to keep numbers in the operating rooms small, and most of their day involves maintaining the surgical environment. There’s plenty of quiet, hands-on time where chitchat is discouraged since everyone needs to focus.

2018 Median annual salary (BLS): $47,300²

Job outlook: Employment of surgical techs is projected to increase at a rate of 12 percent, according to the BLS.² This is due in part to the aging population that will likely require more surgeries as they get older—as well as advances in surgery that make it a safer, more viable option for certain illnesses and problems.

Education needed: Associate’s degree.

The lesser-known jobs in healthcare

Many people fail to realize these careers exist because these professionals tend to fly under the radar when they’re making a visit to a clinic or hospital. But now you know about these opportunities in healthcare that could be an ideal match for your personality. Healthcare is a broad field, and there are plenty of jobs for introverts that could be stable, interesting and not too much of a drain on your social battery.

Did one of these options stand out to you in particular? Learn more about what opportunities lie ahead in these four careers:

• What is a medical lab tech and what is their role in healthcare? Learn more about these behind-the-scenes professionals with our article, “What Does a Medical Lab Technician Do? (A Closer Look.)”
• Think HIT may be the route for you? Take a deeper dive into the role with our article, “What Is a Health Information Technician? A Sneak Peek at This Behind-the-Scenes Career.”
• Did the work of a radiologic technologist catch your attention? Check out our article, “7 Appealing Advantages of Being a Radiologic Technologist.”
• Did the surgical technologist role sound interesting? Check out our article, “6 Reasons for Becoming a Surgical Tech in 2019 and Beyond.”

¹Deloitte, 2019 Global Health Care Outlook: Shaping the Future, [accessed July 2019] https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/us-and-global-health-care-industry-trends-outlook.html
²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, [accessed July, 2019] www.bls.gov/ooh/. Information represents national, averaged data for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in 2015. It has since been updated to include information relevant to 2019.