What Classes Do I Need To Take To Get Into A Health Career?
So, I am a senior in high school.
I have been thinking for a really long time about what I want to go to school for.
I am thinking I want to get into some kind of health related field. I’m just not sure about which one…
optometrist
dentist
ortho
phys. therapist
….etc.
I am not good at math at all, but I do find science interesting. I know math is required, but if I have a tutor could I make it through college?
also…if I major in biology and take a bunch of the “pre-req” classes like all the other types of science and all the other types of math, can I go into pretty much any health career?
Im not sure if I want to do the whole med school thing and become a family doctor or something, but maybe something like a dentist or optometrist then yes.
Is it worth it to go through all the schooling to get into one of these fields?
I like science, but not as much as politics, history, international studies, and such but I heard it can be really hard to find a job with a degree in one of those fields. I don’t want to be a lawyer or a teacher.
With the economy being so bad, and it probably staying that way for a while, I dont want to pay for college and go to school for something that I wont be able to make a decent living off of. I also dont want to be searching for a job forever after college, I want to be able to pay off loans and not be totally stressed with life.
Somone please just help me out and explain some of the health careers. like pros and cons…..
Thanks!
Ok, let me explain the process to you. Getting a bachelor’s degree in biology/biomedical science or any other type of biology related degrees will allow you to apply to med, optometry, dental , or pharmacy school. The undergraduate 4 year degree is the same, but you may have to take calc 2 if you apply to med school or a higher physics course for optometry school. Its still the same degree, but different graduate programs require slightly different pre-reqs.
Now with pre-nursing, most of your classes wont be acceptable if you decide to go to the med/opt route. The classes that pre-nursing students generally take are more basic courses. However, if you go the med/opt route, the higher courses that you take will count in the nursing program. For instance, students at my university can either take Anatomy 205 or 321. Anatomy 205 is more basic and have less credits which is generally for pharmacy and nursing students. The anatomy 321 is for medical/dental/opt sudents. However, the Anatomy 321 course will count as a 205 pre-req for nursing school.
Now, med school takes 8 years. You DONT have to specialize afterward, but most people do. Opt school is the same way, but residency is usually not done. Also, financial aid will usually cover your entire tuition cost. Nearly everyone is surviving off of student loans once they get to this level. You will be more focused on passing your classes than about money, since you WILL make it back.
Family life.. dont worry about it if you go the optometry/dentistry route. It is a lot more flexible and with little on calls.
as the other person who answered this said you can take a CAN class i am taking one right now i am a senior in high school to and i go to tech school and im in a nursing class and im going to go to a community college for two years to get my associates maybe u can think about that.
Idk if you would want to do this but you can take a CNA class, it will get your foot in the door for a new career. And if you like it you can always continue your education and become a RN. And if you want you can also find a hospital that does tuition reimbursement and they will pay for your education if you work for them for like 1-3 years. Good Luck!
nursing school, 4 year degree, shift work, good employment opps, good $, directly help patient, work directly with patients and Dr.s
med school, 4yr degree, 4 yr med. school, 2-4 year residency, 24hr on call shifts, competitive employment opps, making money takes awhile, little direct patient contact, work with a lot of #*&holes
Do you also want kids? A husband? how would they fit in? Dr.’s aren’t done with school until their 30’s, can you wait that long?
Do you have any college/University in mind that you are planning on attending? Start getting on websites of local schools and find the curriculum for those degree programs. It will actually tell you which courses you need. I am sure they all have common courses that you can take at first, like basic English Comp, Psychology, Sociology, Anatomy and Physiology, etc. Get those done first once you graduate. That way you can pursue your career.
I don’t think you should take the advice of the first 2 answers – you are pursuing a career far more advanced than nursing. For you to be a CNA would be an insult and waste of time to you. They make like $9/hour. If you aren’t going into nursing, don’t bother working as one. They aren’t even nurses, they are nurse’s AIDES. You should first figure out what courses you will need, make a master plan of what courses you will take your 1st college semester, how many classes you will take at the same time. Don’t bother wasting your time giving patients baths and changing their sheets if you have the drive and determination to become a doctor or specialist. You will make 20 times more than a CNA ever would.
Good luck!
like what everyone else is saying DONT DO IT. you are wasting 2 years of your life and money to make half of what nurses make. either try finding a jobn at a retirement home/nursing home/home health care(most do not require anything) see if you dont mind the nastiness of it all and go from there into nursing or whatever. im a medical assistant who wasted $5,000 in tuition and a year of my life and none of the classes were transferrable to another college AND now im going back to start nursing school but i have to do my prereq’s and wait a lovely 2 years just to get in after i do that. i knew i loved the medical field before i did this tho. so i guess its my bad. if anything start taking a biology class intended for the health care field at your college and see if this is your knack. then make your decision. one class doesnt break you but it sure could make you.