Health Careers List for Majors in the Biomedical Sciences

At Missouri State University, the Department of Biomedical Sciences offers majors in : biomedical sciences, dietetics, and the clinical laboratory sciences. In addition, the department provides coursework for students in other majors who are seeking health and medical careers or careers in the biomedical sciences.

The following list of health careers is provided for those who are beginning to explore possible careers in the health professions. It is designed to show the multitude of opportunities in the health care industry. The selection of a health career is a very important decision in one's life.

First, the process of making a career decision requires a knowledge of oneself. Ask these reflective questions:

  • What are your abilities, skills, and attributes?
  • What particular attributes represent your strengths?
  • What particular attributes represent your weaknesses?
  • Are your weaknesses innate or can they be ameliorated with strategies?
  • How much of an investment in time and resources are you willing to commit to reach a career goal?
  • To what extent do you expect your career to be involved in your other life activities?
  • What types of daily activities do you require to be interested, happy, productive, and satisfied in a career environment?

Second, career decisions require a knowledge of the abilities, skills, and attributes that are required for a chosen career. This necessitates that a student perform a very close investigation of a chosen career. Such investigations should include interviews with multiple individuals in which the pros and cons of the career are explored. It should include several shadowing or mentorship experiences in which the student observes and experiences the activities of the average workday in that career.

This listing is divided into major health care categories with more specialized career under each category. As a beginning point, students should use specific career listings in web search engines to locate information on a particular career. At Missouri State University, the Academic Advising and Transfer Center maintains literature on the major health professions and provides career advice and counseling. The center is located at the corner of Florence and Madison and student consultations are by appointment. The US Government Online Bookstore of the US Government Printing Office publishes a wide variety of career guides over time. One survey guide put out by the National Health Council , 270 Ways To Put Your Talent To Work in the Health Field, provides a summary description of various health careers. It also includes the education required to enter a particular career, and information on the salary and future outlook for that career. Do not forget the various health care advisors on campus. A list of advisors for many of the major health professions is available in the Advisor Referral Guide, published annually by the Missouri State University Academic Advising and Transfer Center. Advisors for various health professions are found under the "Health Professions" category under the listings for the various natural and applied science departments at Missouri State University.

I. Medical careers:

Allopathic Physician (MD)
Osteopathic Physician (DO)

Physician Specialties:

Surgery
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Thoracic Surgery
Anesthesiology
Family Practice
Internal Medicine
Pediatrics
Neurosurgery
Plastic Surgery
Psychiatry
Preventative Medicine
Urology
Radiology
Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation
Ophthalmology
Allergy/Immunology
Emergency Medicine
Neurology
Orthopedic Surgery
Colon/Rectal Surgery
Otolaryngology
Pathology
Nuclear Medicine
Anesthesiology

Podiatrist
Ophthalmologist
Physician Assistant

II. Emergency medicine:

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)-Basic
Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate
Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic

III. Dentistry:

Dentist
Specialties within dentistry:

Orthodontist
Endodontist
Oral (and Maxillofacial) Surgeon
Oral Pathologist
Dental Public Health
Pediatric Dentistry
Periodontist
Prosthodontist

Dental Hygienist (registered) RHD
Dental Assistant
Dental Laboratory Technician

IV. Instrumentation technology:

Respiratory Therapist
Radiologic Technologist

Radiographer
CT Technologist
MRI Technologist

V. Public health:

Biostatistician
Environmental Scientist
Epidemiologist
Public Health and Program Specialist
Occupational Safety Specialist
Nutritionist
International Health Specialist
Health Educator
Health Services Administrator
Biomedical and Laboratory Practitioner

Immunology
Physiology
Biomedical Laboratory Science
Biology Sanitation
Pathobiology/Pathology
Laboratory Practice
Microbiology
Parasitology
Virology
Chemistry Sanitation

VI. Health service administration:

Health Service Administrator

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Assistant Administrator
Long Term Care Administrator

VII. Clinical laboratory workers:

Medical Technologist
Medical Laboratory Technician
Cytotechnologist
Histologic Technician and Histotechnologist
Phlebotomist
Blood Bank Technologist

VIII. Science and engineering:

Health Scientist

Anatomist
Botanist
Ecologist
Geneticist
Microbiologist
Chemist
Biochemist
Medical Scientist
Health Physicist

Food Scientist
Biomedical Engineer

Bioinstrumentation
Systems Physiology
Rehabilitation Engineering
Medical Imaging
Orthopaedic Bioengineering
Biomaterials
Biomechanics
Cellular Biomedical Engineering
Tissue Engineering
Genetic Engineering
Clinical Engineering
Tissue Culture Technician

Biomedical Equipment Technician
Occupational Safety Specialist

Industrial Hygienist
Safety Engineer
Risk Manager
Environmental Manager
Occupational Health and Safety Technologist

IX. Pharmacy:

Pharmacist

Community Pharmacist
Home Care Pharmacist
Hospital Pharmacist

Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacologist

Neuropharmacologist
Veterinary Pharmacologist
Chemotherapy Specialist
Molecular Pharmacologist
Cardiovascular Pharmacologist
Biochemical Pharmacologist
Clinical Pharmacologist
Endocrine Pharmacologist

X. Nursing:

Homemaker-Home Health Aide
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Nursing Aide/Assistant/Orderly
Registered Nurse

Hospital Nurse
Public Health Nurse
Occupational Health Nurse
Industrial Nurse
Head Nurse/Supervisor
Office Nurse
Nursing Home Nurse
Home Health Nurse

Certified Nurse-Midwife
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Nurse Practitioner

Adult Health NP
Family Health NP
Acute Care NP
School Health NP
Gerontological Health NP
Womens Health NP
Pediatric Health NP

XI. Therapy and rehabilitation:

Speech-Language Pathologist
Specialist for the Visually Impaired

Orientation and Mobility Instructor
Rehabilitation Teacher
Special Education of Children

Rehabilitation Counselor
Recreational Therapist
Audiologist
Athletic Trainer

Kinesiologist

Creative Arts and Activities Therapist

Art Therapist
Music Therapist
Dance Therapist
Horticultural Therapist

Occupational Therapist

Industrial Therapist

Occupational Therapist Assistant
Orthotist and Prothetist

Orthotic/Prosthetic Technician

Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist Assistant

XII. Vision care:

Optometrist
Paraoptometrist

Optometric Assistant
Optometric Technician

Orthopist
Ophthalmic Medical Personnel

Ophthalmic Assistant
Ophthalmic Technician
Ophthalmic Technologist

Dispensing Optician

XIII. Alternative medicine:

Massage Therapy

Craniosacral Therapy
Myofascial Therapy
Reflexology
Sports Massage
Swedish Massage

Acupuncture
Acupressure

Jin Shin
Shiatsu
Acu-Yoga
Do-In

Naturopathic Medicine

Aromatherapy
Ayruvedic Medicine
Biofeedback Therapy
Reiki

XV. Dietetics and nutrition:

Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist

Business Dietitian
Community Dietitia
Consultant Dietitian
Research Dietitian
Educator Dietitian

Dietetic Assistant
Dietetic Technician

XVI. Mental and social health:

(Selected health careers in which some scientific foundation is desirable)

Genetic Counselor
Psychiatric Mental Health Technician
Experimental Psychologist
Developmental Psychologist
Health Care Social Worker
Neuropsychologist

XVII. Dual expertise careers:

Combination careers require expertise and training in two different areas. The following list represents professional titles that most often require a dual expertise.

Biophotographer
Health Sciences Librarian
Medical Illustrator
Health Information Manager
Medical Science, Technical Writer
Health Service Administrator
Genetic Counselor
Public Health
Biostatistician
Epidemiologist
Biomedical Equipment Technician
Occupational Safety Specialist
Orthotist and Prosthetist


For more information

Contact one of the sources found at the beginning of this listing or request advisement from faculty in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Missouri State University.

Department of Biomedical Sciences
Missouri State University
Springfield, Missouri 65897
417-836-5603