Introduction to S.T.E.M. Careers: Medicine and Health Sciences What education do you have? Did you always know what you wanted to do? How did you choose your career? What do you like best/worst about your career? Yvonne Eaglehouse, PhD, MPH

What do you think of when you hear “medical careers”?

Health Sciences Public Health Education Physical Sciences (e.g. biology, chemistry) Business & Management Medicine

Careers in the Health Sciences Physical/Occupational Therapist* Nurse/Nurse Practitioner* Emergency Medicine Technician* Physician Assistant* Physician/Surgeon* Psychologist/Psychiatrist* Phlebotomist* Dentist/Hygienist* Personal Trainer/Fitness Instructor* Massage Therapist* Exercise Physiologist* Rehabilitation Specialist* Yoga Therapist* Dietitian* Physical Educator* Genetic Counselor* Careers with direct patient interaction *May require additional certification or licensure after obtaining training or degree

Careers in the Health Sciences Medical Laboratory Technician* Bench Scientist (e.g. microbiologist) Registrar* Healthcare System Administrator Health Policy Writer (e.g. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans) Facilities/Team Manager Occupational or Environmental Medicine Specialist Health Promotion Specialist Public Health Officer (Government/Military) Medical Biller and Coder* Statistician/Analyst Epidemiologist Researcher (Academic/Government) “Behind the scenes” careers *May require additional certification or licensure after obtaining training or degree

Training for Careers in Health Sciences Associate’s Degree/Vocational Training Massage therapy, personal training/fitness instruction, physical therapy assistant, nurse, medical assistant, emergency medicine technician Bachelor’s Degree Health promotion, Public Health Officer, exercise physiologist/rehabilitation, facilities/team management, dietitian, educators, athletic training, physician assistant Master’s or Doctorate Degree Physician/surgeon, physical/occupational therapist, psychologist, advanced practice of any of the above career fields

College/University Majors that Support Careers in Health Sciences Biology Kinesiology Exercise Science Athletic Training Business/Sports Management Health Care Administration Psychology/Sports Psychology Education Public Health Nutrition/Dietetics Physics/Biomechanics/Engineering Information Technology Mathematics/Statistics Chemistry Nursing Medicine

Steps to Prepare for Careers in Health Sciences Take natural sciences classes in high school (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology)… …but don’t forget about math, languages, writing, and social sciences! Shadow health professionals in area of interest Complete internships during high school and college/university Explore introductory classes at community college Volunteer Ask questions! Take a CPR and first aid class…. Find out if you like emergency medicine, can handle blood/needles, etc.

Pursing a Career in Health Sciences Requires… Patience Compassion Organization Communication (written and spoken) Passion and interest Commitment Desire to help others Reasoning Judgement Independence Teamwork Honesty Integrity

The Rewards of Health Science Careers Salary A person could earn anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000+ per year in a health science career Salary depends on skills, training, services provided, and years of experience E.g. In NC, the average yearly salaries for medical careers are: ~$29,000 for certified medical assistant ~$56,000 for registered nurse ~$75,000 for healthcare systems administrator ~$175,000 for family physician Helping Others!

Snapshot of Health Careers in North Carolina Colleges and Universities with Advanced Health Science Programs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Duke University North Carolina State University-Raleigh Wake Forest University Employers in North Carolina North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Healthcare systems (e.g. UNC Health Care, WakeMed, Duke, Norvant) Research/Medical Universities (see list above) Private medical practices, ambulance services, other businesses Many science majors (biology, chemistry, physics) and business programs are offered at public and private universities throughout the state. Ask your guidance counselor or teachers for help identifying schools that offer the undergraduate programs you are interested in!

Questions?

My Personal Journey High School Biology, Chemistry, Physics, AP Chemistry Knew I wanted to do cancer research, but didn’t know from what angle University (undergraduate) Biology major, Chemistry minor Contemplated nutrition and dietetics and medicine Post-university Enrolled in medical technology program Withdrew before start due to change in interest/direction

My Personal Journey Post-university Interest in exercise, health, and wellness Pursued opportunities in personal training and fitness Graduate School Master’s program in exercise science Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation Physical therapy Master’s/Doctoral program in epidemiology and public health Diabetes prevention through lifestyle change (diet, physical activity, weight management) Behavioral change theories

My Personal Journey Post-graduate Postdoctoral Scholar Researched association between physical activity and colorectal cancer risk Directed pilot study of lifestyle change program for breast cancer survivors Health Services Researcher Design and conduct studies looking at health services indicators (e.g. insurance coverage, care source, time to treatment) and cancer outcomes Look at how metabolic disorders (e.g. diabetes) affect health services, cancer treatment, and clinical outcomes Determine which patients may benefit most from lifestyle change following cancer diagnosis

Thank you!