Meeting the Demand for Health & Medical Sciences Professionals

Medical professions routinely rank among the top ten fastest-growing job opportunities for Americans. Although nurses and physician's assistants are in strong demand, job applicants with broader educational backgrounds can often earn higher salaries than peers with just basic medical training. A growing number of health and medical sciences degree programs help health care professionals acquire skills that can increase their value in the marketplace.

Health & Medical Sciences: Career & Salary Options

In most major cities, medical assistants can earn $26,000 or more upon completion of an accredited health and medical sciences degree program. By combining a medical sciences degree with a nursing degree or other specialized career training, registered nurses can earn $46,000 or more as trainers or as managers. Advanced degrees in health and medical sciences can lead to niche jobs at government agencies or pharmaceutical companies, paying $60,000 or more per year.

Coursework Common to Health & Medical Sciences

Health and medical sciences degree programs supplement the hands-on training offered by courses in nursing and physician assisting. Most undergraduate programs emphasize practice management, patient care, and professional communication. Graduate programs focus on advanced specialties, including epidemiology and public health management. Common courses across all levels of health and medical sciences degree programs include:

• Nutrition
• Biology
• Chemistry

Online Education Options

Online degree programs in health and medical sciences offer working professionals affordable and flexible options for advanced career training. Working adults can earn qualifications for many entry-level medical jobs by earning online degrees in their spare time. Since many online degree programs allow students to complete projects at work, online education offers an attractive professional development option for many employers as well. Investing in an online degree offers the chance for career advancement without the extreme sacrifices of attending a traditional, on-campus degree program.
Sources:
Canberra Times
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

Joe Taylor Jr. is an internal business consultant for a Fortune 500 company, who writes about finance, culture, and design. He holds a bachelor's of science in communications from Ithaca College.