1. CAREERS IN HEALTH SCIENCE

2. Types of Degrees Associate’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree
2 year course of study from community college or vocational/technical school
Bachelor’s Degree
4 year course of study from college/university

3. Types of Degrees Continued
Master’s Degree
Completed one or more year beyond bachelor’s degree from college/university
Doctorate
Completed two or more years beyond master’s degree or several years after bachelor’s degree (can be 4-6 years)

4. Certification - meeting the requirements to earn a certificate by a professional organization
Examples: certified medical assistant, certified nursing assistant, certified dental assistant
Registration - required in some health care careers, a state board or organization administers exam and maintains a list of those qualified.
Examples: registered dietitian, registered respiratory therapist
Licensure - government agency authorizes individuals to work in a certain occupation. Defines their scope of practice. Person completes educational requirements, passes a state board test, and maintains standards.
Examples: physician, dentist, physical therapist, registered nurse

5. CEU’s
Continuing Education Units
Required to renew license
Must obtain hours of education in the specific health area during a specified time

6. Dental Careers
Concerned with health of teeth and soft tissues of mouth
Where do you work in the dental field?
Private dental offices
Laboratories
Clinics dental departments in hospitals, schools, health departments, government agencies

7. Workers in the Dental Field of Health Care
Dentists (DMDs or DDSs) - doctors, diagnose and treat mouth tissues and teeth, perform surgery on the mouth, work to prevent dental disease, supervise the work of other dental workers.
Dental hygienists(DHs) - work under supervision of the dentist, perform exams, clean teeth, take x-rays, perform preventative treatment services
Dental laboratory technicians (DLTs) -make and repair dental prostheses (artificial devices) such as dentures, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances. Specialities in the field include dental ceramist and orthodontic technician
Dental Assistant (DAs) - prepare patients for exams, pass instruments, sterilize instruments, schedule appointments, handle accounts

8. Dental Assistant / Dental Hygienist

9. Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Provide emergency prehospital care to victims of
accidents, injuries, and sudden illness. There are
different EMT levels.
An EMT - P is an emergency medical technician paramedic.
They perform all the basic EMT duties
plus endotracheal intubation, in
depth patient assessment,
drug administration, ECG
interpretation as well as other duties.
Highest level of an EMT.

10. Emergency Medical Services
Places of employment
Fire and police departments
Rescue squads
Ambulance service
Hospital or emergency rooms
Life flight services
Military

11. Emergency Medical Services
First Responder - people that arrive first on the scene of an illness or injury.
Examples: police officers, security guards, fire department, immediate family members.

12. Medical Careers
Broad category that includes physicians and other individuals who work in any of the varied careers under physician supervision
Medical careers focus on diagnosing, treating, or preventing diseases and disorders of human body
Where do you work?
Private practices, clinics,
hospital, public health,
research facilities, and
universities

13. Medical Services LEVELS OF WORKERS:
Physician: examine patients, makes diagnoses, performs
surgery, treats diseases/disorders. Many different
classifications of physicians.
Physician Assistant (PA): work under supervision of
physician, perform exams, treat minor injuries, administer
appropriate treatments
Medical Assistant (MA): works under supervision of
physician, prepares patients for exam, takes vital signs,
assist the doctor with procedures, prepares equipment

14. Mental and Social Services
Basic job duties
Mental services workers deal with mental or emotional disorders
Social workers help people deal with illness, employment, or community problems

15. Mental and Social Services
Places of employment
Hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Home health agencies
Public health departments
Government agencies
Counseling agencies
Drug and alcohol agencies
Prisons

16. Mental and Social Services
Psychiatrists (MD)
Physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illness
Psychologist
Study human behavior
Use knowledge to help individuals deal with problems of everyday living

17. Mental and Social Services
Social workers (also called sociologists, case managers or counselors)
Assist patients who are unable to cope with various problems
Help patients make adjustments to changes
Assistants usually need one or more years of a Health Occupation Educational program

18. Let’s Review !

19. Mortuary Careers
Funeral Director (also called Morticians or Undertakers):
Duties include managing and operating a funeral home.
Work with families, file death certificates, direct all business activity of the funeral home.
Embalmer - prepare and preserve the body, apply cosmetics to body, maintain embalming reports
Mortuary assistant work under the supervision of the funeral director and/or embalmer. They might assist with
preparing the body, driving the hearse, arrange flowers for the viewing...

20. Nursing Careers
Nurses provide care for patients as directed by the physician. Nurses care for the mental, emotional, and physical needs of the patient.
Places of employment:
Hospitals
Rehabilitation/Long-term facilities
Physicians office
Schools – (School Nurse)
Industry
Education – (College, University, etc.)

21. Nursing Careers Level of workers Registered Nurses (RN)
Work under a licensed physician
Provide total care to patients
Administer meds and treatments
Teach health care
Supervise other nursing personnel

22. Nursing Careers Specialties after advanced education
Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) – Perform basic physical exams, order lab tests, refer patients, help set-up treatments, treat common illnesses
Nurse Midwives (CNM) – Provide care for normal pregnancies, examine patient, perform routine test, deliver infant, monitor mother/infant
Nurse Educators – Teach in Health Occupational programs, Schools of Nursing (College or University)
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) – Administer anesthesia, monitor patients during surgery

23. Nursing Careers Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Work under physician or RN
Provide patient care but not to the extent of an RN
Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)
Work under RN or LPN
Provide care such as baths, bed-making, feeding, transfers, etc.

24. Nursing Careers Surgical Technician Work under RN or physician
Prepares the patient for surgery
Sets up the operating room

25. Nutrition and Dietary Services
Dietitians
Manage food service system
Assess patients nutritional needs and plan menus
Teach others proper nutrition
Purchase food and equipment

26. Veterinary Careers Basic description Level of workers
Work with all types of animals
Level of workers
Veterinarian (DVM or VMD)
Animal Technician (ATR)
Veterinarian Assistants

27. Vision Services Basic job duties Levels of workers
Provide care to prevent vision disorders.
Levels of workers
Ophthalmologists ( a medical doctor)
Optometrists
Optometric Technicians
Optician

28. Therapeutic Services
Therapeutic Services are directed toward changing the health status of the patient over time.
Use variety of treatments to help patients who are injured, physically disabled
Direct treatment toward allowing patients to function at full capacity

29. Therapeutic Services
Physical therapist (PT) – Provide treatment for disabling injury. Use exercise, massage. Promote health and prevent injuries.
Physical therapist assistants (PTA) – Work under a therapist. Perform exercises and massage. Assist patients.
Massage therapists – Use massage, body work and therapeutic touch to provide pain relief.

30. Therapeutic Services Types of workers
Occupational Therapist (OT) – Help people with physical developmental disabilities. Use activities to assist a person in ADLs. Direct pt toward helping pts acquire independence.
Pharmacists (PharmDs) – Dispense medications on written orders from Physicians, Dentists. Provide information on drugs and correct ways to use them. Maintain drug records. Assess, plan and monitor drug usage.

31. Therapeutic Services
Respiratory therapists (RT) – Treat patients with heart and lung disorders. Administer oxygen, gases or medication.
Athletic Trainers (ATC)– Prevent and treat athletic injuries. Provide rehabilitation services. Teach proper nutrition. Apply tape or padding to protect body parts.

32. Diagnostic Services Basic job duties Places of employment
professional that performs tests or evaluations
Aid in detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury or other physical conditions
Places of employment
Hospital laboratories
Private laboratories
Doctors offices
Clinics

33. Diagnostic Services Types of workers
Electrocardiograph (ECG or EKG) Technician
Operate EKG machine
Physicians use EKG to diagnose heart disease and to note changes in condition of the patient’s heart
Experienced technicians can also perform stress test, Holter monitoring, and specialized cardiac tests

34. Diagnostic Services Electroencephalographic (EEG) technologists
Operate EEG to record electrical activity of the brain
Phlebotomist
Collect blood and prepare it for testing
May perform blood test in some states

35. Diagnostic Services Radiologic technologist
Work with x-rays, nuclear testing, ultrasound and
MRI

36. Diagnostic Services
Ultrasound techonlogist/sonographers: use equipment to send sound waves into body and record images produced on screen