Avila University

11901 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO, 64145-9990

(816) 942-8400

Avila University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Their history dates back all the way to the mid 1800s when the Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in the United States from France. Their mission has been to work for the dear neighbor and therefore Avila has continued their tradition in our mission and values.

With over 60 undergraduate majors and concentrations and five graduate programs, Avila has grown as a university with academic excellence, transformational learning and inspirational leadership.

http://www.avila.edu

Degree Programs Offered

  • Diagnostic Imaging Services
  • Financial Services
  • Health Information Management
  • Health Information Technology
  • Mental and Social Health
  • Nursing
  • Office Support and Operations
  • Other Therapies

Careers

Administration
Diagnostic Imaging Services
Health Information Technology
Mental and Social Health
Nursing
Therapies and Rehabilitation

Accountants

Accountants help ensure that a hospital runs efficiently and its financial records are kept accurately. Accountants analyze and communicate financial information. They prepare, analyze and verify financial documents to provide information to hospital administrators. Many accountants also offer budget analysis, financial and investment planning.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

5.90%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Billing and Account Collectors

Billing and account collectors’ duties include keeping track of overdue accounts, receiving payment and posting payment to a patient’s account.

Salary

$25—40K

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks

Bookkeepers and accounting clerks perform a number of tasks, such as posting transactions in ledgers, correcting financial errors and preparing financial statements.

Salary

$25—40K

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Chief Executives

Chief executive officers direct the hospital or health system and develop plans and policies to lead the organization. Chief executives also coordinate activities at the highest level of management with the help of managers and supervisors.

Salary

$100K

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Executive Secretaries

Executive secretaries provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing reports or handling requests for information. They also prepare correspondence, greet visitors, arrange conference calls and schedule meetings. Executive secretaries may also train or supervise lower-level clerical staff.

Salary

$40—60K

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

General and Operations Managers

General and operations managers plan, direct or coordinate the operations of an organization. They develop policies, manage operations and plan the use of material and human resources. They review financial statements and reports and may oversee staffing. An organization may also call this positions a chief operating officer or general manager.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

9.49%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Health Care Marketing Managers

Health care marketing managers work in the public relations, communications or policy creation departments of hospitals, health care organizations, biotech companies and federal health agencies.  They plan, direct or coordinate marketing policies and programs to determine the demand for services offered by a hospital.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

17.90%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Hospital Billing Clerks

A hospital billing clerk is a hospital office employee responsible for coding and entering medical records, communicating with insurance companies and billing patients. Hospital billing clerks use computer software and knowledge of insurance and billing practices to correctly translate verbal descriptions of diagnoses and procedures into numerical codes.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

9.64%

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Medical Secretaries

Medical secretaries perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Your duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

16.64%

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Medical and Health Services Managers

Medical and health services managers plan, direct or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, or similar organizations. Through review and analysis, managers may help reduce risk and improve service.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

18.36%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Physician Liaisons

The position of a physician liaison is relatively new in the medical field, but very important in the changing landscape of medicine. These liaisons are primarily responsible for developing relationships with physicians in order to facilitate beneficial referring practices for both health care companies and patients. They work with primary care doctors and instruct them regarding cardiologists in their network to whom patients should be referred; develop ways to consolidate and increase referrals, implement strategies to reduce red tape in receiving referrals, and create reports based on their work; and build relationships with physicians and other health care leaders to develop new client accounts, maintain existing accounts and develop long term relationships with current and prospective clients/physicians.

Salary

$58K

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

CT Technologists

CT (computed tomography) technologists are radiologic technicians who specialize in taking cross-sectional x-ray images of the tissues, bones, organs and blood vessels in an area of a patient’s body. The x-rays are used to create a three-dimensional image. The scans that a CT technologist produces help doctors diagnose and treat patients with internal diseases or injuries.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

22.54%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Diagnostic medical sonographers use ultrasound equipment to direct sound waves into the body to produce an image or video used for detecting abnormalities in patients.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

17.72%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologists

Magnetic resonance imaging technologists are specialized medical professionals who operate MRI machinery to create detailed pictures of internal body structures. They are responsible for preparing patients for their scans and safely using the equipment.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

17.66%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Nuclear medicine technologists assist physicians and work directly with patients to explain nuclear medicine procedures. They also administer and oversee nuclear medicine and radioactive procedures and substances.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

10.29%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Radiation Therapists

Radiation therapists provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiologist according to established practices and standards. They review prescription and diagnosis, act as a liaison with physician and supportive care personnel, prepare equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices. They maintain records, reports, and files and may assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

10.08%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Radiologic Technologists and Technicians

Radiologic technologists work in medical settings and perform x-rays to assist physicians in diagnosing medical ailments. They prepare patients for procedures, adjust imaging equipment, position patients and shield them from excess radiation.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

9.04%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Computer Network Architects

Computer network architects design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. They perform network modeling, analysis, and planning and may also design network and computer security measures. Computer network architects are also researchers and may recommend new hardware and software.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

1.42%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Computer Support Specialists

Computer support specialists provide technical assistance, support and advice to users within the hospital. They are a troubleshooter who finds problems and provides technical support for hardware, software and systems. They respond to questions from users and run automatic diagnostics programs to resolve problems. Some specialists install, modify, clean and repair computer hardware and software. Computer support specialists may write training manuals and train computer users on how to use new computer hardware and software.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

9.01%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Computer Systems Analysts

Computer systems analysts develop, test, expand or modify computer systems to improve efficiency and do new things. When problems occur, they review information and performance indicators to locate problems and correct errors by fixing codes. They also work with health care administrators to make sure you all agree on the best ways to solve problems and provide new technology to staff.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

18.45%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Computer and information systems managers design, install and support a hospital’s computer systems. They are responsible for local area networks, wide-area networks, network segments and Internet and intranet systems. They maintain network hardware and software, analyze problems and monitor networks to ensure they are available to users. Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate and implement network security measures and are responsible for maintaining network efficiency.

Salary

$100K

Job Growth

18.36%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Health Information Managers

Health information managers handle patient records, a very important and confidential job. They play a part in the quality of a patient’s health care by organizing the medical data. They are also skilled in health care databases and database systems, as well as medical classification systems. HIMs have great knowledge of how financial information relates to clinical data, medical legal issues and security systems.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

18.36%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Information Security Analysts

Information security analysts protect the security of the computer network. They plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security of networks and confidential information. They ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will keep digital files and vital electronic files safe and respond to computer security breaches and viruses.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

41.74%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Medical Librarians

Medical librarians are information specialists who provide assistance in finding medical documents. Clinical trials, medical treatments or procedures, as well as other pertinent information that applies to the medical industry are common documents sought after by these librarians. Medical librarians are specialized in using databases and reference materials to conduct research for medical information. They can work in medical school libraries, corporations, non-profit organizations or government agencies. Medical librarians commonly have training in the sciences, health or medicine.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

2.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Medical Records Coders

Coders are administrative workers in the health care industry who review patient medical care files and assign codes to each procedure for insurance billing purposes. Coders may earn professional certification from an accredited medical coding organization.

Salary

$25—41K

Job Growth

11.51%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians

Medical records technicians and health information technicians compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system. They process, maintain, compile, and report patient information for health requirements and standards in a manner consistent with the health care industry’s numerical coding system.

Salary

$25—41K

Job Growth

11.51%

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Medical Transcriptionists

Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings that physicians and other health care professionals make and convert them into written reports. They may also review and edit medical documents created using speech recognition technology. Transcriptionists interpret medical terminology and abbreviations in preparing patients’ medical histories, discharge summaries, and other documents.

Salary

$25—40K

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Project Managers IT

Project managers direct the design and development of new application programs for specified projects. They modify and maintain existing applications to meet objectives. They also plan and analyze assigned projects, establish schedules and project parameters and set procedures.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

12.00%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Child Life Specialists

Child life specialists are trained to provide care to children and adolescents who may be facing issues such as medical procedures or illness. They may work in hospitals, clinics, or doctor’s offices. These professionals are trained to identify children with needs and help address those needs through play or counseling. Child life specialists may also provide support to the families of children who are facing illness or injury and require medical care.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

6.00%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Clinical Psychologists

A clinical psychologist’s primary tasks are the assessment and treatment of mental health issues, including emotional or social disorders. A clinical psychologist’s job responsibilities may include development and supervision of mental health programs. Clinical psychologists can work in private practices, mental health organizations and hospitals with individuals, families, couples or groups of all ages.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

16.61%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Community Health Worker

Community Health Workers play a vital role in improving a patient’s health by providing a connection between health systems and community resources, as well as education on how to reduce behavioral health risk factors. They provide encouragement and social support to assist individuals with goal setting and barrier identification. CHWs assist in coordinating care by linking people to appropriate information and services, serve as a liaison between individuals and community healthcare systems, provide appropriate health education to individuals, organizations and/or communities, in an effort to reduce modifiable risk factors and encourage healthy behaviors. They also recognize gaps and advocate for individual and community health needs.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

5.00%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Health Care Social Workers

Health care social workers provide individuals, families and groups with the support they need to cope with serious illnesses. They advise and support family care givers, provide patient education and counseling, and make referrals when needed. They may also provide care and manage treatment plans designed to promote health, prevent disease and address barriers to access to health care.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

20.91%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Mental Health Counselors

Mental health counselors work as primary mental health caregivers. They conduct mental health assessments, develop individualized treatment plans and lead therapy sessions. They may make treatment referrals as needed.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

22.72%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists are physicians who diagnose, analyze and treat mental health disorders.

Salary

$100K

Job Growth

10.20%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Counselors provide all-around counseling and treatment. They work under the direction of a patient’s doctor as they provide counseling and treatment to those with mental health or substance abuse issues. They may work with people who have alcohol, tobacco, drug or other problems, such as gambling or eating disorders. Counselors may work with individuals, families or groups.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

28.95%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Clinical Nurse Specialists

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) plan, direct and coordinate the daily patient care activities in a clinical practice. CNSs ensure adherence to clinical policies, protocols, regulations and standards.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

18.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Informatics Nurse Specialists

Informatics nurse specialists explore how technology, computers and research influence the practice of nursing.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

24.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Licensed Practical Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) provide care to sick, injured, recovering or disabled patients and may be supervised by a registered nurse. LPNs administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients’ charts. They also observe patients, note changes in a patients conditions and take basic vital signs like blood pressure and temperature . Providing care also may include dressing wounds, treating bedsores, sterilizing equipment and supplies.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

7.81%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Nurse Administrator/Nurse Executive

A nurse administrator creates work schedules, gives performance reviews and develops work policies. Other job duties include keeping up established ethical and legal standards for job performance, attending administrative personnel meetings and developing new employee training. Most of the work of a nurse administrator is done in an office and not on the care floor, so an administrator has little or no direct contact with patients. A nurse administrator may work in a hospital, nursing home, private doctor’s office, home health care organization or urgent care facility. Nurse executives are the top leaders responsible for leading overall nursing operations.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

20.00%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Nurse Anesthetists or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

Nurse anesthetists prepare and administer anesthesia, monitor patient’s vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. CRNAs may assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, physicians or dentists.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

7.44%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Nurse Midwives

Nurse midwives diagnose and coordinate all aspects of the birthing process. Midwives may work independently or as part of a health care team. Nurse midwives may provide preventive care to women.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

19.30%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioners diagnose and treat both sudden and long-term conditions. They may do physical exams, physical therapy or order tests and therapies for patients. NPs order, perform or interpret results of blood tests, EKGs and X-rays. They use these tools, along with patient symptoms and medical history to develop the right diagnosis.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

27.93%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Nursing Assistants

Nursing assistants provide basic care to patients under the direction of a nurse. Nursing assistants help patients eat and bathe. Nursing assistants may dress, groom or move patients. They give medications or treatments and answer patient calls, apply clean dressings or bandages under the direction of a nurse or physician.

Salary

$25K

Job Growth

9.60%

Education Required

Postsecondary non-degree or equivalent

Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary

Instructors teach about nursing in classrooms and clinical settings. Nursing instructors lead, develop and organize teaching programs. They keep informed about developments in the field of nursing and may collaborate with other faculty to address teaching and research issues.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

32.90%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses

Psychiatric mental health nursing is a specialty within nursing. Psychiatric mental health registered nurses work with individuals, families, groups, and communities, assessing their mental health needs. The PMHN develops a nursing diagnosis and plan of care, implements the nursing process, and evaluates it for effectiveness.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

26.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Registered Nurses

Registered nurses (R.N.s) care for sick and injured patients. Registered nurses will assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Registered nurses monitor and record patients’ conditions and report any changes to physicians. They maintain detailed reports, record vital signs, and order, interpret and evaluate tests to identify and assess patients’ conditions and work closely with patients and their families.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

15.81%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Audiologists

Audiologists have studied the science of hearing. They study, diagnose and treat hearing loss and balance disorders. They identify hearing problems and help people improve their hearing. Audiologists conduct ear exams, train clients in speech and lip reading, and teach people how to use hearing aids or other devices.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

12.39%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Creative Arts Therapist

Creative art therapists use art, music and dance to assess and treat clients with emotional, cognitive, physical, and/or developmental needs and disorders. Creative arts therapy interventions can be designed to promote wellness, manage stress, improve physical functioning, alleviate pain, enhance memory and cognitive functioning, improve communication, and provide unique opportunities for interaction. Using their skills in evaluation and psychotherapy, they choose materials and interventions appropriate to their clients’ needs and design sessions to achieve therapeutic goals and objectives.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

4.90%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Music Therapists

Music therapists are clinicians who treat medical conditions using various forms and genres of music to bring about health benefits. Music therapy may involve both playing and listening to music. Music therapists plan activities like song writing, music improvisation and receptive music listening.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

12.05%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Orthotists and Prosthetists

Orthotists and prosthetists make and fit devices that help people move. A certified prosthetists makes and fits devices that replace the arms or legs of patients who lost them through injury or disease. A certified orthotists designs and fits braces like surgical supports and corrective shoes. Both may use computers to create the devices and tools, like hammers, drills and saws, to manufacture prosthetics.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

28.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Recreational Therapists

Recreational therapists work with people who have physical, social or emotional disabilities. They help people by providing treatments and recreation activities to people who are ill or disabled. This helps them improve or maintain their physical, mental and emotional well-being. It also helps reduce depression, stress and anxiety.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

4.08%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Rehabilitation Counselors

Rehabilitation Counselors help disabled people who may have physical, mental or social disabilities. The goal is to help them get back to satisfying and productive lives. They might counsel patients about job training and help them find a job. They also may counsel them in adjusting to their new work environment.

Salary

$25—41K

Job Growth

12.39%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Speech-Language Pathologists

Speech pathologists assess, diagnose and treat disorders related to speech, fluency, language, cognitive-communication and voice. They work with people who have trouble producing speech sounds or who have speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering. The speech problems that they treat can be congenital, developmental or acquired due to a health problem or disorder.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

16.15%

Education Required

Master's Degree

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