Which Healthcare Career Is Right for You?

The healthcare landscape relies on a diverse range of professionals to help it run successfully. Of all the opportunities, how do you know which healthcare career is right for you? If you find yourself asking, “Would I make a good nurse practitioner?” or “Is a health administration job a good fit for me?” then this guide is for you

Are you confident that you want to pursue a career in healthcare but feel uncertain about your niche? This brief overview offers insight into the right path for you. Healthcare is a broad field that encompasses everything from public health to healthcare administration and informatics.

Learn more about various healthcare careers in the table below. The following is not a comprehensive list.

Profession	Required education	Work type	Take core courses like…
Dental hygienist	3-4 years	Patient care	Oral Pathology Dental Radiology Science w/Lab Pain Management w/Lab Biochemistry & Nutrition
Physician assistant	6-7 years	Patient care	Applied Anatomy & Physiology w/Lab Holistic Medicine & Patient Care Professionalism in Medicine Emergency Medicine Supervised Clinical Practice
Healthcare administrator	3-7 years	Administrative/support	Risk Management in Healthcare Healthcare Policy and Economics Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare Management
Clinical mental health counselor	2-3 years	Counseling	Counseling Theories and Practice Crisis/Trauma Response and Intervention Couples, Marriage, and Family Counseling Psychopathology
Public health professional	3+ years	Varies	Research Methods in Healthcare Social Determinants of Health Principles of Epidemiology
Speech-language pathologist	~2 years	Patient care	Language Disorders in Children w/Lab Dysphagia in Adults w/Lab Neurogenic Speech Disorders w/Lab Aural Rehabilitation w/Lab
Occupational therapist	2+ years	Patient care	Human Movement in Occupation Technology in OT Practice Neurogenic Speech Disorders w/Lab Occupational Performance: Older Adult Population Occupational Performance: Child and Adolescent Population
Physical therapist	3-4 years	Patient care	Human Anatomy Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Therapeutic Exercise and Physical Agents Prosthetics and Orthotics
Pharmacist	7-8 years	Retail/lab	Biosystems Principles of Drug Action Pharmacogenomics & Biotechnology Pharmacy Law & Ethics

Nursing is far from a monolithic career path. With a number of possible specializations, find out which nursing specialty may be right for you. From overseeing nursing units as a nurse leader to providing care and treatment to families as an FNP, you can pursue a nursing specialty that puts you on the right track.

Learn more about various nursing specialties in the table below. The following is not a comprehensive list.

Specialty	Required education	Min. degree level	Work type
Family Nurse  Practitioner (FNP)	3-5 years	MSN	Patient care
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)	4-6 years	MSN	Patient care
Nurse Educator	3-5 years	MSN	Teaching
Nurse Leader	3-5 years	MSN	Leadership
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)	4-6  years	MSN	Patient care
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)	4-6  years	MSN	Patient care
Critical Care Nurse	3-5 years	MSN	Patient care
Oncology Nurse	3-5 years	ADN/BSN	Patient care
Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) Nurse	4-6 years	ADN/BSN	Patient care
Hematology Nurse	3-6 years	BSN	Patient care
Gastroenterology (GI) Nurse	3-6 years	ADN/BSN	Patient care

WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment.