Medical Careers

For those looking for undergraduate medical careers, there are many options available. There are dozens and dozens of possibilities, with each requiring different education, skills and personality types. Medical careers, especially those as a doctor or specialist, require medical school, while nurses and medical assistants require only a community college, or vocational school, education. For a lot of these jobs a undergraduate degree

Some types of medical careers are narrowly focused and limited to caring for only one specific body part. For example, dentists care for teeth; audiologists check the health of patients’ ears and hearing ability; and optometrists check for problems of the eye. Because these medical careers are so specialized, they require students to attend special schools in order to receive a degree to practice. In addition to a degree, most states require the students to pass a written and clinical exam.

There are some medical careers that help patients prevent serious health problems before they occur. For example, dietitians help patients manage their diet and eating habits so they can reduce their fat or sugar intake; dietitians often specialize in helping those who are overweight or diabetic. Medical careers in the chiropractic field focus on helping patients with spine problems. Spine problems often can affect other parts of the body and make patients more susceptible to disease, so treating spine problems early on helps the entire body feel well. Although chiropractic care is considered alternative medicine, extensive research and changing attitudes about chiropractic care have caused increases in opportunities.

Physicians and surgeons have demanding careers. These medical careers require extensive schooling and long hours, but in return, earn the highest salaries of any career, medical or otherwise. Education involves a bachelor’s degree, completion of a four-year program in medical school and then an internship and residency, which can take up to 18 years. Many physicians and surgeons work as family, or general, practitioners, although some focus on a specialty, such as obstetrics, pediatrics, internal medicine or psychiatry. Physicians and surgeons usually work in group practices on a salary.