Other Health Professions

There are many opportunities for fulfilling careers in the health professions. We welcome you to explore the information in this section to learn about the many ways in which you could make a difference through your work in healthcare.

Most people are familiar with the roles of doctors and nurses because we interact with these healthcare professionals so frequently throughout our lives. Fewer college students are aware of the many professionals who provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and administrative services as essential components of a healthcare team. The cytotechnologist, the respiratory therapist, and the radiographer all fill critical needs in providing vital healthcare services. If you plan to pursue a career in healthcare you will need to know about the work of all these professionals, their training and educational backgrounds, and the services they provide.

There are many different types of healthcare fields, from those that emphasize laboratory science to those that emphasize direct patient care. You should carefully consider your individual abilities and interests in making career decisions. For many health fields, very strong abilities in the sciences may be required. Many fields involve direct patient care, and require highly developed interpersonal and communication skills.

The term Allied Health Professions is sometimes used as a subcategory of health professions. Allied Health Professionals perform diagnostic procedures, provide therapeutic services, and patient care as part of a caregiving team.

Professional practice in some health professions requires only an undergraduate (associate's or bachelor's degree), while for others many years of study beyond the undergraduate level and the completion of a graduate-level degree is required. You may complete the requirements for admission on the Indiana University Bloomington campus in order to apply for admission to any of the types of programs listed below. Admission to most health professions programs is very competitive. You will need to plan carefully and prepare systematically to be successful in gaining admission.

In addition to completing coursework, shadowing and other professional development activities are crucial parts of the process of choosing and ultimately pursuing any career path.

The lists below reflect healthcare programs for which HPPLC provides specific advising and other services. There are numerous other healthcare or healthcare-related professions, and students interested in this general career area should consider doing additional research as they make their career and program decisions.

Please explore the information below to learn more about specific health professions. If you are curious to look into additional possibilities, look through our Health Professions Descriptions handout.

[For a list of many more health-related majors, minors, certificates, and programs available on the IU Bloomington campus for which the HPPLC office does NOT provide advising, click here. ]

Related Programs and Majors

• Other Health-Related Majors And Programs available at IU