If you are looking for a job that pays $100,000 and higher and can also be remote, then I encourage you to check out health informatics (also called healthcare informatics)! This is a great career transition idea for physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and assistants. 

Health Informatics Webinar:

In this video, Patricia Gaffen talks about your transition from being an occupational therapist for 20 years to health informatics:

What is health informatics:

You can actually get hired in a variety of positions once you have a certificate or a masters in health informatics.  You can work in data analytics, in quality, as medical officer, as a director, or in IT. 

You can work for a variety of companies too, not just healthcare companies! You could work for insurance companies, for hospitals, for any organization essentially. 

 According to https://www.healthcare-management-degree.net/faq/what-exactly-is-health-informatics/:  "Health informatics, which is also called health information systems, relies on information technology. Workers in the field organize and analyze health records to improve healthcare outcomes. Those workers also develop methods to gather, analyze, and implement patient solutions using existing resources and devices.  " What does that mean - essentially you are helping make systems better. 

How much does health informatics pay?

Many jobs pay upwards of $100,000 and even as high as $150,000 or $160,000. It is a very lucrative career transition. 

Do you need additional schooling for this degree?

Yes you do need additional schooling according to Patricia Gaffen. She started out getting her certificate, and this did allow her to transition immediately from OT to an informatics position. Although she already had a position in informatics with just a certificate, without your Masters you may still feel limited. If you want to be in more managerial or higher up positions then the masters is recommended and this is what Patti is finishing up with - having just one more class to take!

Can you work at the same time you go to school?

YES! Patti worked the whole time while going to school and that's what we really recommend. 

Would you recommend USF for this career route?

We have no affiliation with USF but Patti has been really happy with their program so far. One thing is that in USF, they separate health (clinical) informatics and health analytics, this worked for Patti as she didn't want to work in analytics but for those who may be not sure, this is something to consider when choosing a program. 

Summary:

Let us know what questions you have! We hope this article helped you discover another new remote and high paying career alternative!