With the rising cost of living across the United States, career changers are becoming more common. These are people who decide to consider a second (or third) career for better work-life balance, stability, and/or salary.
A recent poll from 2021 found that approximately half (52%) of American employees were planning to change careers that year. If you’re looking to re-career, there are many educational pathways available to adults who already have a degree but want to transition into healthcare.
If you want to transition into healthcare but you’re not sure where to start, this guide is for you. It covers the different pathways available, such as certificate programs and associate degrees, and the various job opportunities.
What is re-careering?
Before exploring the different educational pathways and jobs available in healthcare, it’s important to find out whether a career change is right for you. While a job is any activity that provides monetary compensation, a career focuses on prolonged employment and professional development.
The goal of a career is that it’s your “forever” field. Any job can be considered a career, depending on a person and their passions. Re-careering, also known as a second career, is when someone starts a career in one industry and decides to pursue something else.
Common reasons why someone might want to transition from their career into healthcare include:
- Dissatisfaction with their current role or organization
- Statistics show that 39% of workers change careers for a better salary
- Seeking better work-life balance or flexibility (such as remote work)
The benefit of re-careering is that it can make breaking into the desired industry easier. You bring with you all the skills and knowledge from your first career. Having a pre-existing degree can also shorten any required study time.
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The different educational pathways
For people looking to shift into healthcare, there are various educational pathways available. Depending on your previous experience and study level, you could go into a Bachelor-level pathway or straight into a Master’s entry program.
In the United States, there are four levels of college degrees: associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral. These are all covered below alongside certificate programs, which are growing in popularity for people looking to re-career.
Most positions in healthcare only require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. However, some positions, like nurse practitioners and doctors, require a higher level of study.
Fortunately, people who already have a Bachelor’s degree in another field can pursue an accelerated BSN program from Baylor University online, which can offer a focused and efficient route into professional nursing without repeating general education coursework.
Certificate programs
Certificate programs are a great choice for people looking to re-career, offering fast-track training in roles like health administration. The duration of these programs is typically shorter than the usual college degree, only lasting 3 – 12 months.
The programs offered will depend on the tertiary institution. It’s possible to find certificate programs in almost all areas of healthcare, from public health economics to vaccine science. Many of the programs can also be completed online.
Associate degrees
An associate degree is the education level between a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree. Typically, associate degrees last for two years (or 60 course hours) and are offered at community colleges or technical schools.
Associate degrees are designed to prepare the student to go directly into the workforce; however, some courses’ credits may transfer to four-year colleges. Popular associate degrees in healthcare include:
- Dental hygienist
- Occupational therapist assistant
- Paramedics
- Health information technician
Bachelor’s degrees
A bachelor’s degree is a four-year program (or 120 course hours) offered by colleges and universities. Bachelor’s degrees require you to take general education courses (such as English) alongside specialized courses for your chosen major.
Bachelor’s degrees offer a wide variety of subjects, and cover everything from the arts and anthropology to neuroscience and public health. Popular options for bachelor’s degrees in healthcare include:
- Registered nursing
- Health care administration
- Allied health
Master’s degrees
A master’s degree is a type of advanced degree that can be obtained after a bachelor’s degree. Master’s degrees usually require 1 – 2 years of additional study (or 30 course hours), and allow graduates to specialize in a particular area of interest.
For example, a student who has completed a bachelor’s degree in registered nursing may pursue advanced education to become a family nurse practitioner. Some master’s programs may offer accelerated timelines and/or online-only coursework for faster completion and flexibility.
Doctoral degrees
Doctoral degrees are the highest level of degree, requiring years of research and study. The length of the course will depend on what’s being researched. If you’re looking to re-career into healthcare, a doctoral degree isn’t required.
A doctoral degree is more suitable for people who are looking to go into academia or highly specialized fields. Examples of occupations within healthcare requiring a doctoral degree include:
- Physician
- Surgeon
- Dentist
Why healthcare?
The United States is currently experiencing a healthcare worker shortage amid multiple public health crises. Studies indicate that the country will have a shortage of nearly 86,000 physicians by 2036.
This shortage, combined with the mental health crisis and aging population, is driving up the demand for healthcare workers in all areas. Many of the fastest-growing occupations listed on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics are healthcare-related, including:
- Physical therapist assistants
- Nurse practitioners
- Physician assistants
- Psychiatric technicians
- Home health and personal care aides
- Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
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Phlebotomy
Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. They play a massive role in the U.S. healthcare system, as pathology tests are required for the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of many illnesses.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has phlebotomists as an occupation that is growing faster than average. The role also only requires the completion of a post-secondary phlebotomy program and on-the-job training in most cases.
Registered nursing
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses are one of the fastest-growing occupations with 189,100 job openings projected to open each year. The median annual wage for registered nurses was $93,600 in May 2024.
There are various educational pathways one can take to become a registered nurse. You can complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Becoming a nurse also requires licensing.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists are an occupation that is growing much faster than average in America, with a growth rate of 14%. They can work in a variety of settings, like hospitals and schools, evaluating and treating people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities.
Becoming an occupational therapist requires a master’s degree in occupational therapy. It’s also required by every state to have a license. If you’ve already completed an undergraduate degree and want to specialize, occupational therapy might be appealing.
