Health Science Career Advancement Opportunities
A master’s degree can help students who are seeking to advance their careers in health sciences. This credential can give you a leg up while pursuing a promotion, raise or even a new career altogether.
Here are a few career opportunities available for those who earn an M.S. in Health Sciences.
Health Care Administrator
In the quickly growing health care industry, many of the roles available are behind the scenes, including health care administrators. This managerial role requires little face-to-face interaction with patients, but still involves plenty of organizational work. Health care administrators are focused on ensuring that all operations in a facility are running smoothly. They may have control of one hospital department, a private practice or even an entire health care facility. They are entrusted with making sure that patients are treated correctly and efficiently. This may include scheduling labor, hiring or termination, and fielding patient complaints.
Health Science Writer
Medical field writing can be hard for the layman to understand. Health science writers work to bridge that gap by translating scientific papers or reports into terms the general public can find easier to understand. This usually includes large discoveries in the field of medicine, and writing can appear in newspapers, magazines or online. This role has become increasingly important because the Internet provides easier access to medical data that was previously only published and accessible in academic journals.
Biostatistician
Biostatistics is the field relating to statistical and computer methods applied to problems in biology, medicine and health policy. These statistical models are traditionally used in research settings; biostatisticians work primarily with researchers during experiments. By applying statistical tests to the results of experiments, biostatisticians can determine whether results are significant, and thus, relevant. This field continues to evolve as computers have made it easier to apply statistics to research.
Health Educator
One effective way of improving public health is through health education. By reinforcing healthy habits within the general public early and often, they may engage in preventative measures that can lead to longer and healthier lives. Health educators may work with students of all ages to create lesson plans that reinforce positive health behaviors. Some lessons may be focused on specific age groups, and others may be directed to particular ethnic groups. Health educators may work in a variety of settings, such as schools, government organizations or community health programs, to name a few.
Students interested in this field should look for a program with courses dedicated to that field. You want to make sure that after graduation you are able to become a certified health educator. Upon graduation, your program should make you eligible for certification by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES).
Community Health Organizer
Several communities may face specific health issues, leading to the creation of community health programs that work to improve conditions. The organizers of these programs may focus on a specific ethnicity, age or gender. These programs can include anything from free cancer screenings to health clinics offering free basic medical services. Community health organizers serve an important purpose, and their work can often lead to better lives for citizens.
How to get started
At Touro University Worldwide we offer an online Master of Science in Health Sciences program that prepares you for moving into advanced positions. Due to the online nature of our program, you can engage in coursework from anywhere or at any time in a convenient and flexible format.
Upon completion of TUW’s Master of Science in Health Sciences degree program, students are prepared for these and other jobs in the health care field. In an industry that is seeing so much robust growth—up to 5.6 million new jobs by 2020—a career in health sciences is a stable and smart option. Students are able to work on course assignments on their own schedule thanks to the online delivery of this program, making it easy for the working student who is balancing multiple time commitments.
For more information on TUW’s M.S. in Health Sciences degree program, visit our program page.