Khaleej Times, Tuesday, Aug 08, 2023 | Muharram 21, 1445
Hiring in UAE: Jobs that pay over Dh30,000 starting salary among new vacancies in healthcare sector
Emirates:
Several new job opportunities are cropping up in the healthcare industry, thanks
to new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, according to leading
providers.
“With the transformations over the years and the evolutions of roles, skills
that integrate technology and clinical medicine — like data science, health
economics, health informatics, telemedicine, and analytics — will help the
healthcare landscape evolve, and [these are now] in demand,” said Dr Amit Singh,
head of corporate human resources at Aster DM Healthcare.
The pay packages for many of these roles will increase in the coming years. “The
core roles like clinicians, nurses, and paramedics will continue to see a steady
upward movement,” said Dr Amit. “However, the technology, data, and AI-enabled
roles will get much more attention and will be paid 25 to 50 per cent higher
than the normal tech or clinical role. The starting salaries for many of these
jobs expected to be more than Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 per month.”
Need for Emirati professionals
There is also a huge demand for Emirati nurses in the country. “Nursing stands
at the forefront as the most in-demand profession, with a growing need for
skilled and compassionate Emirati nurses to provide essential care to patients,”
said Sharifa AlBlooshi, human resource manager at Burjeel Medical City.
The UAE Government has been taking several steps to increase the representation
of Emiratis in the healthcare sector.
“The government has set up schemes like the National Healthcare Programme to
encourage UAE nationals to pursue careers in healthcare, while ultimately
enabling 10,000 nationals to occupy healthcare jobs by 2026,” said Sharifa.
“Additionally, the DoH has set an Emiratisation target for the healthcare sector
to employ 5,000 UAE nationals by the end of 2025.”
These efforts have been fruitful, with an increasing number of Emirati students
opting for healthcare-related courses.
“Emiratis play a crucial role in the healthcare sector of the UAE,” said Dr
Amit. “We see a surge in medical professionals amongst the Emirati community.
This trend has further accentuated post-pandemic with increased interest and
motivation among Emiratis to pursue careers in healthcare to serve their nation
and towards jobs that serve the community.”
Other in-demand roles
According to Sharifa, based on current trends, several other roles will see
demand in the coming few years.
“Allied healthcare professionals, including radiologists, respiratory
therapists, and physical therapists, are also expected to be highly sought-after
since they play a crucial role in supporting diagnostics, patient care, and
rehabilitation,” she said. “Additionally, clinicians, including physicians and
specialists in various fields, will continue to be in demand to offer complex
care and cater to the diverse healthcare needs of patients in the UAE.”
Dr Amit added that the post-Covid era has also impacted the demand for roles in
the healthcare sector. “With the change in focus on self-care and with mental
health and wellbeing gaining an edge, holistic care which will play a pivot role
in healthcare in the coming years,” he said.
“Additionally, healthcare economics and enablers will play a significant role.
These will be regulators, finance and payor-provider partnerships, and talent
analysts that will help make the core of the industry swim.”
According to him, there will also be a “big shift will be to move the hospital
and care to our homes and phones” as home care and telemedicine will continue to
gain more popularity in the coming years.