What Can You Do With a Health Science Degree?

Health Science degree jobs have steadily been on the rise and will continue to see an uptrend over the next decade. According to a report from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the starting salary for a health science major is between $35,000 to $79,000 and it’ll generate 2.3 million new jobs through 2024. As a matter of fact, getting a health science degree may be a great way to get into the health sector, save lives and still secure your financial future.

If you’re thinking about taking a career in health science but you’re still skeptical about what you can do with the health science degree then, you need to carefully peruse this piece because in this article we shall be exploring what you can do with a degree in health science as well as health science degree jobs that are paying well, so let’s delve in.

What Is Health Science?

Health science is the branch of science that deals with the application of science to health ranging from medicine, nutrition, and other health-related topics.

Health science is different from other sciences because those disciplines can explore topics unrelated to health but health sciences focus strictly on health and health-related issues.

Health science programs combine laboratory science classes with other courses that are essential to guide individuals on making healthy choices as well as inevitable factors that influence his or her health.

It also maximizes areas such as science and technology, communication, and engineering to aid in the health and well-being of human beings and animals. Health science degree jobs cut across administrative, public, and clinical settings due to their vast makeup.

A bachelor’s degree in health sciences provides fundamental knowledge and professional skills that are highly sought by healthcare employers, such as leadership, problem-solving, critical thinking, and information management.

The healthcare industry is now one of the most lucrative industries all over the globe and there are tons of ways you can earn good pay with your health science degree. People are continually aging as such the strive on how to live a healthy life is a major factor in our world today. So there will be a continuous demand for medical services and medical personnel.

Having known what health science is, let’s look at the reason why you need to get a degree in health science.

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Why Get a Health Science Degree?

One of the vital benefits of pursuing a health science degree as opposed to another type of health-related degree is that it exposes you to multiple aspects of the healthcare industry which can help you decide the type of health career to pursue.

Healthcare is one of the most diverse employment fields as such if you’re passionate about helping people live a healthy life as well as earning a quality amount of cash while doing that then majoring in health science might be a good feat for you.

As a bachelor’s degree holder in the health sciences, you can make a very good income, in fact starting salary for a health science degree job is around $35,000 and $92,000 a year, depending upon the position you take.

Due to the surge in demand for health science majors, there are tons of jobs opening and there will be more job openings for health science majors in the coming years. Experts also project a 26% growth for health science degree jobs, 

In addition, according to Forbes, 13 of the 20 fastest-growing jobs are in the healthcare field so majoring in health science is a good decision to make.

As a graduate in health science, you can work in different organizations ranging from clinics, hospitals, physicians offices, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers companies, medical laboratories, insurance companies, state or federal government, nonprofit organizations, etc

It’s a Flexible Degree such that you must not necessarily work directly with patients you can decide to delve into the field of management or research. 

In addition, there is also a creative side of these degrees, you can decide to pick careers in medical photography, science writing, biomedical illustration, and health care interpreting.

A Health Science degree prepares you for advanced coursework pathology, health administration, and public health just to name a few. A doctorate in these sciences also prepares you to teach or do research at colleges and universities. If your goal is to work in academia and to contribute to research in this field, then taking this career route is a definite advantage.

In conclusion, if you’re passionate about helping people to live a healthy life as well as making good ends meet then, majoring in health science will be a good feat for you because there are many health science degree jobs out there, you can work in a diverse field.

Is Health Science a Good Career?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health science degree jobs are projected to grow by 15% over the next decade, this is faster than the average for all other occupations. These jobs are expected to double or triple over the next few decades, so getting your health science degree may be an excellent investment in your future. As people age, more health care companies are looking for individuals who major in health science to treat and guide them toward the path of living a healthy life.

In a nutshell, if you’re passionate about helping people live a healthier life as well as make good ends meet then health science is a good career to delve into.

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How Much Do Health Science Majors Get Paid?

Since there are so many health science degree jobs, there are diverse kinds of jobs you may do. Their payment is determined by your location in the country, your experience, and the demand for your specific career path.

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve compiled a list of common health sciences careers with their average salary associated with each of them so you can know the health science degree jobs that are right for you.

Below are the career path and annual median salary for a health science major:

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Where Do Health Sciences Majors Work?

There are tons of health science degree jobs that you can find as a health sciences graduate, you could work in diverse fields or organizations, ranging from:

Careers In Health Science Careers And Their Pay

According to health science scholars, a degree in health science can be applied to a variety of health professions. There are lot of jobs although, some of the occupations such as medicine, physical therapy, and occupational therapy require clinical training and graduate education beyond what a health science bachelor’s degree can provide, and many jobs in the field require certification.

Out of many health science degree careers, we’ve hand-picked a few to give you an idea of health science degree jobs you can get as a graduate in health science major:

1. Physician and Surgeon

This is one of the highest paying science degree jobs as such they earn a median salary of $207,900. Surgeons are physicians who care for their patients by performing surgeries, treating diseases, injuries and deformities. 

Physicians may choose to work in one of several specialties which include: radiology, Ophthalmology, gastroenterology, dermatology, cardiology, and allergy. They may also become anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, internists, and family physicians. 

2. Dentist

A dentist diagnoses and treats problems related to the gums, teeth, or another area of the mouth. They also teach patients how to care for their teeth and gums and also fill cavities. 

Dentists can also choose to practice in a specialty area and the can become periodontists, pediatric dentists, orthodontists, oral pathologists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, endodontists, dental public health specialists, and dental anesthesiologists or they can decide to delve into the academic sphere, the median pay for a dentist is $156, 230.

3. Podiatrist

This is another highest paying health science degree job as such the median pay for podiatrists is $128,500. Podiatrists provide medical care for the feet, ankles, and lower legs of their patients. They also diagnose disease, treat and perform surgery on these areas. 

Podiatrists treat several other foot ailments, including ingrown toenails, heel spurs, calluses, arthritis, and congenital deformities. 

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4. Pharmacist

Pharmacists give prescriptions, advice, and medications to patients, they also work closely with the patients’ insurance companies to ensure that these patients receive the medications that they need.

Pharmacists can work in many different environments ranging from general merchandise stores, grocery stores, and hospitals, the demand for pharmacists is projected to have high growth in hospitals and clinics as such they earn a median salary of $126,120 annually making it one of the top health science degree jobs.

5. Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses or APRNs, and they provide specialized care for their patients that includes primary and specialty healthcare. 

A nurse practitioner has the duty of taking the patient’s medical history and the symptoms that he or she is currently experiencing and administering medications to their patients, and analyzing their responses to those medications and their median salary is $113,900 making it also rank among the top health science degree jobs.

Some health science majors can decide to serve children, pregnant women, or patients with mental health disorders. 

6. Optometrist

Optometrists are eye doctors, they examine the eyes, diagnose the eyes problems, and treat those problems as well and detect when patients need corrective lenses, optometrists prescribe glasses and contact lenses.

An optometrist is also trained to perform surgery that corrects problems with the eyes and is one of the top lucrative health science degree jobs and the median salary for an optometrist is $111, 800.

In addition, the need for corrective lenses is increasing daily and this will cause the employment of optometrists to grow by 10 percent from 2018 to 2028.

7. Physician Assistant

When patients come in to see a physician assistant with an injury or an illness, the physician assistant diagnoses the condition and offers the patient treatment. 

Physician assistants work closely with surgeons, doctors, and other healthcare workers and they also educate their patients on how to manage their conditions. 

Because physician assistants can perform many of the duties of the physician, their services are going to be needed in the years to come as the people age, currently, the annual median pay for a physician assistant is $108,600.The employment of physician assistants is expected to grow by 31% until 2028 making it one of the highest-paid health science degree jobs.

8. Veterinarian

They examine animals to diagnose illnesses of the animal and then treat the animals as well as perform surgical procedures if need be.

A specialty for veterinarians is the “food safety and inspection veterinarian.” These veterinarians inspect animals for diseases. They also administer vaccines and conduct research that will improve the health of animals, the annual median pay for veterinary is $93,800.

9. Physical Therapist

Physical therapists generally work with patients in rehabilitation facilities. They also help people diagnosed with chronic illnesses or injuries.

Many other people require the services of a physical therapist, and they include people suffering from arthritis, strains, sprains, or amputations. They may also treat those with fractures, neurological disorders, and sports or work injuries.

A physical therapist can specialize in one particular area of care. For example, some people choose to go into geriatric or orthopedic care, the median pay for a physical therapist is $87,900 making it one of the highest-paid health science degree jobs.

10. Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists treat patients who are injured, ill, or disabled.

One group of people that occupational therapists help are those diagnosed with cerebral palsy. These people need help performing daily tasks. Occupational therapists help their patients use leg braces and wheelchairs. They also help them learn how to feed themselves.

Occupational therapists are instrumental in helping schools accommodate students with disabilities. For example, they modify classrooms so that students can function adequately.

Occupational therapists work with the very young to the elderly population. They may engage with infants to offer early intervention therapy so that they are not developmentally delayed. 

Occupational therapists are also employed in mental health settings. These patients may have been diagnosed with mental illnesses or developmental disabilities. In this setting, an occupational therapist will teach patients several things, including how to ride a bus, how to balance a budget, how to manage their time and how to do household chores. The occupational therapist is also the person to help those addicted to drugs or alcohol.

Jobs for occupational therapists have an 18% projected growth potential from 2018 to 2028. This is a lot faster than the average for all of the other professions. 

Currently, the median salary for occupational therapy is $84,270 making it rank among the top health science degree jobs.

Who Should Get a Health Science Degree?

Experts say health science degrees are suitable for individuals with a passion for the field. Dr. Kenneth A. Geller, a physician, and director of the office of pre-health advisement at the University of Southern California’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, says an undergraduate health science program is most appropriate for college students who enjoy technical fields like math and social sciences like anthropology.

The individual must have an inner desire deep within to use this knowledge for the improvement of the lives of the community in which they will practice: be it in the local, national, or global world.

Liguori of the University of Rhode Island encourages prospective health science students to ask themselves if they have a desire to work in a service profession since that sort of humanitarian motivation is essential for a career as a health professional. He adds that prospective health science students should also consider whether they enjoy solving problems, working on teams, and analyzing data since these skills are typically needed in the health care sector. (greasemonkeyauto.com)

(FAQs) Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

If you’re passionate about helping people live a healthy life as well as minting a good amount, majoring in health science will be a good feat for you because there are many health science degree jobs out there, you can work in a diverse field.

People are continually aging. They strive on how to live a healthy life is a major factor in our world today because there will be a continuous demand for medical services and medical personnel.

If you’re planning on taking a career in healthcare then getting a health science degree is a good way to start as you make plans to advance in your career so, with all these, we hope you’ve gained knowledge on the highest-paid health science degree jobs hiring and the careers available for health earth science major.

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