Are you interested in providing direct medical treatment to patients (human or animal!)? If so, you might consider exploring clinical health care careers. Clinical health professionals directly support and provide patient diagnosis, treatment, testing, and ongoing care, and they often (although not always) interact with patients face-to-face. Many clinical health roles require a graduate degree, certification, and/or licensing.
Explore Career Paths and Possibilities:
Below is a non-exhaustive list of sample roles for students and alums interested in clinical health professions, including potential internships, post-grad entry points (for individuals with a Bachelors degree), entry points for individuals with a professional degree, and a sample list of Chicagoland organizations focused in clinical health professions. Clinical health professions can be found in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, group or private practices, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, laboratories, academia, and government agencies.
- Clinical Integration Program Intern
- Dental Intern
- Medical Assistant Intern
- Medical Scribe Intern
- Pharmacy Intern
- Pre-Med Intern
- Health Navigator I
- Home Health Aide
- Medical Scribe
- Medical Technologist
- Patient Appointment Coordinator
- Physical Therapy Technician
- Program Coordinator
- Rehabilitation Aide
- Allergist
- Audiologist
- Clinical Psychologist
- Dentist, Dental Hygienist
- Dietician
- EMT and Paramedic
- Massage Therapist
- Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife, Registered Nurse
- Occupational Therapist
- Optician
- Pharmacist
- Physical Therapist
- Physician, Surgeon
- Physician Assistant
- Podiatrist
- Respiratory Therapist
- Sonographer
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Veterinarian
Professional Organizations:
Professional associations offer excellent opportunities for networking, finding jobs and internships, and staying up-to-date on industry issues, trends, and research. Below are a few clinically-focused professional associations to get you started (click here for more tips on how to effectively engage with professional groups).
Transferable Skills:
- Detail-Oriented
- Teamwork
- Flexibility/adaptability
- Verbal communication skills
- Stress management
- Problem-solving skills
- Compassion
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First aid, CPR training, clinical skills (e.g., reading blood pressure), foreign language (hard skills)
DePaul’s Pre-Health Program:
Considering a health-related professional degree? Be sure to
register for DePaul’s Pre-Health Program! The College of Science and Health offers specialized pre-health advising for students interested in a range of health careers, events, and other programs.
Learn more here.