By Kalli Kauffman (BA 27)
Sustaining the health and well-being of individuals across the country requires dedicated medical professionals. However, medical degrees require rigorous schooling, persistence, and hard work. In order to thrive within this field, you want to choose the right undergraduate program that will set you up for success.
If you’re wondering how to decide if a career in medicine is right for you, consider the benefits of pursuing a Christian college pre-med program. Our health science degree in pre-med will equip you with the professional skills, academic knowledge, and spiritual understanding you’ll need for a career in medicine.
What are different careers you can pursue with a health science degree?
The best strategy for deciding whether a career in medicine is right for you is by researching and exploring hands-on career opportunities within the medical field. You might be wondering: “What can you do with a health science degree?” Here is a list of careers currently attracting college graduates with this major:
Physician Assistant
In the role of a physician assistant, you serve in a variety of capacities. In this profession, according to The Association of Air Medical Services, there are many ways you are just like a doctor, educating your patients about health, treating or diagnosing patients who need guidance. Part of your responsibilities will include conducting physicals and analyzing diagnostic exams to maintain the health of your patients. In this career, you’ll share many of the same job responsibilities as physicians and can work in any profession supervised by a certified doctor. Graduates work in surgery, rehab, mental health, hospitals, and more.
Physical Therapist
A physical therapist focuses on using noninvasive techniques to provide different types of exercises and modalities for surgical and injury-related conditions. Cleveland Clinic explains that within this profession, you assist patients with pain, helping them move toward better mobility and recovery. While you cannot prescribe medications to patients, you’re able to help with concussions, tears to ligaments, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and more.
Medical Doctor
As a medical doctor, you will work closely with patients and medical professionals, treating or diagnosing the sick and injured. According to Zipia, you will need to effectively assess symptoms and provide care to your patients. This means connecting individuals with important resources for recovery, prescribing medicine as needed, and interpreting lab results.
If you have excellent communication, dexterity with medical tools, recordkeeping skills, compassion towards others, and are capable of leading a group of professionals, this job might be for you.
How do I know whether I should pursue a health sciences degree?
To succeed in a health science concentration, you need to have a heart to pursue science within your career. Conducting research about medical practices and your field will be essential to helping your patients. If you want to know how to decide if medicine is right for you, foster an understanding of the profession.
“You have to have a passion for science because a lot of our contemporary medicine really relies on investigation into the way we’re put together,” said Dr. Rick Roberts, associate dean of the School of Science and Engineering. “Experimental evidence suggests how to do everything from repairing injuries and treating illnesses, to working with rehab and rehabilitation more in the physical therapy area.”
For instance, Healthcare Recruiter suggests attending applicable conferences, subscribing to relevant journals or publications in your industry, continuing your education, or becoming a part of an association to stay up-to-date in your profession.
For students who desire hands-on experiences, you can pursue internships at different Warsaw orthopedic companies or at branches of the Kosciusko County Hospital Systems. This could help you decide whether medicine is right for you.
How do I prepare for medical school as an undergrad?
While preparing for medical school, you want to develop key skills that will help you stand out on your graduate applications.
As a health science major with an appropriate concentration in pre-med, pre-PA, pre-PT, or another, you want to demonstrate a willing heart for service. Whether a doctor, physical therapist, or physician assistant, you want to put your patients’ needs first.
Are you still wondering how to decide if medicine is right for you? Figure out whether you’re fascinated with the field of science.
When keeping up with a fast-paced college curriculum, you need to cultivate curiosity. Staying current with new research and medical advances provides you with the most up-to-date information you will use to help your patients.
“The fields of medicine, regardless of the specialty, are constantly changing and improving,” Roberts said. “Students need to be excited about learning and be lifelong learners.”
Third, you want to get involved in the community. Finding extracurriculars, jobs, or volunteer opportunities will show your care and commitment to the people around you.
Finally, you want to demonstrate leadership. No matter what profession you pursue with a concentration in pre-med, leading others is an essential skill to develop when working with a team of medical professionals.
