Healthcare Services

Healthcare Services Careers

Healthcare Services degrees give you the specific career training that will put you in line for jobs that are in high demand. Popular healthcare services programs include:

• Community Health
• Dental Hygienist/Assistant
• Dietician/Nutrition/Healthy Lifestyle
• Fitness/Exercise Specialist
• Geriatric Health/Medicine
• Pharmacy Assistant/Technician
• Public Health

Healthcare Services Degrees

Healthcare Services degree programs are available at the certificate, diploma, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, and master’s degree level. The types of degrees available will depend on the specific kind of training you are looking for.

Graduate programs in community or public health may focus on health program planning, public policy in healthcare, or environmental health. Some topics covered include leadership, epidemiology, financial management, and public health education. A key objective for these master’s and Ph.D. programs is to enable students to identify assessment and intervention strategies to improve healthcare services and service delivery. If you want to become an educator, leader, policymaker, or administrator, an advanced degree in community health may be the right choice.

Most dental hygiene programs grant an associate degree, although some offer certificates. Those are good choices if you want to work as a hygienist in a dental practice. Bachelor’s and master’s degree programs prepare you for research and teaching positions, and for work in public or school health programs.

Dietician, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle programs provide the knowledge you need to counsel others on healthy eating. You’ll learn about the nutritional needs of people of all ages and with all types of medical conditions. Most dietician, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle programs are offered at the bachelor’s degree level, however master’s and associate’s degree programs are also available.

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in geriatric health and medicine will prepare you to support our ageing population. With these degrees you can start a career as an administrator in a nursing care or assisted living facility. They will also give you the knowledge you need to work for public agencies that provide services for the elderly.

If pharmacy work is what interests you, there are many diploma, certificate, and associate degree programs that will suit your needs. Training for pharmacy technicians isn’t standardized in most states, but most employers prefer formal training.

Job Opportunities in Healthcare Services

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3.2 million new jobs in healthcare will immerge between 2008 and 2018. There will be a high demand for formally trained employees for jobs in the healthcare services field. Also as the population ages, there will be a need for healthcare services for elderly people.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition