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Healthcare &
Life Sciences

Explore the dynamic world of Healthcare and Life Science careers in the Iredell County and Charlotte Region, where rapid growth and abundant opportunities await.

Connecting Iredell To Healthcare & Life Science Careers

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The Healthcare & Life Sciences covers a range of technologies, products, and services that enhance the delivery of human healthcare. In addition to traditional medical facilities, this sector includes companies using new technology to understand human genetics better, software companies allowing remote connections between doctors and patients, and companies developing nutritional supplements.

Iredell County Healthcare & Industry Overview

Healthcare is the 3rd largest industry by employment in Iredell County, with 8,769 employees. We have two hospitals, Iredell Health Systems and Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. Due to the growing population in Iredell, with 20% growth over the past 10 years, we are a growth center for healthcare providers.

In addition, to traditional healthcare operations, we have several companies engaged in making products such as medical devices, nutraceuticals, over-the-counter medicines, and textiles.

Did you know?

  • Healthcare is the fastest growing employment sector in the Charlotte Region, with growth of 20% or 20,000 new workers.
  • The Region has a strong concentration of biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies, providing tremendous opportunities for career growth.
  • Over 20 regional higher education institutions provide training or programs specific to life sciences.

Healthcare & Life Science Pathways

Therapeutic Services
Careers in Therapeutic Services are focused on improving the health of patients over time through direct care, treatment, counseling or health education. Many of these careers require certification or additional education. Careers in Therapeutic Services include: 

  • Nurses
  • Physical therapists
  • Speech language pathologists
  • Surgical technicians
  • Athletic trainers
  • Home health aides
  • Audiologists
  • Anesthesiologists

Diagnostic Services
Careers in the Diagnostic Services pathway focus on testing and examining patients to help diagnose their illness or injury. These careers work closely with other medical professionals to help guide the plan of care for each patient. From blood samples to x-rays, these diagnostic tools help patients in hospitals and outpatient facilities. Careers include:

  • Phlebotomists
  • Radiologists and radiology technicians
  • Histology technicians
  • Physician assistants
  • Diagnostic medical sonographers

Health Informatics
Careers in the Health Informatics, also known as Medical Records, pathway are diverse, and encompass patient data and health information, financial records, the management of health care agencies, and working with computer systems that help schedule procedures and track patients. Employees in this field usually have limited in-person interaction with patients but are very important to the patient experience. Careers in the Health Informatics field include:

  • Medical record technicians
  • Medical assistants
  • Software system developers
  • Schedulers
  • Coders
  • Transcribers

Support Services 
Support Services is a vital field in health care, and careers in this area help provide a welcoming and safe environment for patients and the public. The Support Services pathway encompasses both technical and professional careers. Examples of Support Services careers include: 

  • Pharmacy aides
  • Health educators 
  • Dietetic technicians
  • Maintenance or electrical engineers
  • Cooks and servers
  • Patient representatives

Biotechnology Research and Development
Want to apply research and development to human health? Careers in Biotechnology Research and Development may be right for you. Using science and engineering, these careers focus on discovering new treatments or inventions to directly help patients or health care professionals. From improving the accuracy of diagnostic tests, to investigating contagious diseases, this field is continually evolving. These careers include:

  • Biologists and biostatisticians
  • Epidemiologists
  • Pharmacologists
  • Research assistants
  • Nuclear medicine providers
  • Technical writers for health journals or magazines

Additional Resources