What Are the Requirements for a Career in Healthcare?

What to Study for a Career in Healthcare

Even if you want to get into a highly competitive medical school, there’s are no particular undergraduate majors required. Students with bachelor’s degrees in everything from English to business management can potentially get into graduate programs in Healthcare.

But while you don’t necessarily have to choose a specific major, there are some classes you should be sure to take as an undergraduate. Classes in science, particularly biology and other life sciences, will be important. Make sure to get the best grades you can in these courses!

Graduate School

Many of the highest paying, highest status Healthcare jobs require graduate training. If you want to pursue one of these rewarding careers, you’ll need to enroll in a master’s or doctoral program.

A master’s degree can open the door to a great career in a field like public health or speech pathology. You will probably need to take a standardized test as part of the admissions process.

Many schools accept both of the most common standardized tests for graduate school applicants: the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Some schools will only accept one or the other, though, so make sure you know your target school’s admissions requirements before you sign up for these tests.

To get your doctoral degree in Healthcare, there are several types of schools you might attend, like:

• Dentistry
• Medicine
• Pharmacy
• Optometry
• Public health

There are different standardized tests for each type of school, like the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), and the Optometry Admission Test (OAT).

Certifications

In the Healthcare industry, certifications are massively important. They ensure that caregivers meet specific standards for education and relevant skills.

The certification requirements for different Healthcare careers can vary from state to state. For example, radiation therapists must be certified or licensed in most states, and each state sets its own process.

A doctor must be licensed to practice medicine in their state, and they can also become board certified in their specialty. The license is mandatory, but the certification is optional. The process for becoming certified will vary by specialty, but according to the American Board of Physician Specialties, all of them share these minimum requirements:

• An undergraduate college degree
• Four years of medical school
• Substantial, identifiable training such as a three- to five-year residency in an ACGME accredited program and several years of experience and proven competencies in the specific specialty or sub-specialty
• A license to practice medicine

Because Healthcare professionals have such an impact on their patients’ health and wellness, rigorous training and standards are a necessity. But ultimately, your drive and character will be as important as your education and training. Your ability to perform under pressure, work with technology, and motivation to help people will be vital to your career success in Healthcare.

This article was originally published on CollegeChoice.net.