Medical and health-related studies

The first step in deciding which of the many medical/health related degree programs is for you is to think about the kind of work that appeals to you.

Some jobs in the field – like doctor, surgeon, nurse, chiropractor, audiologist, optometrist, dentist, and veterinarian – are clinical and involve diagnosing and treating patients. There are support positions, such as physician’s assistant, dental hygienist, dental assistant, dietician, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and massage therapist. There are administrative roles, like medical office manager or receptionist, billing assistant, nursing home director, or hospital administrator. There are technical jobs, like radiologist, phlebotomist, medical lab technician, and pharmacy technician. There are jobs in public health, medical ethics, medical illustration, medical information technology, and homeopathic and alternative medicine.

So, whether your interests lie in science and patient care, administration, or technology, there is a suitable medical/health educational track waiting for you.

With so many categories within medical and health-related studies programs, it can be a bit daunting when trying to decide which best fits your interests or career aspirations. To help you decipher the diversity, we're breaking down 26 popular options below:

• Chiropractic Studies

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $58k

  Chiropractic Studies

• Communication Sciences

  Satisfaction:

  Medium

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $44k

  Communication Sciences

• Dentistry

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  N/A

  Dentistry

• Dental Support Services

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $52k

  Dental Support Services

• Health and Medical Administrative Services

  Satisfaction:

  High

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $54k

  Health and Medical Administrative Services

• Medical Assisting Services

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $59k

  Medical Assisting Services

• Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $54k

  Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

• Clinical and Medical Laboratory Science Professions

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $62k

  Clinical and Medical Laboratory Science Professions

• Health and Medical Preparatory Programs

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $70k

  Health and Medical Preparatory Programs

• Medicine

  Satisfaction:

  High

  Avg Grad Salary:

  N/A

  Medicine

• Mental and Social Health Services

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $49k

  Mental and Social Health Services

• Optometry

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $68k

  Optometry

• Opthalmic and Optometric Support Services

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  N/A

  Opthalmic and Optometric Support Services

• Osteopathic Medicine

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $72k

  Osteopathic Medicine

• Pharmaceutical Sciences and Management

  Satisfaction:

  Medium

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $112k

  Pharmaceutical Sciences and Management

• Podiatric Medicine

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $71k

  Podiatric Medicine

• Public Health and Related Studies

  Satisfaction:

  High

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $46k

  Public Health and Related Studies

• Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $62k

  Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

• Veterinary Medicine

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $65k

  Veterinary Medicine

• Medical Illustration and Informatics

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  N/A

  Medical Illustration and Informatics

• Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $47k

  Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services

• Bioethics

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $73k

  Bioethics

• Alternative Medicine and Related Studies

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $54k

  Alternative Medicine and Related Studies

• Midwifery

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $51k

  Midwifery

• Bodywork and Therapeutic Services

  Satisfaction:

  N/A

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $69k

  Bodywork and Therapeutic Services

• Nursing

  Satisfaction:

  Medium

  Avg Grad Salary:

  $63k

  Nursing