The future of healthcare is clear and vibrant, with a projected 15.6 million new jobs surfacing by 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Simply put, people are living longer, so there will be a greater need for medical care in the coming years. As more patients require healthcare and those currently working medical field jobs, there will be plenty of open career spots available for the next generation of healthcare workers.

If you’re considering pursuing a medical degree but have cringed at the thought of staying in school for several years, you’re not alone! The time it takes to obtain an advanced degree can be daunting, not to mention the immense load of debt many students graduate with. So wouldn’t it be nice if you could capitalize on the exciting opportunity in healthcare without losing almost a decade of valuable time?

Well you’re in luck! We identified five growing medical field jobs you can land in four years or less. Keep reading and you may just stumble upon your future career!

5 medical field jobs that don’t require a master’s degree

We used real-time job analysis software from Burning-Glass.com to examine job postings from the past 12 months to identify five healthcare careers that require a bachelor’s degree or less.

Here’s what we found:

1. Health services manager

Projected growth (2012 – 2022): 23 percent

Real-time average salary: $76,099/year*

Education: Bachelor’s degree in healthcare management

Health services managers oversee and direct the enactment of health services. They might do this by managing an entire clinic or they may be in charge of a specific department in a hospital. Some of their main responsibilities include communicating with department heads or medical staff, creating work schedules, seeking to improve efficiency and the betterment of health services under their supervision, and keeping their facility up to date with new medical laws that come into effect.

2. Registered nurse

Projected growth (2012 – 2022): 19 percent

Real-time average salary: $72,385/year

Education:Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Without registered nurses (RNs), it would be tough to make a hospital run. RN’s are mainly responsible for providing patient care in a variety of ways, but they also keep track of patient records, educate patients on health conditions and provide emotional support to both patients and their family members. RNs can work in an array of different departments including those focused on a specific illness, group of people or workplace. The options are seemingly endless when it comes to this career.

3. Health educator

Projected growth (2012 – 2022): 21 percent

Real-time average salary: $55,841/year

Education: Bachelor’s degree in nursing or health & wellness

Health educators pretty much do exactly what it sounds like they do: educate people about health! They work closely with community health workers to help assess the health needs of those in their community and create programs to encourage healthy living. They also educate people about how to manage existing health conditions, campaign on behalf of the community for improved health resources and supervise staff who implement the health education programs. 

4. Surgical technologist

Projected growth (2012 – 2022): 30 percent

Real-time average salary: $51,601/year

Education: Surgical technologist associate degree

If you’re looking to get in on the medical action and help care for people, but you aren’t up for the pressure of actually performing surgery, a surgical technologist career may be the position for you. Surgical technologists sterilize instruments, prepare patients for surgery, ensure the operating rooms are ready and work with surgical teams during the procedures. Think of them as the surgeon’s right hand man (or woman) during all of the action.

5. Medical lab technician

Projected growth (2012 – 2022): 22 percent

Real-time average salary: $41,596/year

Education: Medical lab technician associate degree

Medical lab technicians spend a lot of time in the lab analyzing bodily fluids such as blood or urine, performing rather complex tests on the fluids and logging data in the patient’s medical record. These medical superheroes work behind the scenes to detect diseases and provide data to help determine diagnoses. This career would allow you to make a difference without providing direct patient care.

May all your medical career dreams come true

If you’ve shied away from medical field jobs because you were intimidated by the amount of time and effort you’d have to invest, it’s time to reconsider! Now you know there are plenty of in-demand healthcare careers out there that you can launch sooner rather than later.

Is it the unpleasant sights and smells that has you steering clear of careers in healthcare? Learn about 8 Different Medical Careers for Weak Stomachs.

*Source: Burning-Glass.com (analysis of 1,159,635 Health Services Manager, Registered Nurse, Health Educator, Surgical Technologist & Medical Lab Technician job postings, Aug. 1, 2014 through Jul. 31, 2015.) All salary data represents national, averaged earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries and employment conditions in your area may vary.