CAREER GUIDANCE
Navigating the Health Professions
Now that you are considering a future in the health professions, there are a few things you should start thinking about—from navigating the different types of health professions to gaining the types of experiences that will set you apart in an application.
Work through this website with a Future Health Leaders Program adviser to uncover your path and build your application to become a competitive candidate for medical school or any other health professional school.
WHY HEALTH?
Before we fully dive in, take a moment to consider if a health profession is the right path for you. Start by asking these questions What kind of health care do you want to provide? (e.g. preventative, primary, secondary/ specialty, tertiary care) _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Who do you want to provide this health care to? (e.g. babies, children with disabilities, seniors) _____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ How do you want to provide this health care? (e.g. treat and diagnose, rehabilitate a patient, help with fine motor skills, comfort patients) _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ Where do you want to provide this health care? (e.g. hospital, clinic, hospice, pharmacy, ER, rehab facility) _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ How competitive are you? (e.g. grades, test scores, experiences, letters) _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ What kind of lifestyle do you envision for yourself? _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ Do you need additional training or education prior to applying for a health profession? (e.g. post-baccalaureate, master’s program) _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ How long will it take to accomplish your goal? (i.e. training/education, residency) _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ What will be your return on investment in training or education? (i.e. debt accrual vs. salary) _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________
TYPES OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS
MEDICINE:
Are you curious, compassionate, and a problem-solver with a strong scientific aptitude? Medicine may be the right fit for you. Expect to spend an additional 7–10+ years for more training and education after your bachelor’s degree.
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
Physician assistants have a similar role as primary care doctors. They treat, diagnose, and prescribe medication, but are under the supervision of a medical doctor.
OPTOMETRY
Optometrists evaluate a patient’s overall vision health as well as examine, diagnose, and treat patients for any conditions affecting vision. This includes prescribing corrective lenses such as glasses and contacts.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Public health focuses on promoting the health of families and communities through education, prevention, and examining causes of disease while offering large-scale solutions.
ALLOPATHIC (MD)
-
Diagnosis and treatment of disease
-
Treating the symptoms
-
Many specialties and sub-specialties.
Use this space to introduce yourself and share your professional history.
OSTEOPATHIC (DO)
-
Diagnosis and treatment of disease with a focus on prevention
-
Treating the whole person (bio-psychosocial)
-
Over 50 percent in primary care.
PODIATRY (DPM)
-
Diagnosis and treatment of foot disorders.
-
Treating below the knee
-
Can specialize in surgery, orthopedics, public health, sports medicine, and more
NURSES
Nurses assist patients with managing and coping with their illness. They are advocates for their patients and educate them on disease prevention and health promotion. While doctors focus on the disease and patient’s symptoms, nurses focus on how the disease impacts what a patient can and cannot do for themselves.
DENTISTRY
Dentists are responsible for preventing, treating, and maintaining the oral health of their patients. The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) describes a successful dentist as someone who is artistic, easy to talk to, a leader, and likes to work with their hands.
PHARMACY
Pharmacists are known as “medication specialists” and are health-care providers who educate patients on medication–when and how to take it as well as its side effects. They must be detail-oriented and meticulous.
VETERINARY MEDICINE
Veterinarians are responsible for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of disease in animals
PHYSICAL THERAPY
The role of a physical therapist is to restore mobility, reduce pain and the need for surgery or medication, and to improve overall function.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
An occupational therapist engages in rehabilitation therapy to help patients in everyday activities. Examples include helping patients return to normal level of functioning after an injury or helping children with disabilities participate in school and social situations.
HEALTH PROFESSION COMPARISON METRICS
PREPARING TO APPLY
Applying to medical school or other health professional schools is highly competitive. You’ll need to show a strong scientific aptitude through your GPA and test scores, plus a depth and breadth of experiences, strong letters of evaluation, and a compelling personal statement.
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
This includes volunteer work in a hospital, studentrun clinic, pharmacy, dental office, or other healthrelated setting. Paid experiences include scribe, certified nursing assistant (CNA), medical assistant, pharmacy technician, and EMT. We recommend accruing 150–300 hours.
VOLUNTEER WORK
Many health professions expect applicants
to have volunteer experience or work with
underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Service demonstrates compassion, empathy, and commitment to helping vulnerable communities with limited access to health-care and vital resources.
LEADERSHIP
Demonstrating leadership is essential in any health profession. Admission’s committees want to see applicants who take initiative, manage a project, or execute an innovative idea.
Consider taking on a leadership role within a
health-related student organization or becoming an Undergraduate Instructional Apprentice (UGIA).
RESEARCH
The health field is constantly changing— to provide patients with the best care, health professionals must be able to understand and apply the latest research.
Participating in research projects as an
undergraduate is an invaluable opportunity to get first-hand experience and make connections.