High School Students

Have you ever thought about what a day in the life of a brain surgeon, dietitian, or emergency room nurse looks like? Are you curious about how lifestyles and environments influence health? Do you wish underserved communities had more access to health care?

If you said yes to any of these questions, or wonder about what it is like to work in the health profession, you are in the right place to begin exploring more about health careers. When in high school, this is a good time to be curious and ask questions about future career options. This website will give you information and resources to answer some of your health career questions, and hopefully spark more interest to keep exploring this field!

Whether you are considering going to college or doing a special training program after high school, it is important to start thinking about your options and the various health-related professions available to you. What subjects in school do you most enjoy? What are your passions, skills, and talents? Reflecting on what you do like, and don't like, will help you choose a career path that is right for you.

Start you journey to discovering more about the health sciences field by checking out the numerous resources on this website. You may also want to search for pathway programs that give you hands-on experience in the health profession of your choice. Start your search by clicking on "Explore pathway programs" below.

ExporeHealthCareers.org – This interactive website is a collaboration between today’s health professionals and leading health care associations designed to help young persons explore possible careers in health. The site includes health career information and tools to guide preparation for a future career in health care.

HealthCareerPathways.com – The field of health care has a very large number of careers to choose from. This site helps you explore these possibilities by providing information about five different types of health careers, such as direct patient care, imaging and diagnosis, and research and development. As you learn more about these possibilities, you will find detailed profiles for specific types of careers (e.g., physician, dentist, nurse) with additional career resources designed to answer questions such as, “where do I begin, what type of education or experience do I need to become a….?”

AHEC Health Careers Handbook – This 80-page handbook, maintained by the Illinois Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Chicago team, provides career profiles of over 60 different health professions as well as information about education, financial aid, job descriptions, and salary information.

AHEC Health Career Information Sheets – These information sheets, updated annually by the Northwest Illinois AHEC team, are essentially profiles of almost every health care-related type of job, from athletic trainer to veterinary technician. They list the educational requirements for the career, where training is available, employment and salary outlook in Illinois and associated professional organizations.

Health Care Careers (videos) – These videos highlight some health and medical careers. Click on a job to find out what skills and degrees you need, and to get an idea of what a typical workday is like.

Best-Trade-Schools  Whether you’re a recent high school grad, adult changing career paths, or a military veteran, deciding on additional schooling can be difficult. With so many different programs and locations, it becomes even more challenging. Luckily Best-Trade-Schools.net has all the information you need to make the right choice for your education.

How to Prepare for a Healthcare Career as a High School Student You may be young, but you know you want a career helping others. You admire our healthcare professionals, and feel ready to start preparing to join their ranks. If this sounds like you, high school can be a great place to begin building your foundation in healthcare. With the right classes, some extracurriculars, and a deep motivation to achieve your aspirations, your healthcare future could be closer than you think. Keep reading to learn what you can do to set yourself up for success in the medical field and take away expert advice on aligning your high school education with your career goals in healthcare.

Best Schools for Online Healthcare Education Programs How does online and hybrid learning work in medical and healthcare education? Which schools and programs are the best? What do you need to know before you apply and enroll? Find the answers you need here.

Explore pathway programs