Medical

MEDICAL DEGREE

The healthcare industry and corresponding medical career specialties should see far faster growth than the average of other industries in the coming decade. Medical doctors in all specialties require a medical school degree plus internship training beyond medical school, plus residency experience in a chosen specialty. However, there are many careers within the field of medicine that do not require a medical school degree. Many require only a bachelor’s degree earned in various medical degree programs, and some medical careers require only an associate’s degree or on the job training. Medicine is a broad field with many diverse career paths.

Medical Degree Description

To become a licensed physician or chiropractor, a student must complete extensive schooling beyond a bachelor’s degree. Almost all medical school degree programs require four years of classes beyond the bachelor’s degree, and specialties such as psychiatry, oncology, or internal medicine also require several years of additional training in residency programs after medical school. But, there are many careers in the medical field that do not require a medical school degree.

Every medical specialty requires highly trained support staff to assist the physician in her practice. For example, a dental hygienist works closely with the dentist to provide care to patients’ teeth and gums. Every state has specific educational requirements for dental hygienists, with some requiring only a certificate from an accredited dental hygiene program and others requiring associate’s or bachelor’s degrees. As another example, dietitians, who generally need at least a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science, work closely with doctors such as endocrinologists advising patients on proper nutrition practices to help prevent or treat diseases such as diabetes. Medical degree programs not leading to M.D. degrees are offered by many colleges and universities in such areas as nutrition, dental hygiene, patient advocate work, healthcare administration, and medical records.

Medical Careers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects above average growth in all aspects of the medical field in the coming decade. A medical school degree is the first step towards a career in any of many medical specialties, including those related to care of the elderly which will see rapid growth in the next ten years. Other medical degree programs not leading to an M.D. degree will train workers in all of the support careers necessary for the healthcare system to function.

One career in the medical field that does not require direct contact with patients is medical transcriptionist. Medical records and health information technicians will be in rapidly increasing demand as the entire healthcare system switches to electronic record keeping for patient health histories and business records. A medical transcriptionist can usually start work with an associate’s degree.

The medical field is a large and growing arena for challenging careers in the healthcare industry. People with good interpersonal skills and an interest in science and technology are well suited to medical degree programs leading to good healthcare careers.