Medicine
Dentistry
Pharmacy
Optometry
Research
Physical Therapy
Physician Assistant
Public Health
Veterinary Medicine
Nursing
Allied Health
Careers in Healthcare
The term “health professions” refers to a vast and growing array of careers where outgoing, hard-working students use their specialized skills to help others.
Each career field has its own role in the health care system and most have specialty areas which address specific needs. Health careers vary widely in their educational pathways, employment opportunities, income potential, and the demands they place upon students.
Careful and serious students, realizing that they may not thoroughly understand all the health professions, should earnestly investigate each before deciding on a career focus.
Medicine
Medicine is a profession concerned with restoring and maintaining health. Physicians (practitioners of medicine) utilize both their knowledge of biological science and the application of that knowledge to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease and other damage to the body and mind of their patients. (Source: Association of American Medical Colleges)
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Dentistry
Dentistry is defined as the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and treatment (surgical and non-surgical) of diseases, disorders or conditions of the teeth, jaws, oral cavity, and adjacent structures and their impact on the human body. Dentists provide a wide range of oral healthcare and patient education that contributes to the general health and quality of patients’ lives. (Source: American Dental Education Association)
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Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the profession of compounding and dispensing medication. A pharmacist’s responsibilities include a range of care for patients, from dispending medications to monitoring patient health and progress to maximize their response to the medication. Pharmacists are also involved in patient education and advising other healthcare professionals on the composition and proper use of medications. (Source: American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy)
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Optometry
Optometry is a medical profession concerned with the health of the eyes and vision. Optometrists examine, diagnose, treat and manage diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eyes and associated structures. They prescribe eyeglasses, contact lenses, vision therapy, and medications to treat patients as well as perform minor surgical procedures. (Source: American Optometric Association)
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Biomedical Research and Development
Career opportunities in research vary depending on student interests and educational background. In general, biomedical and clinical research scientists investigate human diseases and the improvement of human health. Research activities include lab science (often called “bench” research) and clinical research, where scientists work directly with individual patients or patient populations. (Source: National Institutes of Health)
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Physical Therapy
Physical therapists are healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat individuals who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. (Source: American Physical Therapy Association)
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Physician Assistant
Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed to provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services to patients with physician supervision. PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventative health care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions. (Source: American Academy of Physician Assistants)
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Public Health
Public health represents an organized and interdisciplinary array of professional fields that address the physical, mental and environmental health concerns of communities and populations at risk for disease and injury. This is achieved through the application of health promotion and disease prevention technologies designed to improve and enhance quality of life. (Source: Association of Schools of Public Health)
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Veterinary Medicine
Doctors of veterinary medicine are medical professionals who play a significant role in the health care and welfare of animals, human public health, medical research, and public safety. Veterinarians care for pet animals and farms animals and are an important part of wildlife conservation and ecosystem health issues. (Source: Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges)
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Podiatry
Podiatry is a field of medicine that strives to improve the overall health and well-being of patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions associated with the foot and ankle. Doctors of podiatric medicine diagnose and treat the foot and its related or governing structures by medical, surgical, or other means. In addition to private practice, podiatrists serve on the staffs of hospitals and long-term care facilities, in the U.S. Armed Forces, municipal health departments, and on the faculties of schools of medicine. (Source: American Podiatric Medical Association)
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Nursing
Nurses deliver an extended array of health care services including primary and preventative care, critical and surgical care, patient case management, education and health promotion, and clinical research. Careers in nursing include technical-level practice, professional nursing, education and healthcare administration. (Source: American Association of College of Nursing)
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Allied Health
Allied health professionals are involved with the delivery of health or related services pertaining to the identification, evaluation and prevention of diseases and disorders; dietary and nutrition services; rehabilitation and health systems management, among others. Allied health professionals, to name a few, include dental hygienists, diagnostic medical sonographers, dietitians, medical technologists, radiographers, respiratory therapists, and speech language pathologists. (Source: Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions)
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