If you’re a nurse who’s interested in expanding your skillset and providing more comprehensive patient care, a career as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), otherwise known as a nurse practitioner, might be an ideal choice for you. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to work in healthcare settings from hospitals to primary care practices, completing a wide variety of daily responsibilities, including:  

• Performing physical exams on patients. 
• Creating patient care plans. 
• Ordering diagnostic tests. 
• Prescribing medications. 
• Diagnosing health problems. 
• Evaluating patients’ responses to medical treatments. 
• Consulting with other healthcare professionals. 

Nurse practitioners typically require a master’s degree in an advanced practice nursing field. A graduate credential in medical physiology and pharmacology offers an excellent foundation in several areas of expertise and provides a competitive edge to your resume. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners earn an average annual salary of $125,900. Additionally, the job outlook for this role is expected to increase at an astronomical rate of 38% through the year 2032: exponentially quicker than the average growth rate for all occupations of 3%. 

If you enjoy educating others about the different parts of the body and their physiological processes, a foundation in medical physiology and pharmacology will provide the knowledge needed to become a well-rounded health educator. In this role, you can teach in a variety of settings depending on your audience, including: 

• Universities 
• Community centers 
• Government agencies 
• Hospitals 

While your responsibilities will vary depending on your role, many health educators are responsible for: 

• Developing educational materials on health topics. 
• Conducting outreach programs based on community needs. 
• Teaching individuals or groups about healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices. 
• Creating health plans tailored to the needs of different populations. 
• Advocating for policies that promote well-being and support positive changes in public health.

The BLS states that health educators can expect to make approximately $80,840 per year. In addition, the job outlook for this career is expected to grow by 8% through 2032. 

The life of a surgeon extends far beyond what you might see in medical dramas like “Grey’s Anatomy.” While the path entails attending medical school, completing a surgical residency and working long hours, becoming a surgeon is immensely rewarding, and you’ll play a pivotal role in saving the lives of patients with a wide range of health conditions. 

As a surgeon, you can specialize in various fields, such as pediatrics, cardiothoracic, urology and neurosurgery. Moreover, you can choose from a variety of work environments, including private practice, institutional practices or hospitals. 

As the leader of the surgical team, you’ll have several responsibilities, some of which may include:  

• Examining patients and making diagnoses. 
• Developing preoperative and postoperative care plans for patients. 
• Performing surgeries and managing the surgical team. 
• Reviewing surgery results with patients. 

According to the BLS, surgeons and physicians make approximately $229,300 per year. Furthermore, the job outlook for this esteemed career is expected to grow at a pace of 3% through 2032. 

As a medical writer, you can leverage your understanding of the human body and your writing skills to convey complex medical and scientific information. By obtaining a graduate credential in medical physiology and pharmacology, you’ll gain the essential knowledge and expertise needed to translate intricate medical concepts into accessible content tailored for diverse audiences, including healthcare professionals, patients and the general public.  

Some of the types of documents you can expect to create include: 

• Regulatory documents 
• Scientific publications 
• Educational materials 
• Marketing and promotional materials 
• Clinical trial documentation

The BLS states that technical writers (including medical writers) make an average yearly salary of $79,960. The job outlook for this role is promising, with a faster-than-average growth rate of 7% predicted through 2032. 

Do you envision yourself in a hands-on role where you can assess and treat patients in your chosen specialty? As a physician assistant (PA), you’ll have a role very similar to that of a doctor but with significantly less schooling required.  

Unlike doctors, who complete a longer educational path, physician assistants can typically earn a master’s degree from an accredited PA program in about two to three years. In contrast, doctors must attend medical school for four years before completing several years of residency training in their chosen specialty. As a PA, you’ll work under the supervision of a doctor, but you’ll have plenty of autonomy over patient care and treatment decisions.  

Whether you work in a hospital, family practice or another healthcare setting, here are some of the responsibilities you can expect in this role:  

• Conducting patient exams.  

• Diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses.  

• Creating treatment plans.  

• Ordering diagnostic tests and prescribing medications.  

• Documenting accurate patient information using electronic health records.  

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that physician assistants earn an average of $130,020 per year. In addition, the job outlook for this career is expected to grow by 28% through the year 2033, a rate much higher than the national average.  

CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who specialize in anesthesia. To become a CRNA, you’ll need to first earn a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and gain about a year of practical experience. Afterward, you can enter a nurse anesthesia program, which typically takes three to four years to complete.  

In contrast, anesthesiologists earn a bachelor’s degree, attend medical school, and then complete a four-year residency in anesthesiology. While anesthesiologists are medical doctors who often lead anesthesia care teams, CRNAs are specialists who focus on providing anesthetic care. They can work independently or as part of a care team under the supervision of an anesthesiologist.  

Despite these differences, CRNAs and anesthesiologists share many of the same responsibilities, including:  

• Developing anesthesia care plans tailored to each patient.  

• Administering different types of anesthesia.  

• Monitoring patients’ vitals and adjusting anesthesia levels as required.  

• Overseeing a patient’s recovery after a procedure.  

• Providing follow-up care instructions to patients.  

• Performing epidural and spinal anesthesia for laboring mothers.  

 According to the BLS, nurse anesthetists earn an average yearly salary of $129,480. Due to an increased demand for healthcare services from an aging population, approximately 31,900 jobs are expected each year in the role through 2033, reflecting an impressive growth rate of 40%.  

Whether your passion for teeth goes beyond daily flossing or you’ve simply always imagined owning your own dentistry practice, you’ll play a crucial role in countless lives as a dentist, from children to the elderly. Dentists ensure the health and integrity of our oral hygiene, treating our teeth and gums to ensure they’re functioning at their best.  

To become a dentist, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree and take the dental admission test before being admitted into a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) program. After completing your education, you’ll take part in a two- to four-year residency program related to your specialty, such as orthodontics, pediatrics, endodontics or periodontics.    

While your responsibilities differ depending on your specialty, some of your tasks may include:  

• Conducting dental examinations to determine a patient’s oral health.  

• Developing treatment plans to treat dental issues.  

• Supervising dental hygienists and dental assistants.  

• Addressing dental emergencies.  

• Performing regular teeth cleanings, filling cavities, repairing fractured teeth and performing root canals.  

 The BLS reports that the median salary for dentists is $170,910 per year. In addition, the job outlook is projected to grow by 5% through 2033.  

Would you like to be part of the important team of people who determine if new medications work better than existing treatments? As a biostatistician, you’ll use your skills in statistical analysis, data management and mathematics to analyze clinical trial data, uncover patterns and draw meaningful conclusions that shape the future of medical treatments.  

Whether you work in an academic institution, government agency or in the healthcare industry, some of your responsibilities may include:  

• Collaborating with researchers to design experiments and clinical trials.  

• Using statistical software to analyze a variety of data.  

• Incorporating statistical techniques to interpret findings accurately.  

• Preparing statistical reports to present your findings.  

• Writing publications, research papers and grant proposals.  

 According to the BLS, mathematicians and statisticians earn an average of $104,860 per year. In addition, their job outlook is expected to grow at a rate of 11% through 2033.  

Interested in other potential career ideas in the medical field? Numerous interesting possibilities are waiting to be discovered, including: 

• Medical scientist 
• Clinical research coordinator 
• Biotechnology industry scientist 
• Regulatory affairs specialist