A Healthy Career in Health Care

By Brandi Schlossberg
Nursing Schools Columnist

The business world can be unpredictable: The economy goes up and down. People's whims change on dime, and trends follow suit just as fast. Health care, however, is a necessity, and jobs in this field are certain to grow, especially as America's aging population expands.
The first--and most fundamental--step toward becoming a viable candidate for a job in health care is to get a career education in the health care specialty of your choice.

Career Education Options

The field of health care is a broad one, and as you might imagine, there is a wide array of niches to fill. From doctors, nurses, and lab technicians to coding specialists, dental hygienists, and administrators, the choice is yours when it comes to choosing a specific career education.

Base your decision on your personal preferences, as well as the amount of time and money you can invest in your career education. For instance, if you want to be a doctor, you must earn your undergraduate degree, and then go on to medical school and residency. In order to be a health-information technician, however, you need an associate degree, which can be earned at a community college or online via distance education.

Going the Distance

Distance education is a smart option to keep in mind if you're hoping to earn a degree or certification for a career in health care, but you can't give up your day job and family commitments.

Distance education allows you to study nearly any one of the health care relevant subjects you would study on a traditional campus, and earn the same education you need to secure employment in this ever-growing field.

Here are a few of the degrees and certifications you can earn through distance education: master of health services administration, health care management, family herbalist, holistic nutrition, medical transcription, aromatherapy, forensic nursing, geriatric care management, and health unit coordinator.

This list is only the tip of the iceberg. Search the Internet and local campuses for the health care niche that's just the fit for you.

About the Author

Brandi Schlossberg holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She writes for a variety of print and online publications.