How to get required education for your medical career?
If you have a passion for helping people and a strong interest in health, a career in medicine is a natural choice. Not only will medical studies provide you with the opportunity to earn a living by supporting and helping others, the health care field is poised for growth that will open up millions of new jobs in the next few years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The medical industry will create 3.2 million new jobs in the period between 2008 and 2018 - that's 22 percent growth in a field that already provides 14.3 million jobs across America. There's real potential and a host of exciting opportunities for fulfilling careers in the world of medicine - and there are plenty of high-quality schools that can provide the education you'll need to get there.
Nursing Education & Careers
Registered nurses encompass over 15 percent of health care workers, with another 0.5 percent working as physician's assistants. Nurses can be found everywhere in the medical field, from hospitals to 24-hour nursing care facilities to home care providers.
It's possible to work as a nursing aide with only 1 year of school followed by on-the-job training, or to complete a 2- or 3-year college program or a 4-year bachelor's degree in nursing. Nurse practitioners have further post-secondary training that gives them the same level of expertise as a physician. The focus of any nursing program is on developing the skills and knowledge to support patients during recovery and rehabilitation, and to help ease suffering in terminal situations. Nurses also learn the key administrative and support skills to assist doctors, surgeons, and researchers in their daily hospital and clinic work.
Home Care Studies & Careers
Many nurses work in home care, while other home care providers are less educated. It's possible to enter the workforce directly out of high school as a home care service aide and receive on-the-job training, or you can complete a 6-month to 2-year certificate or college program before joining the workforce. These programs focus on the core skills necessary to help disabled, elderly, and sick people recover and live full, active lives.
Medicine and Surgery Education & Careers
Doctors and surgeons are the highest paid and most educated of all medical professionals. They study for a minimum of 8 years--and usually much more--to complete a 4-year bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical training, and usually anywhere from 2 to 6 years of additional specializations and internships.
As a result, doctors are highly respected and are required to make crucial, life-saving decisions. It's a high-pressure job and requires extensive knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, epidemiology, and other education that doctors attain over the course of their studies.
Pharmacy & Research
Integral segments of the medical industry, research and pharmacy encompasses over 2.5 percent of health care workers seeking employment. Both careers require at least a bachelor's degree, although many professionals pursue a master's or further post-secondary education as well. These positions require meticulous attention to detail, as well as a thorough or even encyclopedic knowledge of chemistry, drug interactions, and disease treatments.
There are dozens of other fields and specializations in medical care, each with their own unique requirements and courses of study. Wherever your interest in health care takes you, there's a program to get there, and the sky is truly the limit on what you can accomplish in your work.
Get the Right Education for your Medical Career
The right education is important for your career. Medical Education always depends on learning & going to school.
You should consider that except for financial considerations, the public or private nature of a university should not be a factor in selecting a graduate program.
High quality programs exist in both types of institutions.
Of more importance is the institution's commitment to the graduate program. This commitment is found in its willingness to maintain a first-class faculty and to provide excellent facilities for advanced study, including libraries, laboratories, computers, and other equipment.
Another important factor to consider in many disciplines is the presence of strong departments in other fields relevant to your interests so that you can have access to scholars and courses in disciplines related to your own.
Selecting the right school that offers the required degree for your education is a large investment of time, money, and effort. A consequent & careful evaluation of campus-based or online schools is important.
Find schools that meet your interests
Go to the Medical School Directory and select the appropriate category, country or state. You will then find a list of Medical Schools matching your interests.
Gather information from all schools
Upon request every Medical School listed in the directory will provide you with information and details.
In the directory just click on the link for each school or on the button "Request Information" to request more information about its educational programs, finacial aid, admission requirement, etc.
Contact all Medical schools that meet your interests: the more information you receive from schools, the better a decision you will make about your education!
Melissa Rudy
Healthcare • Bureau of Labor Statistics
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