Introduction to Healthcare Careers

Yvonne Eaglehouse, PhD, MPH

What do you think of when you hear “healthcare”?

Health Sciences

Public Health

Business & ManagementPhysical Sciences (e.g. biology, chemistry)

Medicine

Education

Careers in the Health Sciences*

• Personal Trainer/Fitness Instructor

• Massage Therapist

• Exercise Physiologist

• Rehabilitation Specialist

• Yoga Therapist

• Dietitian

• Physical Educator

• Genetic Counselor

• Physical/Occupational Therapist

• Nurse/Nurse Practitioner

• Emergency Medicine Technician

• Physician Assistant

• Physician/Surgeon

• Psychologist/Psychiatrist

• Phlebotomist

• Dentist/Dental Hygienist

*The careers listed may require additional certification or licensure after obtaining training or degree

Careers in the Health Sciences

• Medical Laboratory Technician*

• Bench Scientist (e.g. microbiologist)

• Registrar*

• Healthcare System Administrator

• Health Policy Writer (e.g. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans)

• Facilities/Team Manager

• Occupational or Environmental Medicine Specialist

• Health Promotion Specialist

• Public Health Officer (Government/Military)

• Medical Biller and Coder*

• Statistician/Analyst

• Epidemiologist

• Researcher (Academic/Government)

*May require additional certification or licensure after obtaining training or degree

Training for Careers in Health Sciences

• Associate’s Degree/Vocational Training

• Massage therapy, personal training/fitness instruction, physical therapy assistant,

nurse (LPN), medical assistant, emergency medicine technician, medical coding

• Bachelor’s Degree

• Health promotion, exercise physiologist/rehabilitation, facilities/team management,

dietitian, educators, athletic training, nurse (RN), data scientist, administrator

• Master’s or Doctorate Degree

• Physician/surgeon, physical/occupational therapist, psychologist, advanced practice

of any of the above career fields

College/University Majors that Support Careers in Health Sciences

• Biology

• Kinesiology

• Exercise Science

• Athletic Training

• Business/Sports Management

• Health Care Administration

• Psychology/Sports Psychology

• Education

• Public Health

• Nutrition/Dietetics

• Physics/Biomechanics/Engineering

• Information Technology

• Mathematics/Statistics

• Chemistry

• Nursing

• Medicine

Steps to Prepare for Careers in Health Sciences

• Take natural sciences classes in high school (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy

and physiology)…

• …but don’t forget about math, languages, writing, and social sciences!

• Shadow health professionals in area of interest

• Complete internships during high school and college/university

• Explore introductory classes at community college

• Volunteer

• Ask questions!

Pursing a Career in Health Sciences Requires…

• Patience

• Compassion

• Organization

• Communication (written and spoken)

• Passion and interest

• Commitment

• Desire to help others

• Reasoning

• Judgement

• Independence

• Teamwork

• Honesty

• Integrity

The Rewards of Health Science Careers• Salary

• A person could earn anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000+ per year in a health science career

• Salary depends on skills, training, services provided, and years of experience

• In the US, the average annual salaries for medical careers are about:

• $30,000 for certified medical assistant (CMA)

• $45,000 for licensed practitioner nurse (LPN)

• $75,000 for registered nurse (RN, BSN, MSN)

• $80,000 for biomedical scientist (non-faculty)

• $100,000 for healthcare administrator

• $175,000 for family physician (MD, DO)

• Helping Others!

Questions?

My Personal Journey

• High School

• Biology, Chemistry, Physics, AP Chemistry

• Knew I wanted to do cancer research, but didn’t know from what angle

• University (undergraduate)

• Biology major, Chemistry minor

• Contemplated nutrition and dietetics and medicine

• Post-university

• Enrolled in medical technology program, withdrew before start to change direction

• Interest in exercise, health, and wellness

• Pursued opportunities in personal training and fitness

My Personal Journey

• Graduate School

• Master’s program in exercise science

• Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation

• Physical therapy

• Master’s/Doctoral program in epidemiology and public health

• Diabetes prevention through lifestyle change (diet, physical activity, weight management)

• Behavioral change theories

• Cancer prevention and survivorship

My Personal Journey

• Post-graduate

• Postdoctoral Scholar

• Researched association between physical activity and colorectal cancer risk

• Directed pilot study of lifestyle change program for breast cancer

survivors

• Health Services Researcher

• Investigate the cost, quality, and delivery of cancer care and its effect on

clinical outcomes such as cancer recurrence or overall survival

• Design and conduct studies looking at health services indicators (e.g.

insurance coverage, care source, time to treatment) and cancer outcomes

• Look at how metabolic disorders (e.g. diabetes) affect health services,

cancer treatment, and clinical outcomes

Thank you!