5 Careers in Healthcare You Can Start with a Bachelor’s Degree

Written by  //  2014/10/27  //  College Major  //  Comments Off on 5 Careers in Healthcare You Can Start with a Bachelor’s Degree

From Florence Nightingale tending wounded warriors to Dorothea Dix creating sweeping mental health reform, healthcare professionals have been influential throughout history by enriching the lives of others. If you’re looking for a chance of your own to affect others, consider one of these five options for a career in healthcare that requires nothing more than a bachelor’s degree and a heart for helping.

1. Mental Health Technician

A bachelor’s degree in psychology or another behavioral science will qualify you to be a mental health technician. These caregivers often work in hospitals or other clinical settings in the psych ward, providing daily supervision of patients with mental health problems. Specialties within the field include pediatric, adolescent or emergency treatment technicians. Some of these positions are open to people with only an associate’s degree or less, which means that you might earn a lower salary than you’d like.

2. Radiologist

If you’d rather literally see inside people instead of just trying to "get in their head," a career in medical imaging could be a good fit for you. With a bachelor’s in radiology, you’ll be qualified to operate radiologic equipment, educate others on the field or take on a healthcare management role. Be sure to find a program that is accredited.

3. Nursing

This classic healthcare career is one of the fastest growing in the United States. A bachelor of science in nursing will qualify you for most entry-level positions. It’s also possible to find completion programs that will allow a registered nurse to complete a BSN.

4. Athletic Trainer

If you’ve spent your high school and college years enjoying sports, you might enjoy a career as an athletic trainer or exercise physiologist. Though the field overlaps with physical therapy in some ways, athletic trainers need only a bachelor’s degree to begin working. Athletic trainers focus on preventing, diagnosing and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses, often working for colleges, professional sports teams and outpatient clinics.

5. Recreational Therapist

Energetic people who enjoy working with others will find a career as a recreational therapist satisfying. As a cross between an athletic trainer and a psychologist, recreational therapists develop recreation-based treatment programs for people who are injured or disable, often using sports, crafts, dance and games to help improve a patient’s well-being.

A career in healthcare is not only attainable with just a bachelor’s degree, but a rewarding and people-oriented career.

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