If you live or plan on living in the Miami area and concerned about what kind of career in the healthcare industry you can have, don’t be. The United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 19% growth from 2014 to 2042 for healthcare occupations. This equates to 2.3 million new job openings in this industry. If you plan to be one of the new hires, then you will need to get the proper training and education for whichever field you want to work in.
Where Should You Start Looking?
There are many professions within the healthcare industry that require its own specialization and training. Some even have degrees named after the profession like Psychology, Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Dental Hygiene, etc.
While Florida National University (FNU), a regionally accredited university in the South Florida area awards all of the above-mentioned degrees, we also understand that many aspiring students often wonder what other jobs they can get with a healthcare degree.
Just How Diverse is Your Degree?
It’s not uncommon for new graduates to discover that the area of interest they’ve studied for the past 4 to 6 years isn’t actually the career they thought they wanted to pursue. Many college degree holders have been known to go a completely different way with their career and in most cases, their undergraduate degree is still applicable to the job at hand.
Here is a short list of some healthcare jobs that you may be able to land with different undergraduate degrees:
-
Social Worker
FNU awards a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, but for students who may have not pursued this degree, it’s still quite possible to become a social worker. If you’ve earned a bachelors degree in Natural Science, and maybe even in Health Service Administration—even an associates in Criminal Justice, there’s still a possibility to work as a social worker whether it’s working with at-risk youth or as a high school counselor.
-
Veterinary Technician
Becoming a Veterinary Technician is very specific skillset. This means that there are specific educational programs and certifications that you have to meet in order to pursue this type of career. If you happen to already have a degree in healthcare, this will serve you well should you choose to work in this special area of the industry.
-
Registered Nurse
FNU has plenty of nursing degree programs for students to enroll in. All of our nursing degree programs are designed to prepare students to take the NCLEX exam that will help them become a Registered Nurse. It is possible to enroll in another kind of academic healthcare degree program and attempt to take the NCLEX exam. However, it may be more challenging because the curriculum isn’t focused on nursing. There are some students who may have earned their degree in another healthcare program, but they have decided to enroll in an ADN program just to get enough training and education to pass the NCLEX.
-
Health Care Administrator
Since this profession doesn’t necessarily involve direct patient care, other degree programs such as Business Administration—especially a masters, will certainly apply to the profession of a Health Care Administrator. FNU’s Bachelor of Natural Sciences and the Associate of Arts in Public Administration are just a few of the degree programs that are applicable to this field of work.
-
Health Educator – Business
The same degree programs that are applicable to the Health Care Administrator jobs can be put toward the duties of a Health Educator. FNU has a few other degree programs that could be applied to this profession such as the Associate of Arts in Education and any healthcare degree. If you’re absolutely sure that you want to become a healthcare educator, FNU can arrange it so that you earn your associates in Education, and then enroll you in an Associate of Science in a healthcare field that interest you most. If you’re undecided, the Bachelor of Science in Natural Sciences is broad enough to cover almost anything in the healthcare industry.
-
Forensic Science Technician
If you’re more interested in learning—becoming a ‘professional student’, then the area of research and development is always an option—especially in the healthcare industry where new discoveries are made all of the time. The more specific you are about your area of interest, the better it will be to find the perfect job for you, but if you’re one of the many students who have changed their mind about the specifics of their career, then Psychology and Natural Sciences would be an ideal degree to pursue the career as a Forensic Science Technician.
-
Athletic Trainer
Anytime you’re interested in dealing with direct patient care, a nursing degree is the best way to go. It not only prepares you to become officially registered, it also trains you on how to care and treat people. You’ll be fully educated in the proper health practices demonstrated in helping patients improve their health and in the case of an Athletic Trainer, their mobility.
-
Blood Bank Technician
While there are some Phlebotomist certificate programs out there, it actually pigeonholes you into that profession alone. If you desire to be a Blood Bank Technician, then we highly recommend you to consider FNU’s Associate of Science in Nursing program. This will not only diversify your skillset, it will set you above the competition against other applicants for this position. Employers are always looking for talent that can be utilized in other areas of the business.
Finding healthcare job openings in Miami isn’t going to be hard. The application process might even be painless. The real work is rising above all of your competitors, and this starts with being able to market yourself properly with the right kind of education.
Florida National University can help you with this.
Contact one of our advisors to assist you in selecting the right degree program for you today. You’ll be able to take most of these classes online and our Financial Aid department can assist you in making your education affordable.
