Trade body releases list of high-paying medical jobs in US

“Professional enterectomy therapists, childbirth teachers and disease ethicists”

These were occupations mentioned in a report titled “High-paying and Unique Jobs in the U.S. Unknown to Koreans” released Monday by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, or KOTRA.

The average annual salary of these occupations was 50,000 to 70,000 U.S. dollars. The jobs might not be widely recognized as high-paying jobs in America, where per capita GDP is 48,000 dollars, but were apparently considered decent jobs. All of the occupations were in medicine and created with the development of the service sector.

The job of enterectomy therapist, which pays 74,600 dollars on average per year, emerged due to diseases related to dietary habits and the rise in colonic surgical procedures. A therapist specializes in the prevention of enteric organ diseases and management before and after studying enterectomy. Most in this occupation earned nursing degrees from colleges or graduated from technical schools.

Earning 56,500 dollars on average, a childbirth teacher provides information on childbirth trends and methods to pregnant women as well as offer post-childbirth care in collaboration with hospitals.

The job of disease ethicist, a new occupation whose demand has shot up due to the rise of social issues including euthanasia and stem cell research, pays about 66,900 dollars per year. Duties include providing ethical advice to patients, doctors or hospitals and researching ethics.

KOTRA said, “The general trend is that customized services focusing on the elderly and patients have generated high-paying jobs.”

tesomiom@donga.com