Duke Health, our trusted link for April 2021

Duke Health as a Resource Duke Health in Durham, NC is anchored by the Duke University School of Medicine, ranked #3 in research by U.S. News & World Report. The medical school was established in 1925 in a bequest from the founder of Duke Energy and  British American Tobacco, James B. Duke. A top-ranked nursing school and hospital were funded at the same time. Today, the Duke Health system serves 32 counties in North Carolina and nearby states. It now includes three other hospitals, a research institute, health policy center, and the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.  U.S. News & World Report ranks the university medical school performance #2 in Surgery #4 in Anesthesiology #5 in Internal Medicine #6 in Radiology #7 in Pediatrics #8 in Obstetrics and Gynecology #10 in Psychiatry.  Major U.S. milestones at Duke Health include 1936 - Ultraviolet lights in operating rooms to kill germs 1937 - 1st brain tumor program 1955 - 1st center for aging 1956 - Systemic hypothermia introduced to cardiac surgery 1965 - 1st physician's assistant education program 1969 - Databank for Cardiovascular Disease created 1969 - Human functions below 1,000 feet of water studied 1985 - One of only 2 clinical trials for AZT  1990 - Newborn screening test for 30 metabolic diseases 1993 - 1st thymus transplant for an infant 1993 - Identification of the 'Alzheimer's gene' 2013 - 1st bioengineered blood vessel implanted. The Duke Clinical Research Institute has distributed more than 16,000 publications since 1996, and last year their researchers put out 1,225 papers, with 243 in top-tier journals. See their latest announcements.  The Duke-NUS Medical School was established in 2005 when Duke University partnered with the National University of Singapore to create Singapore's first graduate school of medicine as well as a leading center for medical research, education, and device development. Their Centre for Technology and Development shepherds the Duke-NUS research into commercial applications. Among their success stories is a company called CognaLearn that markets educational software, such as InteDashboard for team-based learning.

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Recently released May 2022 employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were over 632,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) employed in the U.S.  Also known as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in some parts of the country, LPNs comprise one of the largest healthcare occupations in the country. Approximately 49,000 of those licensed practical nurse jobs were in the seven-state Great Plains region of the country. BLS data tells us that the Great Plains region is a weak one for licensed practical nurse pay, with annual mean wage levels in all states in the region falling below the national average for all LPNs.  Moreover, two states in the region, Missouri and South Dakota, were among the ten worst states in the nation for licensed practical nurse annual mean wage levels.  BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about LPN employment in the Great Plains region of the U.S.:

LPN Employment in the Great Plains Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
IA	5,440	$51,400	39th
KS	6,820	$51,700	38th
MN	14,660	$54,870	26th
MO	12,110	$49,500	43rd
NE	5,570	$52,080	37th
ND	2,510	$53,080	30th
SD	2,120	$46,000	47th
U.S.	632,020	$55,860	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 24, 2023

Occupational Therapist Employment in the Mid-East Region

Recently published May 2020 employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were just over 126,600 occupational therapists (OTs) employed in the U.S.  About 25,800 of those OT jobs were in the Mid-East region of the country, an area which encompasses five states and the District of Columbia.  BLS data reveals the Mid-East region to be a mixed one in terms of OT pay, with OT annual mean wage levels in several states falling below the national average for all occupational therapists.  Even so, the District of Columbia and New Jersey were in the top quintile nationally for OT annual mean wages.  BLS data reveals the following about occupational therapist employment in the Mid-East region of the U.S. as of May 2020:

Occupational Therapist Employment in the Mid-East Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
DC	360	$96,330	5th
DE	550	$82,360	34th
MD	3,230	$85,840	23rd
NJ	4,070	$98,750	4th
NY	10,560	$91,170	11th
PA	7,070	$83,200	30th
U.S.	126,610	$87,480	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 26, 2021

The Ten Largest Healthcare Support Occupations in the U.S.

In recently released reports, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that there were over 6.4 million people employed in healthcare support occupations as of May 2020.  This BLS employment grouping includes a variety of occupations that assist and aid healthcare practitioners, technologists, and technicians who are involved in the diagnosing or treating of medical conditions.   As of May 2020, employment in healthcare support occupations accounted for about 4.6% of total U.S. employment.  BLS data as of May 2020 reveals the following as the ten largest healthcare support occupations in the U.S.:

	Occupation		# Employed	Annual Mean Wages
1	Home Health and Personal Care Aide		3,211,590	$28,060
2	Nursing Assistant		1,371,050	$32,050
3	Medical Assistant		710,200	$36,930
4	Dental Assistant		312,140	$42,310
5	Phlebotomist		128,020	$37,280
6	Veterinary Assistant/Lab Animal Caretaker		98,810	$30,980
7	Physical Therapist Assistant		92,740	$59,440
8	Massage Therapist		85,040	$47,350
9	Medical Equipment Preparer		56,870	$41,070
10	Psychiatric Aide		51,550	$33,300
	All Healthcare Support Occupations		6,440,880	$32,250

Source: BLS Economic News Release, March 31, 2021.

The Ten Largest Healthcare Professional Occupations in the U.S.

Recently released reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that, as of May 2020, there were nearly 8.6 million healthcare professionals employed in practitioner and technical occupations.  This is a BLS occupational grouping that includes most professions, which typical require advanced education and skills, involved in the diagnosing or treating of healthcare conditions.  This BLS grouping does not, however, include many support occupations involved in healthcare diagnostic and treatment processes.  As of May 2020, healthcare practitioner and technical professions employment accounted for about 6.2% of total U.S. employment.  BLS data as of May 2020 reveals the following as the ten largest healthcare professional occupations in the U.S.:

	Occupation		# Employed	Annual Mean Wages
1	Registered Nurse		2,986,500	$80,010
2	Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse		676,440	$50,090
3	Physician (all kinds)		663,060	(1)
4	Pharmacy Technician		415,310	$36,540
5	Clinical Lab Technologist/Technician		326,220	$55,990
6	Pharmacist		315,470	$125,460
7	EMT/Paramedic		257,700	$40,370
8	Physical Therapist		220,870	$91,680
9	Nurse Practitioner		211,280	$114,510
10	Radiologic Technologist/Technician		206,720	$64,840
	All Practitioner/Technical Occupations		8,579,180	$85,900

(1) in excess of $200,000 per year

Source: BLS Economic News Release, March 31, 2021.

Physician Employment in the U.S.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released by-occupation employment and wage data from its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey from May 2020.  This employment survey estimated that there were just over 663,000 physicians employed in the U.S. as of May 2020.  This represented approximately 7.7% of total U.S. employment in all healthcare practitioner and technical occupations, a broad BLS occupational grouping that excludes many healthcare support occupations.  BLS data reported the following about physicians employment in the U.S. (ranked by number employed) as of May 2020:

	Occupation		# Employed	Annual Mean Wages
1	Physicians (all other) & Ophthalmologists		375,390	$218,850
2	Family Medicine Physicians		98,590	$214,370
3	General Internal Medicine Physicians		50,600	$210,960
4	Surgeons, except Ophthalmologists		37,900	$251,650
5	Anesthesiologists		28,590	$271,440
6	Pediatricians, general		27,550	$184,570
7	Psychiatrists		25,540	$217,100
8	OB/GYNs		18,900	$239,120
	All Physicians		663,060	N/A
	All Practitioner/Technical Occupations		8,579,180	$85,900

Source: BLS Economic News Release, March 31, 2021.

Nursing Related Employment in the U.S.

Recently released reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that there were more than 3.9 million nursing related positions in the U.S, excluding support occupations such as nursing assistants and aides, as of May 2020.  Employment in healthcare practitioner and technical occupations, a BLS occupational grouping that excludes many healthcare support occupations, totaled about 8.6 million at that time.  So, as of May 2020, nursing related employment represented more than 45% of total U.S. employment for all healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.  BLS data reveals the following about nursing related employment in the U.S. (ranked by number employed) as of May 2020:

	Occupation		# Employed	Annual Mean Wages
1	Registered Nurses		2,986,500	$80,010
2	Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses		676,440	$50,090
3	Nurse Practitioners		211,280	$114,510
4	Nurse Anesthetists		41,960	$189,190
5	Nurse Midwives		7,120	$115,540
	All Nursing Related Occupations		3,923,300	N/A
	All Practitioner/Technical Occupations		8,579,180	$85,900

Source: BLS Economic News Release, March 31, 2021.

Dental Practitioner Employment in the U.S.

Recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports estimate that, as of May 2020, there were more than 306,000 dental practitioner positions in the U.S, including dental hygienists. Dental practitioner employment thus accounted for about 3.6% of total U.S. employment for all healthcare practitioner and technical occupations. May 2020 BLS data details the following about dental practitioner employment in the U.S. (ranked by number employed):

	Occupation		# Employed	Annual Mean Wages
1	Dental Hygienists		194,830	$78,050
2	General Dentists		95,920	$180,830
3	Dentists, all other specialties		5,610	$194,930
4	Orthodontists		5,040	$237,990
5	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons		4,120	$234,990
6	Prosthodontists		530	$214,870
#	All Dental Practitioner Occupations		306,050	$186,300
	All Practitioner/Technical Occupations		8,579,180	$85,900

# Annual Mean Wages figure for "All Dental Practitioner Occupations" line item excludes dental hygienists 

Source: BLS Economic News Release, March 31, 2021.

Healthcare Therapist Employment in the U.S.

Recently released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that, as of May 2020, there were more than 684,000 healthcare therapist jobs in the U.S, excluding mental health professionals and therapy support occupations.  As such, healthcare therapist employment accounted for approximately 8% of the total U.S. employment in all healthcare practitioner and technical occupations. May 2020 BLS data reported the following about healthcare therapist employment in the U.S. (ranked by number employed):

	Occupation		# Employed	Annual Mean Wages
1	Physical Therapists		220,870	$91,680
2	Speech-Language Pathologists		148,450	$83,240
3	Respiratory Therapists		131,890	$65,640
4	Occupational Therapists		126,610	$87,480
5	Recreational Therapists		20,080	$51,260
6	Radiation Therapists		17,390	$94,300
7	Therapists, all other		11,710	$62,090
8	Exercise Physiologists		7,330	$54,020
	All Healthcare Therapy Practitioners		684,330	$82,030
	All Practitioner/Technical Occupations		8,579,180	$85,900

Source: BLS Economic News Release, March 31, 2021.