Often, healthcare jobs are as much about relationships as they are about the science. Nurses certainly spend tons of time learning the science of medicine, but so much of what they do involves deeply personal interactions between themselves and their patients.
What jobs are optimal for people who like the idea of giving back to their communities but are more focused on the science? In fact, there are many such positions. Where you take your passion for science will depend on what interests you and in what role you’d like to serve your community.
In this article, we take a look at several of the most science-based healthcare careers, particularly those that can help at the community level.
Pharmacist
To the untrained eye, a pharmacist might seem quite a lot like your average clerk. After all, aren’t they the ones who ring you up at the pharmacy when you go to buy medication? And sometimes you even slip bandages or ointment into the transaction, making them quite like anyone else who works at a Walgreens. Isn’t that the case? Not quite.
For one thing, the person who checks you out at the pharmacy counter is actually generally a technician, not the pharmacist themselves. Even when the pharmacist does ring up the transaction, it’s only the very smallest part of their responsibilities.
These are important members of the healthcare community performing complex jobs that keep millions of people across the country safe. Not only do they communicate information about medications, but they also help doctors identify possible negative interactions and protect patients against side effects. It’s also worth keeping in mind that for many people, pharmacists are their primary point of contact with the healthcare system.
Imagine, if you will, a 78-year-old widow living in rural America. She has a myriad of medications that she takes every day. She lives 30 miles from the nearest hospital—and, consequently, her doctor. She can’t drive very far on her own and struggles to make regular appointments. However, she can get out and about around town and frequently visits the local pharmacy. It’s there that she picks up her medication, and it’s also there that she has her most frequent encounters with healthcare professionals—the pharmacist. If she doesn’t have those interactions, she might be in trouble.
Pharmacists are absolutely healthcare heroes, and what’s more, they require a very scientifically oriented mind to do their jobs correctly.
Pharmacists must understand complex chemistry and biology to ensure medications are safe and effective for each individual patient. They need to calculate precise dosages, evaluate potential drug interactions, and interpret clinical data to guide treatment. Their scientific training allows them to make informed decisions that can prevent harmful side effects and even save lives.
Community Health Professional
Community health leaders are focused less on individual outcomes and more on securing the best results for the community at large. Often, this requires a scientific understanding of healthcare because so many of the factors that might pose a threat at the community level are complicated and nuanced.
Some might be biohazards caused by local sources of pollution. To that extent, understanding hazardous materials and the risks they pose is essential. Others might be more data-specific. For example, a community health leader might examine major risk factors in the community, such as respiratory illness caused perhaps by high incidents of smoking or a local factory. They might also look at trends in obesity or type 2 diabetes. Their work might even direct them towards improving vaccination rates.
Specialized Nursing Certification
It’s also worth keeping in mind that there are many specialization routes in nursing, with a keener focus on the scientific elements of the profession. Naturally, all nurses need a solid grasp of science, but certain careers emphasize information more than direct patient care.
Epidemiology nurses are a good example. They look into diseases and develop solutions for communities. They played a big role in helping local environments manage the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Infection control nurses do similar work, but focus on micro-environments like hospitals or public schools. There are also occupational health nurses who work in corporate settings to help improve employee health as it relates to risk factors inherent to specific jobs.
And one can’t forget the role of informatics nursing. Informatics nurses focus on data sets. Their job is to help improve efficiency and boost patient outcomes by recommending improved processes.
The route to specialization can vary slightly based on the job, but generally does not require graduate school. Often, you can begin working in your new position while you work on the certification. In fact, this tends to be a requirement, because many specialized certifications demand work experience before you can complete the program.
Conclusion
There are a million different ways to enjoy a career in healthcare. We only referenced those that are more on the patient side of care. None of this even takes into account the major role that administrators play in shaping the experience of their communities.
While these positions do focus more on the business management end of the work, there is certainly still a major emphasis on scientific understanding.
It’s very common for people to churn out of healthcare before fully exploring all of their options. Don’t put yourself in a box. If you are passionate about helping others there are literally dozens of directions you can take your career in healthcare.
