Studies & Degrees in Health Occupations

Choose where you would like to study Health Occupations:

AlbaniaAmerican SamoaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBangladeshBelgiumBelizeBhutanBoliviaBrazilBrunei DarussalamCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCzech RepublicDenmarkEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEthiopiaFinlandFranceGermanyGhanaGuamGuatemalaGuyanaHaitiHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanLebanonLesothoLuxembourgMauritiusMexicoNamibiaNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNorwayOmanPapua New GuineaPhilippinesPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRussiaSamoaSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSudanSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandTanzaniaThailandThe United KingdomThe United StatesTurkeyUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesVenezuelaYemenZimbabwe

Health professions in the category of majors that includes such diverse areas of study as occupational therapy, clinical laboratory science, physician assistant, nursing, veterinary medicine, and of course premedical and pre-dental studies. It includes all of the many areas of study that may lead to careers in medical fields, and is generally geared toward technical and applied specializations, rather than specializations of a purely academic nature. Due to the complexity of careers in the health industry, some graduate study will be necessary for almost any specialization within the area of health professions. This is particularly true for pre-med and pre-veterinary students, as the schooling for becoming a doctor or veterinarian is intense and takes many years to complete.
 
Personal Qualities
 

• Patience, diligence, and willingness to be in school for several years
• Desire to help others who are sick or suffering
• Calm, comforting demeanor
• Comfort with the sight of blood, body parts, etc.

Study Options

Study options within the health professions are numerous and diverse. In nearly all cases, the choice of the specialization will be dependent on a choice of careers–a degree in nursing is of little use to someone who wants to become a radiologist, so it is important to select a career early on if you think you want to be in the healthcare industry. Your choice may also be influenced by the amount of school you are willing or able to undertake – it is advisable not to major in pre-med or go to medical school unless you are sure that you have the time and funds to complete this extremely demanding educational track. Any degree in this area will be highly specialized, and will require you to learn a large amount of highly technical information. Examples of possible careers in the health care industry can be found in the next section.
 
Career Options

Healthcare is a thriving sector of the global economy, and careers in this area often have the potential to become highly lucrative. There are a myriad of possible options for those who seek a career in healthcare, and positions are not limited to doctors and nurses. One possibility, for example, is to specialize in occupational therapy a form of medicine that uses everyday activities as part of the healing process. Occupational therapy is known to be effective for people who have a variety of injuries, and a degree in OT is a good option for people who want a career in medicine but don't see themselves going all the way through medical school. Other possible specializations include health information management, physical therapy, and other less well known medical professions.