Health Career Field
Health Monthly Update
Sign up for email updates about jobs, internships, alumni and employer profiles, and more!
The Health industry offers a vast range of career possibilities. There are opportunities in health that focus on art, the environment, business and data and informatics. Explore countless other opportunities here. Over the next several years, healthcare occupations will grow faster than any other field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Healthcare is a popular interest area for CLA students and is one of the top industries that our graduates pursue. Many occupations in healthcare require advanced degrees, so early exploration is key to finding your fit.
Science careers span multiple disciplines, including space sciences, earth sciences, life sciences, chemistry, and physics. Science professionals can be found in most sectors and industries, including government, healthcare, and education. Opportunities and advancement potential will vary based on your level of education, so it is important to think about whether an advanced degree will be necessary to achieve your career goals.
Click to expand each yellow box below for opportunities in this Career Field!
There are a variety of roles in the Health field. As you explore the career information below, consider what type of role may be a good fit for you and how you can not only gain experience related to your field or setting of interest but also gain skills for the particular job role you would like to occupy. To find your fit consider questions like:
Are you interested in the health of individuals, or the health of communities/public?
Do you want to be in a clinical setting, treating and diagnosing patients?
How long do you want to be in school?
Are you interested in research and finding discoveries that impact the treatment of diseases?
Would you like to be in the healthcare industry, but not delivering care?
Explore health careers using sources like the Pre-Health Student Resource Center, CLA Pre-Health, Career Cornerstone Center, CAPE, CAREERwise Education, and O*NET, a free online database that provides career information including job duties, salary, and job growth information for hundreds of careers. You can also watch career profiles of professionals (including UMN alums) who are working in the field of health.
Job Opportunities
Below is a small sampling of organizations that have recruited CLA students, and/or where CLA alumni have found positions. For a more comprehensive list of job openings, search Handshake, a free database of internship, volunteer, and job postings for UMN students.
Entry-Level
Medical Scribe, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
Home Health Aide, ACR Homes
Clinical Review Technician, Prime Therapeutics
Health Information Coordinator, Woodwinds Health Campus
Scheduling Coordinator, Community Dental Care
Public Health Associate, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Health Scientist, Cardno ChemRisk
Health Science Specialist/Research Coordinator, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Campus-Based VISTA, AmeriCorps VISTA College Health Corps
Public Health Assistant, Children’s Dental Services
Anesthesia Technician, Sanford Health
Experienced (advanced degree noted)
Community Outreach Coordinator, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota (MPH)
Physician, Health Partners (MD)
Clinical Psychologist, Community Health Center (PsyD)
Business Director, Loyola University Medical Center (MHA)
Owner, Patent Illustrator (MDI)
Health Services Research Director, Minnesota Department of Health (MPH)
Pediatric Dentist, The Dental Specialists (DDS)
Project Officer, US Department of Health & Human Services (MPH)
Clinical Support Analyst, Scripps Health (MS, Health Care Informatics)
Assistant Clinical Data Analyst, University of Minnesota (MPH)
Physical Therapist, Fairview Health Services (DPT)
Science Job Opportunities
Below is a small sampling of organizations that have recruited CLA students, and/or where CLA alumni have found positions. For a more comprehensive list of job openings, search Handshake, a free database of internship, volunteer, and job postings for UMN students.
Entry-Level
Associate Sample Coordinator, Laboratory Staffing, Inc.
Microbiologist, Vascular Solutions, Inc.
Environmental Stack Testing Technician, Interpoll Laboratories, Inc.
Chemist, Bostik, Inc.
Research Specialist, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Laboratory Technician, Russell Tobin & Associates
Associate Biomedical Scientist, AtriCure, Inc.
Geologist, Basin Geologic Consulting, Inc.
Clinical Research Coordinator, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation
Environmental Consultant, Earth Services & Abatement (ESA), Inc.
Assistant Scientist, UMN Medical Center
Project Manager, Pace Analytical
Field Research Supervisor, Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
Experienced (advanced degree noted)
Associate Scientist, Pfizer (MS Chemistry)
Clastic Reservoir Geologist, Badley Ashton (MS Geological Sciences)
Water Quality Specialist, Houston Engineering, Inc. (MS Biology)
Seek out opportunities, such as those listed below, to develop the 10 Core Career Competencies. Analytical & Critical Thinking, Oral & Written Communication, Ethical Reasoning & Decision Making, Teamwork & Leadership, and Engaging Diversity are especially valued in the Healthcare & Science fields.
Internships & Part-Time Jobs
Determine what type of experience would be most beneficial for the path you plan to pursue. Read about different types of experiences through the Pre-Health Student Resource Center. Below is a small sampling of organizations and their positions where CLA students have done internships and part-time jobs in the past. For a more comprehensive, search Handshake, a free database of internship, volunteer, and job postings for UMN students or search for on-campus jobs. As you are looking at opportunities, please keep in mind there are CLA Internship Scholarships you can apply for!
Medical Scribe, Scribe America
Pre-Physician Assistant Intern, ACR Homes
Research Associate, Hennepin County Medical Center
Intern, Minnesota Department of Health
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Mayo Clinic
Medical Intern, Masonic Children’s Hospital
Research Assistant, Firpo Lab
Intern, Fairview
Young Adult Representative, Minnesota Department of Health
Medical Devices Intern, Medical Devices Center University of Minnesota
Intern, Children’s Dental Services
Minnesota Center for Chemical and Mental Health, Research Assistant
Behavioral Analyst, Steps Therapy
Research Intern, Regions Hospital Critical Care Research Center
Psychiatric Intern, Clinica Lopez Ibor
Senior Clinical Research Intern, HealthPartners Neuroscience Center
Volunteer
The Center for Community-Engaged Learning has advising staff that will help you get connected to one of the 300+ community organizations that match your interests.
Research
Undergraduate research is valuable for anyone pursuing an advanced degree, especially in the sciences. There are many ways to participate in research at the University of Minnesota, so be sure to explore them all.
Join a Student Group
Consider getting involved with a student group. Student groups can often help connect you to shadowing, volunteer, and research opportunities related to your interests.
Go Abroad
Connect with the Learning Abroad Center!
CLA Career Field Internship Abroad Spotlight | Health
Gain experience in healthcare by interning abroad! Deepen your cross cultural understanding by living, learning and interning abroad.
Program: Cross Cultural Health in Spain
Location: Toledo, Spain
Examples of Healthcare related internship sites in Toledo
- ADEMTO (Multiple Sclerosis Association of Toledo)
- National Hospital for Paraplegics
- Association of Parkinson in Toledo
- Department of Physiotherapy and Nursing at University of Castilla-La Mancha
This is just one of many internship abroad programs you can engage in through the Learning Abroad Center. Visit the LAC’s Internships Abroad page to learn more about programs where you can gain experience in healthcare or other career fields of interest.
Other Locations with a strong Healthcare & Science focus to explore
Comparative Healthcare and Intern in London
All MSID Programs
Short-Term & Gap Year Resources
UMN Health Careers Center-gap year
Short-Term Opportunities- Yale College
Job & Internship Search Sites
Handshake - search this free database of internship, volunteer, and job postings for UMN students, you can filter by your career interests to find opportunities that connect with your career goals
Mayo Clinic Jobs and Internships
Association of American Medical Colleges
National Institute of Health-training programs
Building relationships, also known as networking, is another important strategy, click the "Building Relationships" gray box below for advice for how to approach this!
Talk to Professionals
Networking can help you explore a career field; start by doing informational interviews which is when you set up a time to have a discussion who are in organizations or professions that are of interest to you to ask questions about their career path. Then, find opportunities to observe (or Job Shadow) these professionals at work so you can get a better sense of what that career would be like. Find alumni and professionals to speak with by searching the free to use Maroon & Gold Network which allows students to do highly tailored searches to find alumni and professionals in the community who share their specific career interests. For example, you can browse the network to find individuals who are willing to share insights by industry, college, major, degree type, employer, location and more. You can also find contacts by using the LinkedIn Alumni Tool.
Professional Organizations
Get involved with one or more professional organizations to gain career insights, search for jobs and internships, attend conferences, and/or connect with people in this career field.
American Public Health Association
“Healthcare is a very large area so it is important to flesh out where you see your fit. It is different from traditional business settings and is very values-driven so it is important to find your passion. Never stop learning. Establish a mentor and network of professionals. Most direct care patient roles require a specific degree from an accredited school and/or a specific certification/license.” -Allina Health, representative
“Volunteer and internship/clinical experience are very valuable. Use your network. Especially in our clinical roles, we hire many entry-level professionals from the students who impressed us during their clinical rotations.” -Allina Health, representative
"There is a wide range of positions in the healthcare industry that range from lab positions, healthcare management, public health, being a healthcare provider, and more! Utilize your resources on campus at the U to network with current healthcare workers, fellow students interested in healthcare, and your advising offices to narrow down your desired role within the field. Get involved through volunteering, shadowing, internships, research, clubs on campus, etc. will help guide your path towards the right career for you." -EPPA Medical Scribe Program, representative
"Spend time prior to applying for jobs/internships to research the type of role and job duties that you want to gain experiences in. Work with your career services office to find local reputable employers, interview prep, and update any resume or application materials prior to applying. Job postings may be found in various places - GoldPass powered by Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed, specific company websites, and possibly through a network contact who you have met previously! Some healthcare positions will require a certain level of education and licensure, however, there are many entry level roles within the field. Be sure to review the position requirements prior to applying!" -EPPA Medical Scribe Program, representative
Below is a list of some CLA courses that may help you explore and/or prepare for this career field. This list is not all inclusive. Please discuss your academic and career interests with your Academic Advisor for guidance.
Pre-Health Courses via the Pre-Health Resource Center note: not all courses are in CLA
Medical Anthropology, ANTH 3306W
Introduction to Health Psychology, PSY 3206
Principles of Health Communication Strategy, JOUR 3757
Internship in Earth and Environmental Sciences, ESCI 3896
Capstone Project in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, SLHS 3402W
Principles of Geocomputing, GEOG 3541
Principles of Cartography, GEOG 3511
Humanistic Healthcare and Communication, WRIT 3405W
Writing on Issues of Science and Technology, WRIT 3152W
Professional Skills Development for Biomedical Scientists, PHSL 4242
Physiology and Medicine, PHSL 2041
Computer Applications in Earth & Environmental Sciences, ESCI 3403
Laboratory-Based Physics for Teachers, PHYS 3071W
Sociology of Health and Illness, SOC 4246
Comparing Healthcare Systems, SOC 3446
CLA Career Management Courses, including internship reflection courses
You may also want to consider taking courses in Astrophysics, Physics, Biology, Society & Environment, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, Statistics, Physiology, and/or Public Health. There is not one major or minor that will prepare you for this field as there are many pathways.
Graduate Coursework
For a deeper study on a specific discipline within this field, you may want to consider graduate school programs to enhance your expertise, or for some professions, an advanced degree is required. Additionally, you can search for graduate school programs use the Grad School Directory or Peterson's Guide.