Health Careers

Exciting and challenging health careers are available in settings from large research hospitals to small rural clinics. If science is one of your interests and you enjoy solving problems and helping people, consider a health related career.

The demand for workers in health related careers is growing at a better than average rate and that demand will continue as the population ages. The shortages the industry is beginning to experience mean career opportunities for students.

Start your journey toward a health related career by enrolling in science, math, and Health Careers courses in high school. After high school you can earn certification or licensure in a program at one of the two-year college campuses or enter a university and build the foundation for a health career that requires a baccalaureate or advanced degree.

Health careers are divided into five career pathways that have common knowledge and skill requirements. These pathways and examples of occupations are shown below.

Therapeutic Services

Anesthesiologist, Athletic Trainer, Audiologist, Chiropractor, Dentist/Dental Assistant, Dietician, EMT, Licensed Practical Nurse, Massage Therapist, Mortician, Occupational or Physical Therapist, Optometrist, Pharmacist/Pharmacy Technician, Physician/Physician Assistant, Registered Nurse, Respiratory Therapist, Surgical Technician, Veterinarian

Diagnostics Services

Cardiovascular Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist/Technician, Cytogenetic Technologist, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Electrocardiographic (ECG) or Electronic Diagnostic (EEG) Technician, Exercise Physiologist, Geneticist, Magnetic Resonance (MR) Technologist, Mammographer, Medical Technologist, Nutritionist, Pathologist, Phlebotomist, Radiologist

Health Informatics

Admitting Clerk, Applied Researcher, Community Services Specialist, Data Analyst, Epidemiologist, Ethicist, Health Educator, Health Information Coder, Health Care Administrator, Medical Assistant, Medical Biller, Medical Librarian, Patient Advocate, Risk Management Coordinator, Transcriptionist

Support Services

Biomedical/Clinical Engineer or Technician, Central Services Administrator, Environmental Health and Safety Administrator, Environmental Services Technician, Facilities Manager, Food Service Manager, Hospital Maintenance Engineer, Industrial Hygienist, Materials Management Specialist, Transport Technician

Biotechnology Research and Development

Biochemist, Bioinformatics Associate or Scientist, Biomedical Scientist, Cell Biologist, Geneticist, Lab Technician, Microbiologist, Molecular Biologist, Pharmaceutical Scientist, Quality Assurance Technician, Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Research Assistant, Toxicologist

Wages for the health care industry are better than average. Examples of wages for North Dakota health related jobs are as follows:

*Source: WAGES for North Dakota Jobs, Occupational Wage Survey 2003 Edition, Job Service North Dakota