Healthcare

Career Guide

The field of healthcare focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Healthcare is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers. It refers to the work done in providing primary care, secondary care, and tertiary care, as well as in public health.

Designing your major

Your major may be indirectly or directly related to your career choice, and it’s only one of many pieces to finding a good career fit. There are many majors that are related to healthcare, including:

Health Major Options

Know that you are wanting to work in healthcare but aren't sure exactly which major will help prepare you for the sector you're interested in? Look through our guide on determining a major that will help prepare you for your future healthcare career!

Health Major Options

Use the CDC nursing guide

Interested in learning more about the field of Nursing? The CDC has prepared a separate guide on the subject that goes over training, degree options, and potential careers!

Explore the guide

Learn about careers in the field

  • Chiropractor
  • Dermatologist
  • Dietician
  • Epidemiologist
  • Medical Researcher
  • Nurse
  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Optometrist
  • Orthodontist
  • Pathologist
  • Pharmacist
  • Psychiatrist
  • Physical Therapist
  • Physician
  • Physician’s Assistant
  • Social Worker
  • Speech Pathologist
A screenshot of the My Next Move website

Ready for more specifics?

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Learn through experience

Join a student organization

Student organizations can help us clarify our interests and build experience. Here are a few ideas of organizations in this area:

Find more organizations on BeInvolved

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering in the community has many benefits for the community and for your personal and professional development. How can you use your knowledge and skills to make a difference?

Find more volunteer opportunities

Get an expert's perspective

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Keep exploring

ExploreHealthCareers

ExploreHealthCareers.org is a collaboration between today’s health professionals and leading health care associations designed to help people like you start down the road toward a career in health. Here you’ll find the latest health career information and tools to guide you as you prepare for a future in health care.

Health Professions and Pre-Law Center

The HealthProfessions and Prelaw Center provides advising and other services for students who want to pursue careers in law, medicine, and other health professions. HPPLC works closely with IU students throughout their undergraduate years, and with IU alumni, to help them become thoughtful, well-prepared, competitive applicants to professional programs.

There are many ways to explore careers, through research, gaining experience, and talking with other people. Your career coach is here to mentor you and help you find ways to explore that fit you best.