Exploring Medical & Health Careers Resources

Pre-Med, Nursing, and Medical-Other are 3 of the top 10 interest areas identified by students on the ACT. But in a sector with literally hundreds of different careers, how can we help each student successfully navigate their own path? After participating in this panel, participants will be able to: compare and contrast a the breadth of medical and health career options available to students explain at least three experiences that are essential components of medical/health undergraduate program (clinical experience, undergraduate research, internship) list at least one online resource and one contact person as a resource for additional exploration of medical/health careers

Watch the Virtual Panel

Download the Virtual Panel Handout

---

Resources about Medical and Health Careers and Majors

• O*Net Online - https://www.onetonline.org/

• Healthcare Occupations at US Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm 

• UNI Biology Overview of Pre-professional Careers https://biology.uni.edu/pre-professional-programs

• American Medical Society - Which undergraduate majors are best for medical school? [April 11, 2019] 

• Information for Students Interested in Speech and Communication Disorders Careers (Dr. Nelson shared this link)

• Articles about the Nurcing Gap:  The World Needs 6 million nurses, Iowa needs more nurses (CR Gazette Article)

• Non-4-year degree medical professions - Iowa needs Clinical Lab Techs (IC Press-Citizen Article, only available to subscribers)

Stories about students majoring in medical and health programs at UNI

• UNI Student shares her experiences in the 3+1 UNI/Allen College Medical Laboratory Science Program [UNI STEM Story, Biology, Pre-professional]
• UNI student researches cure for the cancer that claimed sister's life [Inside UNI, Preprofessional Biology, UR, Volunteer]
• UNI biology major finds opportunity in remote research [Inside UNI, Biology, UR]
• UNI public health professors help fight COVID-19 [Inside UNI, Public Health, Faculty Research into classroom]
• UNI undergrad discovers long-sought gene [Inside UNI, Biology, in class research, pre-professional]
• Communicating Her Research [UNI STEM Story, Communication Sciences and Disorders, UR]
• Coding Across Disciplines [UNI STEM Story, Physics with Biology/Comp Sci UR]
• With state's first master's degree program, UNI athletic training makes big impact [Inside UNI]
• UNI: A Path to Medical School [Inside UNI, Biology & Chemistry and Biochemistry, UR in Physics]
• Heart of the Athletic Training Program [UNI STEM Story, Athletic Training, Laboritories]
• Making her own path [UNI STEM Story, Biology/Env.Science, UR, 1st Gen College Student]
• A Positive Outlook [UNI STEM Story, Biology, UR]

Inside UNI is the online resource about the successes of UNI faculty, staff, and students.  UNI STEM Undergraduate Stories are written specifically for a secondary audience, to help students learn more about their options, discover what it is like to be a college student, and envision posibilities for their future selves.

---

Ideas for helping K12 students pursue medical/health careers

• encourage them to take exploritory classes or tracks
• arrange job shadows or observations
• encourage math all 4 years of high school; statisitcs is good!
• volunteer and be involved in student organizations
• encourage students who want to help people or make the world a better place to think about health careers
• encourage students who want a stable career or want to pick where they live to consider a health career
• invite guest speakers to talk about their path/career
• share that there are health careers which require only a certificate after high school through PhD programs
• remind them that it's ok not to know exactly what you want to do; there is time to explore in Community College or at University
• when they are looking for a higher education option, encourage them to do a campus visit and to ask about laboratories, undergraduate research opportunities, internships, clinical experience and other student experiences

---

Medical/Health Majors (UNI broad list, 2020)

Athletic Training and Rehabilitation Studies, B.A. Biochemistry, B.A. Biochemistry, B.S. Biology, B.A. Biology, B.S. Biology: Biomedical, B.A. Chemistry, B.A. Chemistry, B.S. Communication Disorders, B.A. Environmental Resource Management: Ecosystems, B.A. Environmental Resource Management: Geosystems, B.A. Environmental Resource Management: Environmental Compliance, B.A.

Family Services, B.A. Gerontology: Long Term Care, B.A. Gerontology: Social Sciences, B.A. Public Health and Education: Community Nutrition, B.A. Public Health and Education: Global Health and Humanitarian Assistance, B.A. Public Health and Education: Science-Intensive Environmental Health, B.A. Public Health and Education: Wellness and Fitness, B.A. Public Health and Education: Women’s Health, B.A. Leisure, Youth and Human Services, B.A. Mathematics: Statistics/Actuarial Science, B.A. Movement and Exercise Science, B.A. Psychology, B.A.

 

Medical and Health Related Student Organizations at UNI

Active Minds  Advocates for Alzheimers Awareness  Best Buddies  Deaf Cultural Experience  Mental Health Council  National Student Speech Language Hearing Association  Northern Iowa Wishmakers  Physical Education Club  Pre-Dental Club  Pre-Medical Club  Pre-Occupational Therapy Club  Pre-Physician Assistant Club  Pre-Veterinary Club

Relay For Life - UNI  Shine On Inc Spectrum Buddies Sport and Exercise Psychology Club Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society Student Athletic Training Organization Student Health Advisory Committee Student Organ Donation Advocates - UNI Chapter Student Public Health Association Therapeutic Recreation Association Tri Beta Biological Honor Society Women in Healthcare Women in STEM

 

 

 

 

-back to Resources for STEM Educators-