Healthcare practitioners are among the most important individuals in a society. Until humans discover the secrets to immortality, there’ll always be the need for healthcare workers. The benefit of this is that there are many job opportunities and high job security. However, if you’d like to become a healthcare worker, you’ll need a degree. In this article, we’ll discuss 5 of the top healthcare degrees and programs you might want to consider.
In this section of this article, we’ll be using statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for data such as annual salary based on 2024 statistics. Here are 5 of the top Healthcare Degrees and Programs you might want to consider.
1. Master of Science, Genetic Counseling
To be a genetic counselor often requires you to have good communication and interpersonal skills and sufficient domain knowledge of biological science. This is important because you’ll be required to interact with entire families, including children, as a genetic counselor. In addition, your job as a genetic counselor will require you to have detailed interviews with your patients so you can generate a clear understanding of their family medical background.
Different schools in the world offer a degree in Genetic Counseling. One of the best schools in the USA is the University of Texas Health Science Center, located in Houston, Texas. This university’s tuition can cost about $11,925 for Texas residents and $36,495 for out-of-state students. However, it can be quite tough to get into this university, so you might want to consider reading TrustedEssayReviews to help you find qualified and affordable writers to help with your college application essay and other essay requirements. In addition, it might please you know that graduates from this degree often secure an average salary of about $85,700.
2. Master of Science, Orthotics, and Prosthetics
People who suffered limb damage or amputations often need special medical services. To help such people regain the full functionality of their bodies, prosthetics are frequently recommended. However, care must be taken to recommend the right prosthetic that suits a particular patient’s lifestyle. In some cases, these prosthetics might have to be custom-made. Orthotic or Prosthetic specialists are responsible for working with both patients and medical appliance technicians to develop the right solutions.
The University of Hartford is a private university in West Hartford, Connecticut, and a good school that offers an online master of science degree in orthotics and prosthetics. The acceptance rate is about 77%, so a little effort aside from passing the minimum requirements might be enough to get you in. Tuition is about $43,000, but this is subject to change, so make sure to visit their website. Also, about 56% of students graduate on time, with most graduates of orthotics and prosthetics earning average salaries of $70,000.
3. Master of Science, Health Education
One of the roles of a doctor or a nurse is to interact with the patient. Therefore, communication is important, and with advancements in digital technology, nursing students are finding ways to use it during lectures. However, the job of a health educator goes beyond educating patients; additionally, it is focused on how to educate the public on health-related concerns. A health educator can use different means to achieve this, through traditional means such as interviews on TV or even more modern means such as social media and health forums.
The University of Florida can be considered a good option if you’re looking for a school that offers a 100% online Master of Science, Health Education degree. Tuition is about $16,500. The acceptance rate is about 30%, which means you might want to put extra effort into your college application, as passing the minimum requirements might not be enough. However, if you get in, the University of Florida has a graduation rate of 88%, with most health education graduates securing an average salary of $48,000.
4. Master of Science, Occupational Therapy
The role of an occupational therapist is to help their patients recover skills they might have lost due to health conditions, trauma, or some sort of injury. In addition, they aim to help patients relearn their lost skills and become more independent. As an occupational therapist, you can work in home healthcare agencies assisting senior citizens, medical centers, and specialty clinics.
Idaho State University is a private university that offers a master of science degree in occupational therapy. Tuition is about $22,000, but most students end up paying $17,000 after financial aid. This university has a graduation rate of 57%, which means you might want to put in your very best effort if admitted. Graduates of occupational therapy tend to earn about $60,000 on average.
5. Master of Science, Health Administration
Healthcare Medical Administrators are needed to help hospitals and medical centers function properly. It’s the responsibility of a Healthcare Medical Administrator to ensure that patients get standard treatment, equipment, and appliances needed are available and updated, hospital personnel needs are taken care of, and also the handling of insurance and billing matters. Depending on your level of experience and interest, you can get a healthcare medical administrator to a large medical center from any small clinic.
The University of Louisville – School of Public Health and Information Sciences is located in Louisville, USA. Tuition is $6,762 per semester for residents and $13,819 for non-residents. The master’s of science in health administration in this school is taught on campus and can take about 2 years to complete. On average, graduates of health administration earn about $104,280.
Conclusion
It can take a significant amount of time to earn a degree in healthcare. This is understandable, as people want someone that has been trained to handle health matters competently. Also, it’s important to know that depending on the degree you’re applying for, education can cost a lot of money, so adequate planning should be done ahead of time.
Author’s Bio
Michael Carr is a freelance writer and editor. He uses his articles to help students decide on a field of study that is right for them. Michael enjoys helping people, so he plans to continue with his informative articles for the foreseeable future.
