A health science degree leads to entry-level work in health education, patient services, clinical research, health administration and medical sales, and it is a common stepping stone to graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, nursing and public health. Many of the best-known health careers need more school after the bachelor’s, so it pays to choose a target early and plan prerequisites around it.
A broad degree, by design
Health science programs usually combine biology, anatomy, physiology and chemistry with health policy, ethics and research methods. That breadth is a strength if you use it to explore, and a problem if you graduate without a direction. The students who do best decide by their second or third year whether they are heading to work or to a graduate program, and which one.
Jobs right after the bachelor’s
- Health educator or community health worker: teaching healthy habits and connecting people to care.
- Clinical research coordinator or assistant: running studies at hospitals and research centers.
- Patient services and health administration: coordinating patient access, scheduling and office operations.
- Medical or pharmaceutical sales: client-facing roles for science-minded communicators.
- Insurance and health plan roles: member services, claims and care coordination support.
- Wellness program coordinator: employers, gyms and community centers.
Some clinical roles add a short training program or credential on top of the degree; see how to become a medical assistant and how to become an EMT. These also build patient care hours for graduate applications.
Health careers that need more school
- Physical therapist: a doctoral program. See how to become a physical therapist.
- Occupational therapist: a master’s or doctorate. See how to become an occupational therapist.
- Physician assistant: a master’s program, often requiring substantial patient care experience. See how to become a physician assistant.
- Nurse: an accelerated nursing program for people with a bachelor’s in another field. See how to become a nurse.
- Dietitian: a graduate degree, supervised practice and a national exam. See how to become a dietitian.
- Athletic trainer: a master’s from an accredited program. See how to become an athletic trainer.
- Imaging and respiratory careers: sonography and respiratory therapy have their own accredited programs.
- Public health and health administration: a master’s for leadership roles.
Plan prerequisites before they plan you
- Pick one or two target programs by your second year and look up their prerequisites. They differ more than students expect.
- Check whether your major’s required courses cover them, and fill gaps with electives.
- Start patient care or observation hours early. Many programs want a significant number, and they take time to collect.
- Keep your science GPA strong, and get help early in hard courses.
- Build relationships with two or three professors who can write recommendations.
A gap year before professional school is common and can make an application much stronger.
The worry everyone has
“What if I do not get into the program I planned for?” Many applicants apply more than once, and many find a related career they like as much. Build a plan B while you work on plan A: an entry-level job you would actually take, or a second program type with overlapping prerequisites. Compare options with nurse vs. physician assistant and PT vs. OT.
“Is health science a useless degree on its own?” No, but its value comes from what you pair it with: a graduate program, a credential or targeted work experience.
If you graduate without a clear next step
- Take a patient-facing job such as medical assistant, scribe, technician or EMT. It earns money and experience at once.
- Shadow two or three professions before committing to another round of applications.
- Retake weak prerequisites if needed, rather than applying again with the same record.
- Set a timeline and follow a weekly plan from our after graduation plan.
For duties and outlook across health careers, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Where a mentor helps
A mentor helps health science students choose a target, map prerequisites and patient care hours semester by semester, prepare applications and stay accountable to a long timeline. Mentors are not premed advisors, admissions counselors or credentialed career counselors. See mentoring for college students and career and education mentoring.
Related
- What can you do with a kinesiology degree?
- What can you do with a public health degree?
- What can you do with a nursing degree?
- Guide to college majors
- What Can You Do With a Graphic Design Degree? Careers and Paths
Common questions
Is health science a good major for PT or PA school?
It can be, if you plan your electives to cover each program’s prerequisites. Programs accept many majors, so prerequisites and experience matter more than the major’s name.
What jobs can I get with only a health science degree?
Health educator, community health worker, clinical research coordinator, patient services and health administration roles, medical sales and insurance roles are common.
How is health science different from public health?
Health science leans toward clinical sciences and prepares many students for clinical programs. Public health focuses on community health, prevention and policy.
Get started
Studying health science and want help planning prerequisites and applications? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.