Working in Healthcare: How Much Education Do I Need?

Healthcare encompasses countless different types of jobs, fields, and specialties — each with requirements for entry. While it’s true you need a university degree for more advanced roles, not every job requires a bachelor’s degree. You can enter numerous healthcare careers with sub-bachelor qualifications, bypassing the need for a four-year degree before entering the workforce.

Healthcare offers diverse training paths. Some roles, like paramedic or surgical technologist, require 1-2 years of training; others, such as phlebotomists or hemodialysis technicians, take less than a year. Conversely, advanced positions like medical physicist, nurse midwife, or physical therapist require 6-8 years of education.

With so many fields and directions to explore, it can be hard to know how much education you actually need to build a career in healthcare. To help guide your journey, here’s a list of 41 healthcare jobs across six degree levels.

High school diploma or equivalent

1. Occupational/physical therapy aides: Support therapists by performing non-clinical tasks, such as preparing treatment areas and equipment. 
2. Home health aides: Provide basic care in patients’ homes, assisting with daily living tasks such as bathing or dressing and monitoring vitals.
3. Pharmacy technicians: Work under the supervision of a pharmacist, maintaining inventory records, ordering supplies, and filling prescriptions.
4. Orderlies: Provide patient care through non-medical tasks like transport and assistance with daily living activities.
5. Hearing aid specialists: Help administer hearing tests and fitting patients for hearing aids. 
6. Optician dispensers: Fit eyeglasses and contact lenses based on ophthalmologist or optometrist-issued prescriptions.
7. Veterinary assistants: Assist in treating animals, including feeding and weighing patients, sterilizing equipment, and scheduling appointments.

Non-degree certificate

1. Surgical technologists: Prepare the operating room and pass sterile instruments and supplies to surgeons during surgery.
2. LPNs/LVNs: Provide basic medical care, including taking vitals and changing bandages, under the supervision of more advanced nurses.
3. EMTs/paramedics: Respond to emergency calls, assess patient conditions, provide critical lifesaving treatment, and transport patients to hospitals.
4. Medical/nursing assistants: Help with basic care for patients in hospitals, including monitoring vitals, serving meals, dispensing medications, and reporting concerns to the medical team.
5. Dental assistants: Perform administrative and non-medical tasks in a dental office, including record keeping, appointment scheduling, instrument sterilizing, and x-ray processing. 
6. Phlebotomists: Draw blood from patients for testing or donation, keeping patients calm and safe during the procedure.
7. Medical records and health information technicians: Organize and maintain patient health records by accurately assigning clinical codes and documenting insurance reimbursements.

Associate’s degree

1. Technologists (MRI, radiologic, cardiovascular): Operate imaging equipment to produce diagnostic images; prepare and position patients.
2. Diagnostic medical sonographers: Specialize in ultrasounds, including patient communication, equipment operation, and image analysis for diagnostic purposes.
3. Therapists (radiation, respiratory): Administer treatment to patients; radiation therapists deliver radiation doses, while respiratory therapists give oxygen and help patients manage breathing problems.
4. Occupational/physical therapy assistants: Help provide treatments as directed by occupational/physical therapists.
5. Dental hygienists: Perform dental cleanings and work with dentists to ensure patient tooth and gum health.
6. Medical laboratory technicians: Conduct routine laboratory tests on biological specimens, including fluids and tissue samples, under the supervision of a lab scientist.
7. Veterinary technologists and technicians: Perform animal medical procedures, including x-rays and medication administration, under a veterinarian’s supervision.

Bachelor’s degree

1. Medical lab scientists: Conduct in-depth analyses of biological specimens, supervise laboratory technicians, and ensure test result accuracy.
2. Dietitians and nutritionists: Develop personalized nutrition plans to improve patient health and well-being.
3. Exercise physiologists: Develop exercise programs to help treat injuries, manage chronic conditions, and improve overall health.
4. Medical dosimetrists: Plan and manage radiation therapy for cancer patients, optimizing treatment effectiveness and minimizing healthy tissue damage.
5. Recreational therapists: Develop recreation-based treatment programs to improve patients' physical and emotional health through activities like sports, art, and music.
6. Registered nurses: Provide comprehensive patient care, including assessment, medication administration, monitoring, and physician/medical team consultation. 

Master’s degree

1. Athletic trainers: Help treat patients, including athletes, with bone and muscle injuries by providing immediate care and creating rehabilitation programs.
2. Genetic counselors: Leverage DNA tests and medical histories to evaluate patients for genetic conditions and congenital abnormalities.
3. Advanced practice registered nurses: Provide advanced clinical care to patients through specialized roles, including nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners.
4. Occupational therapists: Enable patients to participate in meaningful daily activities by assessing functional limitations and developing personalized interventions.
5. Orthotists and prosthetists: Design and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices such as braces, splints, and artificial limbs to support and improve patient mobility.
6. Physician assistants: Take medical histories, conduct examinations, order tests, and prescribe medication under the supervision of a physician.
7. Speech-language pathologists: Treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders by implementing therapies focused on improving communication and enhancing muscle function.

Doctoral or professional degree (MD, DO, DVM, DDS, Pharm.D)

1. Audiologists: Specialize in treating hearing and balance issues, including treatment plans and progress monitoring.
2. Dentists: Specialize in gum and teeth health, including decay removal, cavity fillings, and tooth restoration.
3. Optometrists: Specialize in eye health, diagnosing and treating eye diseases and evaluating patients for corrective lenses.
4. Pharmacists: Specialize in medications, collaborating with doctors and patients to optimize drug dosage and usage.
5. Physical therapists: Specialize in physical rehabilitation, guiding patients through treatment plans and exercises to improve mobility and reduce pain.
6. Physicians and surgeons: Specialize in patient care within specific medical fields, such as dermatology, neurology, and pediatrics.
7. Veterinarians: Specialize in animal health and treatment, diagnosing illnesses, performing surgery, and prescribing medication.

Charting your path forward

If you're graduating soon and still trying to figure out what’s next, know that there are countless opportunities to start building a career in healthcare. For those applying to four-year universities, look for schools with strong pre-med programs or specialized healthcare degrees. Alternatively, if a bachelor’s degree isn’t right for you, consider your local community college’s associate or certificate programs. Whatever path you choose, remember it’s never too early to gain work experience — or too late to return to school to advance your career.

Want more tips and insights? Check out our full Guide to Your Future In Healthcare here.