12 Medical Jobs That Require Little or No Math At All

 

There are few careers more rewarding than that of a healthcare professional. While starting a job in allied health is appealing to many, some job aspirants worry about the level of mathematics involved.  

As seen in O*Net’s database, most occupations involve some arithmetic. Many allied healthcare positions, however, don’t require running complex algorithms or crunching numbers daily.

Let’s take a closer look at 12 exciting medical jobs that don’t require math or involve using it regularly. Find out what they entail, what the importance of math skills in the given job is (based on O*Net’s 1 to 100 scale), and what you can expect to earn according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

Medical Assistant

Importance of math skills: 41

Median annual salary: $34,800

Medical assistants (MAs) are allied health professionals who support almost all aspects of a doctor’s practice or office. Most MAs have completed an official training program and obtained the appropriate certification. 

Certified medical assistants are trained to perform various administrative and clinical tasks. These may include providing general patient care, performing EKGs, and ensuring that insurance forms are properly processed. Their duties, however, can vary depending on their employer, specialty, and location.

The majority of MA positions only require basic math proficiency, mostly related to doing metric conversions and calculating drug dosages. 

Medical Secretary

 

Importance of math skills: 25

Median annual salary: $35,760

Being a medical secretary is a dynamic career that doesn’t require a lot of mathematical knowledge. Medical secretaries have exceptional organizational skills and are typically charged with booking patient appointments, handling phone calls, scheduling staff meetings, and processing patient billing. They may also assist with updating patient records and managing patient waiting lists.

Occupational Therapist

Importance of math skills: 28

Median annual salary: $84,950

Occupational therapists help adults and children to recover or develop the skills needed for daily living and working. Commonly, they work with patients who have difficulties performing certain tasks due to injury, mental health illness, or physical or learning disability. 

While this is one of the best paid medical jobs that do not require math, a Master’s degree is required to be able to work as an occupational therapist. 

Phlebotomy Technician

Importance of math skills: 28

Median annual salary: $35,510

A phlebotomy tech is responsible for drawing blood and preparing the samples for medical testing. Typically, they are also responsible for explaining procedures to patients, updating patient records, as well as cleaning and sterilizing equipment. 

The demand for these allied health professionals is growing, providing great phlebotomy career opportunities across the US. It is not required to master mathematics to become a phlebotomy technician and you can find employment in a variety of settings, including laboratories, doctor’s offices, hospitals, and blood donation facilities. 

Medical Transcriptionists

Importance of math skills: 19

Median annual salary: $33,380

Medical transcription is one of the medical jobs with the least math involved. Medical transcription is an interesting, yet challenging career path that requires skills such as being able to concentrate intently and having solid healthcare knowledge. 

One of the main responsibilities of these professionals is transcribing medical encounters from voice recordings. They may also provide services such as editing medical documents and creating report summaries. 

Medical transcription is also among the health careers that you can do from home, or from practically anywhere you can get a good Internet connection. 

Surgical Technologist

 

Importance of math skills: 41

Median annual salary: $48,300

Surgical technologists, also known as scrub techs, are one of the highest-paying medical jobs that don’t require a lot of math. They are a vital part of any surgical team, however, not everyone has a clear understanding of the job they do. 

One of the common misconceptions about surgical technologists is that all scrub techs do is pass tools to surgeons. While this task is an important part of their daily work routine, it is far from being all they do. In fact, surgical techs have a number of other responsibilities, including arranging the equipment, positioning patients on the operating table, disinfecting incision sites, and transporting samples for analysis.

Healthcare Social Worker

Importance of math skills: 25

Median annual salary: $56,750

Healthcare social workers play a crucial role in the health field. While as a healthcare social worker you won’t be mired in numbers, you should be capable of providing the resources and psychosocial support needed to help individuals and their families cope better with adverse medical conditions. 

Healthcare social workers further complete psychological assessments, arrange home care services, offer support groups, and, when needed, provide referrals to other services. 

Endoscopy Technician

Importance of math skills: 25

Median annual salary: $38,460

Endoscopy or GI techs are primarily involved in preparing equipment before an endoscopic procedure, as well as cleaning and sterilizing it afterward. While they must possess solid endoscopy technician skills – such as compassion, attention to detail, and professionalism – math skills are not a key requirement. 

Audiologist

Importance of math skills: 44

Median annual salary: $77,600

As an audiologist, your job entails using technology, as well as your social skills, to examine and diagnose patients with hearing or balance-related problems. Other common job duties include counseling patients about hearing health, recommending hearing aids, and providing follow-up care. 

Although math functions rarely figure in their daily tasks, it’s good to note that audiologists need to have a doctoral degree and be licensed in all states. 

Sterile Processing Technician

Importance of math skills: 31

Median annual salary: $37,440

Sterile processing is a medical job with low math requirements. Sterile processing technicians (SPTs) play an important role in preventing the spread of infections in hospital settings. They are in charge of decontaminating, organizing, and packaging medical instruments and devices. 

The best way to start a career as a sterile processing tech is by enrolling in a reputable training program and gaining valuable experience through a clinical internship.   

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