There’s always a need for healthcare professionals since it is a foundational need like food and shelter. Healthcare has turned into a booming industry today and it’s easy to see why. People would always place health as their number one priority no matter what financial obstacles they face.

Over the years, healthcare has vastly grown and become complex due to its necessity in human life and as a result, career options for healthcare professionals have grown with it. While some healthcare roles require years and years of education and extensive practice, there are some that require only an Associate degree. An associate degree in the field of health sciences can be earned in two years and leads to some very rewarding career options.

If you aim to become a successful healthcare professional – helping people fight illness and injury – then continue reading and find out all about some of the amazing career paths you can follow with an Associate Degree in the health sciences field.

There are multiple options for associate’s degree in health sciences including pharmacy, counselling psychology, physical therapy and, nutrition and dietetics, all of which could lead to thriving career options in the healthcare field. Once equipped with an associate degree in any of these fields, you can follow one of the various career paths listed below:

1. Pharmacy technician

Among many other occupations, earning an associate degree in clinical pharmacy trains students to become pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy technicians work collaboratively with licensed pharmacists and their primary responsibility is to help pharmacists in dispensing prescription medicine to customers.

The day-to-day duties of a pharmacy technician may include completing a series of tasks, including filling prescriptions for customers after collecting their information, organizing inventory, and measuring medication. In hospitals, it is often a pharmacy technician’s duty to make rounds and give medication to patients. These healthcare professionals are trained to work in pharmacies and drugstores. There are some employment opportunities for pharmacy technicians in hospitals as well.

2. Youth Counsellor

After completing an Associate degree in counselling psychology, an individual can work as a youth counsellor for a variety of employers such as social services agencies, educational institutions and religious organizations.

The job duties of a youth counsellor may vary depending on their employer. Generally, their duties include supervising and interacting with children or teenagers to help them resolve problems and ensure their emotional needs are adequately met. The typical responsibilities of a youth counsellor include interviewing clients and their families, scheduling activities, preparing treatment plans, and completing client paperwork.

3. Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Assistant

A musculoskeletal physical therapy assistant implements various components of patient care in their practice. Under the supervision and direction of a physical therapist, these health professionals provide physical therapist services to patients.

The duties of a musculoskeletal physical therapy assistant include examining patients, collaborating with physical therapists to develop or modify treatment plans, restore patient’s ability to move by helping them perform specific exercises, and devise plan of care for pain management.

4. Dietitian Assistant

Dietitian assistants are trained to handle a series of administrative and clinical duties. They are often the first ones to interact with a patient that walks into a healthcare facility, making these professionals a crucial part of the patient experience. The career of a dietitian assistant can be earned through an associate degree in nutrition and dietetics.

The responsibilities of a dietitian assistant on the administrative side may include scheduling appointments, recording patient information and updating information in the electronic health record of patients. As for clinical duties, dietitian assistants have the responsibility of assisting dietitians in diagnosing and treating nutritional and dietary problems.

These are far from all of the promising career options that you can explore with an associate degree in any of the health sciences fields. If you are having a tough time deciding which of these career paths would be the best option for you, head over to the programs section and learn more about the different programs offered in the health sciences category and how you can get started on your career journey in this steady and growing field.