So, you’re considering healthcare. Most people know about doctor and nursing roles. But if you start to examine the sheer size of the healthcare industry, you’ll quickly realize that it’s full of health professions the average person never hears about.
For example, do you know what a rad tech does? Could you picture the working day of a health information management professional?
It can all be a lot at first. But if you’re drawn to the powerful and important healthcare industry, you really do have tons of choices.
There’s a whole wide world of healthcare majors to explore. If you’d like to get into healthcare, take a look at these essential healthcare areas and roles. Whether you want to work with patients, in a lab, in a pharmacy, in dental hygiene or behind the scenes, pretty much everyone can find something to enjoy in this massive industry.
Healthcare degrees range from associate degree programs that can be completed in as few as 24 months, all the way to the doctorate level.1
Here are 13 exciting healthcare majors, degree programs and even certificates to consider as you settle on the right pathway for you.
1. Pharmacy technician
Pharmaceutical technicians, also known as “pharm techs” work in all sorts of pharmaceutical environments, from convenience stores to hospitals to healthcare facilities of all kinds. These healthcare professionals are the people you meet when you need to fill your medication or arrange a flu shot.
And the role of a pharmacy technician often only requires a certificate program where you can get the specialized training in preparing and filling prescriptions, important healthcare laws and regulations and answering questions about medication.
For more on that, check out 5 Key Pharmacy Technician Duties You Can Expect on the Job.
Pharmacy technician career paths
Pharmacy technicians have the benefit of getting into their field without a four-year bachelor’s degree program. It can be the perfect role for someone who wants to work in healthcare but is really on the fence about where to begin.
You’ll be happy to know that there’s a relatively quick path to working as a pharmacy technician—the Pharmacy Technician Certificate program at Rasmussen University can be completed in as few as 9 months!1
2. Health and wellness
Gone are the days when healthcare was all about treating a sickness or disease. Many initiatives in healthcare today focus on prevention, and the way our lives, identities and communities impact health.
If that holistic approach sounds appealing, maybe you should become a health and wellness major.
An undergraduate degree in health and wellness can help you gain the knowledge and skills you need to better serve patients, families and communities—advocating for wellness and educating people on holistic health and preventative healthcare approaches.
Health and wellness career paths
From working directly with communities in hospitals or clinics to holding advocacy roles at insurance companies and public and community health agencies, health and wellness majors can pursue careers in a range of different healthcare settings.
These careers typically involve lots of health education along with relationship and partnership building. One of the most popular career paths for this major is to become a community health worker.2
3. Health information management
Health information management is the process of organizing, overseeing and protecting patient health information and data. This degree is surprisingly versatile.
A health information management major will be prepared to manage patient health information data across a variety of healthcare settings like hospitals, healthcare systems, insurance companies and health information technology vendors, as well as evaluate these organizations' management systems and offer improvements.
Health information management career paths
While becoming a health information manager or technician may be the most straightforward career path for this major, there's a whole range of other roles to explore. A health information management degree can also help set you up for success in any of the following roles.
- Health information services manager
- Privacy officer
- Medical computer specialist
- Health information applications
- EHR implementation specialist
- Clinical/healthcare informatics analyst/specialist
- Compliance officer or auditor
- Revenue cycle reimbursement manager
- Health information management specialist
- Clinical documentation specialist
As healthcare continues to look for solutions, it's likely that even more types of roles in this intersection of information technology will open up.
4. Radiologic Technology
Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging examinations on patients, and studying radiologic technology can help you learn how to do this.
Radiologic technology majors will learn all about how technology works in the field of radiology and healthcare, and how it impacts overall patient well-being. Students will typically gain proficiency in diagnostic imaging, physiology and radiation safety, as well as learn important and useful patient interaction skills.
Radiologic technology career paths
Studying radiologic technology can prepares you for a radiologic technologist role as well as similar roles that require working with X-ray, mobile X-ray and fluoroscopic technologies, specializations that might require extra education or experience.
An associate’s degree in radiologic technology can also be completed in as few as 24 months.1
5. Healthcare management
Healthcare management majors learn how to become efficient leaders across a wide range of healthcare organizations, and it's another versatile degree that can apply to a variety of roles.
A healthcare management degree will teach students how to manage people, projects and policies within the healthcare industry, how to develop and manage departmental budgets and provide a broad understanding of healthcare law and ethics.
Healthcare management career paths
The leadership and policy management skills that these students gain can help prepare them for the following career paths.
- Healthcare manager
- Healthcare administrator
- Hospital director of admitting
- Clinic manager
- Assistant administrator
- Nursing home administrator
6. Public health
If you're passionate about improving healthcare outcomes across populations, a public health specialization may be a fit. This area of study is centered around topics like health, wellness and disease education, barriers to healthcare, patient rights, health disparities and advocacy, and building bridges between public health and other industries.
Public health career paths
Public health majors may work for healthcare and social assistance organizations, for health-related finance and insurance companies, in educational services or in public administration. Some common public health career options for those with an advanced degree in Public Health (or a professional degree in addition to an advanced degree in Public Health) include the following.
- Epidemiologist
- Public health director
- Public health nurse
- Health policy analyst
- Public health data analyst
Many of these roles require a doctoral or professional credential, along with licensure. It is important to check the requirements of employers in any field you are considering.
7. Environmental health
Environmental health is a field centered around the relationships between people and their environment, according to the American Public Health Association® (APHA®). It's an essential part of any comprehensive public health system, ensuring everyone has a safe place to live, learn, work and play.2
These majors will study different environmental hazards and the various health conditions they can lead to. Those who graduate to work in the field will play a key part in advancing policies and programs that reduce chemical and other harmful environmental exposures in air, water, soil and food.
Environmental health career paths
In this role, you could go on to work for health nonprofits, advocacy groups or even in policy roles, shaping decisions that can impact community health.
Rasmussen University does not offer any programs in Environmental Health.
8. Healthcare administration
Running a hospital, a clinic, a nursing home or a healthcare-provider network is different than running any other kind of business.
Healthcare administration majors develop the skills they need to become leaders in the business of healthcare. They'll typically study topics like quality management and process improvement in healthcare, as well as trends and market forces that impact the quality of patient care.
From health services administration skills to questions of healthcare ethics and quality improvement strategies, it's an intriguing area of study with the potential to prepare students for various leadership positions.
Healthcare administration career paths
Depending on your specific interests and the settings where you're passionate about making an impact, health administration professionals can work for various types of healthcare organizations. Some popular health administration career paths include the following.
- Hospital administrator
- Clinical director
- Health services manager
- Practice manager
9. Exercise science
Exercise science is the study of physical exercise, and exercise science majors study everything about how the body responds and adapts to various forms of exercise.
Through a range of exercise health science courses, exercise science majors learn how to assess different individuals' health needs and develop physical activity programs to help improve components of their fitness.
Exercise scientists can help people address a wide range of health and fitness concerns, including anything from cardiovascular function, to muscular strength, to flexibility.
Rasmussen University does not offer any programs in Applied or Clinical Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, Kinesiotherapy, Fitness Training and Instruction or Athletic Training.
Exercise science career paths
One of the most interesting exercise science career paths is an exercise physiologist, which includes applied exercise physiologists, clinical exercise physiologists and kinesiotherapists.
These professionals use exercise science to help treat chronic conditions. Other exercise science occupations like fitness trainers and instructors and athletic trainers don't directly treat medical conditions, though they still promote wellness through exercise and physical activity.
10. Health informatics
In the simplest terms, health informatics is the combination of medicine and information technology. Health informatics majors study how healthcare, communications and information technology can all overlap to improve the patient experience.
These students work to gain the skills and knowledge they need to advise health organizations on things like computerized healthcare systems and clinical data analysis—gaining expertise in the different ways that healthcare and technology can combine in various settings.
Health informatics career paths
Health informatics majors may go on to become health informatics specialists, health information technologists, medical registrars and other similar occupations that require both healthcare knowledge and technological skills.
Education beyond a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and/or related work experience may be required to work in the field of health informatics. Rasmussen University does not offer any programs that specialize in health informatics.
11. Physical therapy
Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain, and a physical therapy major can help introduce you to this meaningful field.
And while the role of a physical therapist requires advanced degrees, the role of a physical therapist assistant (PTA) typically requires only a Physical Therapist Assistant Associate’s degree.
PTAs are critical members of the physical therapy team, carrying out rehabilitation routines and the plan of care designed by a physical therapist.
You'll learn all about how to work with diverse groups of people across a wide range of settings—from clinics and hospitals to nursing facilities and sports rehab centers—and gain important introductory knowledge in the field.
Physical therapist assistant career paths
A physical therapist assistant major can help prepare you to become anything from a physical therapy aide or assistant to an athletic or fitness trainer.
For more on what the role is like, check out What Does a Physical Therapist Assistant Do? A Day in the Life.
12. Surgical technology
Think that working in the operating room may be your calling?
Consider a surgical technology major! Surgical technologists help doctors and assistants during surgery by preparing operating rooms, arranging equipment and helping with certain surgical tasks—and a surgical technology major can help introduce you to this exhilarating field.
From foundational knowledge on everything from operating room preparation to sterilization techniques to providing patient care, studying surgical technology opens the door to a wide range of healthcare skills and knowledge.
Surgical technology career paths
One of the coolest things about surgical technology is its hands-on nature. It’s the perfect healthcare role for someone who loves working with their hands. And as a bonus, it’s one of the few healthcare careers that involves almost no paperwork!
For more on this very under-the-radar healthcare career, check out 9 Things You Should Know About Surgical Technologist Programs.
13. Nursing
If providing direct patient care is what you're most passionate about, then nursing may be for you.
A nursing major can help you learn how to provide excellent patient care, learn the leadership skills you need to advance in the field, introduce you to clinical and evidence-based practice techniques and ultimately prepare you to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN® exam)—the exam required to become a registered nurse.
Nursing career paths
Nursing is probably the most versatile of all healthcare degrees. The world of nursing is a big one, and there are various levels of nursing and career paths to explore. Nurses can work in child health, maternal health, gerontology, research initiatives (such as a clinical research coordinator),
Most nursing majors go on to become registered nurses (RNs), though it's certainly not the limit of what you can pursue.
With additional education, certification and licensure, RNs may eventually become nurse managers, nurse practitioners, nurse educators and so many types of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) as well.
Check out Top 25 Types of Nurses Employers Are Looking to Hire to get an idea of the massive scope in the nursing industry.
Choose the healthcare major that's right for you
Now you know beyond a doubt, a healthcare major doesn't have to mean medical school.
Whether you're pursing an associate degree, a bachelor's degree or even a certificate program, there are a ton of exciting areas of study to explore—and all of them can help lead you toward a fulfilling profession in the healthcare field.
Learn more about the healthcare majors that spark your interest, and explore Rasmussen University's full selection of Health Science Programs and Training today.
1Time to completion is dependent on the number of transfer credits accepted and the number of courses completed each term.
2U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Community Health Workers, [Accessed December 2024], https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/community-health-workers.htm#tab-2 Employment conditions in your area may vary.
3American Public Health Association, Environmental Health, [Accessed December 2024], https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/environmental-health
