Careers
Newsletters
Stetson's Health Professions Advisory Committee prepares three newsletters per semester which are sent to all pre-health students. The newsletters announce upcoming events and typically highlight a health profession, presenting information about work tasks, necessary education and admission policies within a particular field. The newsletters and the following section of this handbook are designed to broaden your prospective on the health care field and stimulate exploration of these alternative professions.
Health Care Options
There are many career options available within the healthcare industry. The sample of jobs listed below will give you a feel for the breadth of opportunities. For more information visit Career Services. For more information about the variety of career options within the healthcare industry, visit O'NET OnLine.
- Anesthesiologist
- Audiologist
- Chiropractor
- Dentist
- Dietician/Nutritionist
- Embalmer
- Exercise Physiologist
- Genetic Engineer
- Midwife
- Mortician
- Nurse
- Nurse Practitioner
- Occupational Therapist
- Ophthalmologist
- Optometrist
- Orthodontist
- Osteopathic Physician
- Paramedic
- Pathologist
- Pharmacist
- Physician
- Physician Assistant
- Physical Therapist
- Podiatrist
- Prosthetist
- Psychiatrist
- Psychologist
- Public Health Officer
- Respiratory Therapist
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Sports Physician
- Surgeon
- Toxicologist
- Veterinarian
- Animal Health Technician
- Athletic Trainer
- Biochemistry Technologist
- Blood Bank Technologist
- Clinical Research Associate
- Cytotechnologist
- Dental Assistant
- Dental Hygienist
- Dental Laboratory Technician
- Histotechnician
- Home Health Aide
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Record Technician
- Medical Record Transcriptionist
- Medical Technologist
- Microbiologist
- Nursing Assistant
- Optician
- Pharmacy Assistant
- Phlebotomist
- Surgical Technician
- Art Therapist
- Biofeedback Therapist
- Corrective Therapist
- Dance Therapist
- Manual Arts Therapist
- Music Therapist
- Recreational Therapist
- Rehabilitative Services Coordinator
- Health Care Consultant
- Health Economist
- Health Programs Analyst
- Hospital Administrator
- Infection Control Officer
- Medical Illustrator
- Medical Librarian
- Medical Publisher
- Medical Social Worker
- Public Health Educator
- Wellness Center Director
- Biomedical Engineer
- Biostatistician
- Environmental Health Specialist
- Food Scientist
- Forensic Clinical Scientist
- Pharmacologist
- Research & Development Specialist
- Research Technologist
- Science Photographer
- Fitness Instructor
- Sports Nutritionist
Trends in Health Care
Most graduate programs in the health professions receive far more applications than they have spots in their incoming classes. So it is important that you meet the academic standards that the programs require and that your application stands out (completed correctly, contains details of health-related and other extracurricular activities, includes a well-written personal statement, etc) and is supported by excellent letters of evaluation. For example, during the 2019-20 application cycle there were 51,191 applicants and 15,789 who matriculated in medical schools (MD). With each applicant filing 8-12 applications there usually are over 30 applications per seat.
The number of physicians choosing to specialize in primary care has risen recently and is expected to continue to rise in the near future as medical schools try to remedy the national shortage in primary care physicians and the shift in focus in health care to preventative medicine. The need for primary care is more acute in rural and inner-city environments where more than 4,000 doctors are needed.
HMOs are now an integral part of our healthcare system. Physicians belonging to HMOs agree to treat member patients for predetermined fees. Students entering professional school in the health professions have to be prepared to consider working in this type of environment.
Related to the renewed focus on primary care, other health professionals like physician assistants and advanced practice nurses are in need. These professions will grow for at least the next 10 years as they become a central part of the healthcare system.
The need for all kinds of providers who specialize in geriatrics will increase, particularly among nurses, physician assistants, and physical therapists.
The need for genetic counselors will intensify. This field combines an understanding of genetics and an appreciation of ethical and philosophical issues.
In addition to the requisite academic skills, communication skills are vital for being a good healthcare provider. An appreciation for the viewpoint of others, an understanding of ethical and social issues, and an interest in helping humanity are necessary to demonstrate a propensity for patient care. Students will need to have a firm grasp of computer skills as computers become a vital part of medical records and communication. The overall academic strength of Stetson and internship and volunteer opportunities enable our students to acquire these skills.