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Careers in Health CareEach person has unique skills, interests, strengths, and lifestyle goals. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of careers available in the health care field that fit those various skills and interests. Below is a partial list - with brief descriptions - of many of the more popular health care professions. If one of these careers sounds interesting to you, talk with one of the pre-health professions advisors or with someone working in that profession to learn more about training requirements and career opportunities. (A more extensive listing of health care careers can be found on the Health Professions Links page of this website or at the "Health Professions and Education Career Directory" web site.)
Note: According to U.S. Department of Labor projections, the health care field will be the second fastest-growing sector of the U.S. workforce over the next 6 years. Registered nurses, Physician Assistants and Pharmacists, in particular, are expected to see significant growth. For more information about employment projections:
Return to Pre-Health Advising Homepage Medical CareersAllopathic
medicine –
Allopathic Medical Doctors (M.D.s) are the most numerous of the
medical professionals and practice in all specialty areas of medicine.
They diagnose and treat all varieties of illness using any of the
approved treatment modalities, including prescription drugs and surgery. M.D.s must complete four years of (post-baccalaureate)
medical school training followed by typically 3-5 years of residency/
specialty training. A
variety of certification exams must be taken throughout the years of
training in order for the M.D. to be licensed. Osteopathic
medicine –
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) use all of the
traditional tools of modern medicine, including pharmaceuticals and
surgery, but they also incorporate osteopathic manipulative treatments,
when appropriate. Osteopathic
medical training emphasizes preventive, family, and community medicine;
it also focuses on the interrelatedness of all of the body’s systems.
D.O.s must complete four years of (post-baccalaureate) medical
school training then pass national and/or state medical board
examinations before licensure. While
the majority of D.O.s specialize in one of the primary care areas of
medicine, they may specialize in any area of medicine and complete the
same residency programs as M.D.s complete for their specialty training. Chiropractic – Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.s) treat health disorders that are linked to problems with a patient’s muscular, nervous, or skeletal system. Physical manipulation and holistic approaches to health are hallmarks of this field. D.C.s are certified following graduation from a four-year program at an accredited chiropractic school. Dentistry
-- Optometry
– Optometrists (O.D.s) specialize in providing eye care services
to the general population. They
diagnose vision abnormalities, provide a variety of corrective vision
measures, and treat many eye-related illnesses.
Most ODs are generalists, but they have the opportunity to
specialize if desired. ODs
are licensed after completing a four-year (post baccalaureate) program at an
accredited optometry school. Nurse
Practitioner – Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses with
special masters degree training that allows them to perform many
day-to-day health care services that have traditionally been performed
by physicians. As with the nursing profession as a whole, NPs tend
to focus on preventive care and health education. In many states, NPs are not required to work under a
physician’s supervision; therefore some NPs run their own health
clinics (especially in under-served rural or inner-city areas).
Most NPs work in primary care, but some specialize (e.g.
pediatrics, gerontology, or women’s health). Clinical Nurse Specialists/Advanced Practice Nurses – Nurse-specialists and advanced-practice nurses are nurses who have obtained masters degree training in a specific clinical area, e.g. anesthesiology, cardiovascular, critical care, gerontology, midwifery, pediatrics, surgery, etc. Many work directly with special patient populations while others focus on teaching, research, consulting, or management. These individuals complete either a traditional B.S.N. (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree prior to beginning masters degree training or an accelerated B.S.N. program for non-nursing bachelors degree holders. Physician
Assistant – PAs work under the direct or indirect supervision of a
physician to provide much of the day-to-day care of patients in a
medical practice or hospital: physical
examinations, diagnoses, treatments, and counseling.
PAs are also able to prescribe medications, depending on state
licensing laws. Many PAs
are generalists, but a significant number specialize in pediatrics,
emergency medicine, etc. PAs
must complete a two-year course of study before certification, but there
is a wide range of ways this can be achieved:
associates, bachelors, or masters degree.
Significant patient care experience receives major consideration
from the admissions committees of most PA programs. Podiatric
medicine – Podiatrists (DPMs) are doctors who specialize in disorders
and injuries of the foot and leg. Their
patients range from athletes to children with foot deformities
They use a wide variety of treatment mechanisms ranging from
orthotics to surgery and emphasize preventive care.
DPMs must attend a four-year college of podiatric medicine
(post-baccalaureate). Therapy CareersAudiology
– Audiologists diagnose and treat hearing disorders.
Their activities range from diagnosing hearing loss and fitting a
patient with a hearing aid to teaching lip-reading techniques to people
with severe hearing loss. Some
audiologists work in large hospital or clinic settings while others work
as private contractors to smaller hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.
Audiologists must complete a masters degree (although there is a
movement to require a doctorate degree in the near future) and a
clinical internship in order to obtain certification. Occupational
therapy – Occupational therapists (OTs) work with people who are
disabled, for a variety of reasons, to (re)gain the skills needed for
everyday life. Their
activities range from teaching basic skills to children with
developmental disabilities or providing job skill training to adults
with mental disabilities to helping stroke patients relearn how to
perform simple tasks. OT
certification requires completion of a two-year masters degree program
(although a number of bachelors degree, non-certification programs do
exist). Physical
therapy – Physical therapists (PTs) work with a variety of patients to
help them regain muscle control and function lost through illness or
injury. Treatments include
a wide range of therapeutic activities (e.g. water, electric, massage),
exercise, and use of prosthetics or other support equipment.
Licensed PTs must complete a two-year bachelors or masters degree
program; however, beginning in 2001, only PTs who complete a masters
degree program will be eligible for certification. Speech-language
pathology – Speech pathologists work with patients to diagnose and treat
a variety of communication problems ranging from stuttering and lack of
voice control to speech control center damage due to stroke or disease.
Many speech pathologists work in schools, rehabilitation centers,
and nursing homes. Most
certified speech pathologists must complete a masters degree and a
clinical internship. Other Health Care ProfessionsEmergency
Medical Technician/Paramedic
– This field suits those
who want a fast-paced career, who can think quickly (and accurately) on
their feet, and who have excellent people skills.
EMTs work in fire departments, ambulance services, and hospital
emergency rooms. Depending
on the state of residence and the level of certification desired (basic
through paramedic), an EMT must complete 100 – 2000 hours of training. Genetic
Counseling
–
Combining counseling skills with a background in medical genetics,
genetic counselors provide information to families about birth defects
and genetic disorders. They
investigate a family’s problem or disorder, interpret options and
possible treatments, analyze inheritance patterns, and review risks of
recurrence. A masters
degree is required to practice in this field, followed by a
certification examination and a minimal amount of work
experience/training. Nutrition/Dietetics
– Nutritionists and Registered Dietitians (RDs) work with the public
to increase awareness of the link between diet and health.
They work to promote/maintain good health via appropriate diet,
to use diet as one part of a comprehensive medical therapy regimen, and
to educate medical professionals and patients about the links between
poor nutrition and the onset of various diseases.
RDs and nutritionists may have either a bachelors or a masters
degree, as long as the degree is from an accredited program.
A certification exam is required to become an RD. Pharmacy
– Pharmacists (PharmD (or RPh for licensed
pharmacists)) dispense prescribed medications and
provide drug education both to patients and to medical
professionals. A few states
are beginning to look at granting licensed pharmacists limited
prescription rights. The
PharmD degree requires completion of two years of prerequisites and 4
years of professional training. Psychology
– Clinical psychologists and counselors assess and treat a
variety of mental disorders. They
work with individuals, families, and therapy groups depending on their
specialty. There are a wide
variety of subspecialties in the psychology field (e.g. health, school,
sports, and industrial psychology.
Licensed psychologists must complete a masters or doctoral degree
(two to six years of study) depending on the subspecialty desired. Public Health -- Public health professionals are concerned with protecting and improving the health of communities (local, state, national, and world). The field is quite diverse and includes activities in health education, disease surveillance, disease prevention strategies, public policy, as well as many others. The standard public health degree is the MPH (Masters in Public Health) with individuals specializing in one of the five major practice areas: environmental, education, epidemiology, biostatistics, and health administration.
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