When people think of careers in healthcare, they often think only of being a doctor or nurse, a medical office staff member, or a personal care assistant. In truth, there are many more options today. That’s why, if a career with a bright future is your goal, a university specializing in health sciences and healthcare degrees may be the right place for you.
Career flexibility and opportunity are major reasons to explore a healthcare-centered degree. Your career can be patient-focused or based on technology. Some healthcare degrees focus on a little bit of both.
A university specializing in health sciences programs typically offers in-depth instruction that aligns with the expectations of the healthcare industry.
This next-level instruction offers excellent preparation for graduate school (a doctor of chiropractic (D.C.), a doctor of medicine (M.D.), or as an exercise physiologist, for example.
Some students want to move quickly into a healthcare career, and many health science universities have options for them. For example, you can become an occupational therapy assistant or a radiologic technologist in two years, thanks to the unique hands-on skills and knowledge format of the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree.
Regardless of the degree track you take, expect a comprehensive range of coursework and instruction from a healthcare-focused university, including
Occupational opportunities in patient care, healthcare support, and health sciences employment continue to expand. By 2026, the jobs site Monster.com says the healthcare careers category will grow “a whopping 18% — that’s 2.4 million new jobs, more than any other occupational group.”
This growth results from the rise in the number of aging adults, which naturally increases the demand for healthcare services.
Here are just a few of the directions you can go.
You may be able to use your health science degree as a springboard into different areas of fitness and well-being. Examples include rehabilitative exercise, sports medicine, corporate wellness and fitness, and research into the biomechanics of human performance.
There are many possibilities for employment in health and nutrition. They may involve positions in nutritional education or public policy, which could improve health for entire communities.
There are teaching and training jobs to pursue. That could mean being in the classroom of a middle school or guiding the practices of a hospital’s rehabilitative wing.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to write about healthcare. Another healthcare career could be as a journalist who works for a scholarly journal or a public relations officer outlining the research findings of your company’s newest medical product or procedure.
Finally, you may be someone who prefers to spend time in a laboratory. There are healthcare careers that involve testing for any number of chemical or biological products. On the other hand, you could be on a team developing consumer goods or services to improve quality of life.
The specific direction that’s right for you…is up to you. Here’s an overview of the growth in employment for selected healthcare careers from 2020 to 2030. Career growth statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics are from April 2022.
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Expected Growth 2020-30: 35%
Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) help patients recover and improve the skills needed for daily living and working. OTAs provide direct care to clients. OTAs work under the direction of Occupational Therapists in private practices, hospitals, rehabilitative centers, or senior care/assisted living facilities.
Laboratory Technologists & Technicians
Expected Growth 2020-30: 16%
Laboratory technologists and technicians typically have a biology/chemistry-focused degree, collect samples, and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances. Laboratory technologists and technicians are employed in hospitals, doctor’s offices, diagnostic laboratories, and governmental agencies.
Exercise Scientists/Technologists
Expected Growth 2020-30: 14%
The field of exercise science explores how humans move and the biomechanics that affects health and well-being. Various specialties within this field lead to many opportunities.
Those choosing an exercise science degree might serve as a wellness program director in a corporate setting, a health and wellness initiative manager for a community or state agency, or work in a hospital in a rehabilitative role.
Doctors of Chiropractic
Expected Growth 2020-30: 11%
Doctors of chiropractic (D.C.s) are primary healthcare professionals focused on diagnosis, care, and prevention of disorders of the spine and other parts of the musculoskeletal system and the associated effects of these disorders on the nervous system and general health.
Radiologic Technologists
Expected Growth 2020-30: 9%
Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging exams, such as X-rays, MRIs, and sonograms.
Founded by the Cleveland family in 1922, Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, chiropractic and health sciences university. Our 34-acre campus is in Overland Park, Kansas, a major suburb within the Kansas City metro.
Healthcare degrees offered in our College of Chiropractic and College of Health Sciences:
Ready to learn more about healthcare careers through CUKC? Get connected to an advisor here. You’ll also want to get this free eBook: Your Comprehensive Guide to College Financial Aid.
