Also called: Certified Lymphedema Therapist, MLD Therapist
Uses gentle, rhythmic massage to move lymph fluid, helping patients with swelling after surgery or cancer treatment.
She works with a breast cancer survivor whose arm swells, using light strokes and then wrapping the arm in compression bandages. Next is a plastic-surgery patient recovering from liposuction.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 2 years after high school. Massage therapy program (usually 500-1,000 hours) plus the MBLEx exam and a state license. Plus 135-hour lymphedema certification (or a PT/OT license).
Ways in: Trade school, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Massage Therapy (trade school), Occupational Therapy.
Growing much faster than average.
Low risk for 10 years. Compression devices help, but gentle manual lymph work for post-surgery and cancer patients stays human.
Classes: Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Health-science CTE class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 31-9011.
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