Studying health sciences is one way you can break into the health care industry. It’s a career path that offers high pay and rapidly growing job opportunities. The field of health sciences focuses largely on the administrative aspects of health care delivery. Earning your bachelor’s degree in health sciences can prepare you for a number of roles working in the health care industry in both clinical and non-clinical capacities.
A Health Sciences Curriculum
The core curriculum of a typical health sciences degree program combines health care coursework with more general administrative concepts. The classes you might take include:
- medical terminology
- medical pharmacology
- anatomy and physiology
- health care law
- management and leadership in healthcare
- human relations
You may have the option to choose an academic concentration, like public health or aging studies. Coursework in the field of health sciences is typically non-clinical in nature. You may approach the field from a clinical background and ultimately work in clinical job roles. There usually aren’t any clinical components to your educational requirements.
For many students, a degree in health sciences is neither the start of their education nor the end of it. Many bachelor’s degree programs in health sciences are intended for students who have already earned their associate’s degree in a field relevant to health care and who have work experience in the field, according to U.S. News & World Report.
These programs can often be completed in two years, since students have already taken the required general education courses in subjects such a:
- s math
- science
- the humanities
Often, graduates of a bachelor’s degree program in health sciences go on to earn a graduate degree in a subject such as public health and health informatics.
Job Opportunities for Health Sciences Graduates
What can you do with a degree in the health sciences? You might be surprised at just how many options you have. If your interests lie in promoting wellness in your community, then a role as a health educator is a strong option. Health educators earn a median salary of $46,000 per year and are currently enjoying a 37 percent increase in job opportunities, according to U.S. News.
If you want to work in a clinical setting, you can analyze specimens as a medical laboratory technologist and make a median wage of $47,000. Or you can earn closer to $54,000 performing x-rays and CT scans as a radiologic technologist.
If you aspire to become a senior leader in the health care industry, you’re in luck. A degree in health sciences is an excellent starting point for attaining a medical and health services manager position. These health care administrators earn a median salary of $84,000 per year.
There’s no one field of study that is right for every student. But a degree health sciences is an excellent decision if you want to get involved in the health care industry but don’t feel a strong calling to practice nursing or medicine.
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