More Health Professions
This list is not comprehensive of all other health professions. If interested in learning more about other health professions, please visit the Explore Careers page and schedule a meeting with your Pre-Health Advisor
"Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the body’s main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient’s health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to these structures, particularly to the spinal column. They do not prescribe drugs or perform surgical procedures, although they do refer patients for these services if they are medically indicated."
Chiropractice colleges require at least 3 years of undergraduate education, though most admitted students have a bachelor's degree. Learn more about chiropractors, chiropractic colleges, and prerequisites here.
"Genetic counselors assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions, such as genetic disorders and birth defects."
Genetic counselors often work with:
Individuals who are concerned with genetic disorders during pregnancy or before becoming pregnant.
Individuals diagnosed with a genetic condition and family members
Those seeking advice related to genetic information or with a family history of genetic disorders
Genetic Counselors...
Collect extensive family histories and analyze inheritance patterns to identify high risk individuals
Break down complex genetic/genomic information and explain genetic test results
Provide risk counseling
Educate patients, health care professionals, and the public
Engage in genetics/genomics research
Learn more:
Speech-language pathologists (sometimes called speech therapists) assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Speech, language, and swallowing disorders result from a variety of causes, such as a stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, Parkinson’s disease, a cleft palate, or autism. SLPs are strongly connected with audiologists who focus on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hearing and balance problems.
Dr. Sharon Glennen is an audiology and speech-language pathology professor at Towson University. Hear how she learned about the profession and how her interests have changed over the course of her 30+ year career as an SLP.
"Naturopathic Medicine is a distinct primary health care profession that combines the wisdom of nature with the rigors of modern science. Naturopathic physicians are trained as primary care providers who diagnose, treat and manage patients with acute and chronic conditions, while addressing disease and dysfunction at the level of body, mind and spirit."
"Acupuncture/Oriental medicine (AOM) is an ancient and empirical system of medicine based on the concept of qi (pronounced “chee”), which is usually translated as energy. AOM treatments identify a pattern of energetic imbalance within a patient and redress that disharmony through a variety of therapies that may include acupuncture needling, cupping, acupressure, exercises such as tai ji and qi gong and Chinese herbal preparations. AOM is virtually free of the side effects that accompany many modern medical procedures. As a relatively inexpensive form of treatment, it is especially appropriate for reducing health care costs. The success of acupuncture today is due to its efficacy, remarkable safety record, cost-effectiveness and significant public demand."
Learn more: ExploreHealthCareers.org | accredited AOM school directory | read about an acupuncture student's experience