Also called: Plain Language Health Writer, Patient Education Specialist
Rewrites medical forms, discharge instructions and websites so patients at any reading level can understand them.
Takes a two-page heart-failure discharge sheet written like a textbook and turns it into short sentences with pictures. You test it with real patients, work with interpreters on translations, and coach doctors on the 'teach-back' method. Many adults struggle to understand health information, so this work prevents real harm.
Estimate based on health education specialists.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in public health, communications or nursing; many add health education certification (CHES).
Ways in: 4-year college, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Public Health, Communications, Nursing, English.
Growing faster than average. BLS projects about 7% growth for health education specialists.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI already simplifies text well; jobs shift to testing with patients and checking accuracy, with fewer writers.
Classes: English, Biology, Spanish, Art or graphic design.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.