The Medical Profession is Changing – Here’s What to Look for

Thinking about a career in medicine? Before you take that first step onto your college campus, have an idea of what track you want to specialize in and keep informed of the latest industry trends so you can start building a foundation toward the right med school for you. Here’s the latest in the ever-evolving, rewarding, and challenging landscape of medicine, medical schools, and careers:

Career Trends : According to USnews.com, dentists are some of the highest paid professionals in the health care industry. Taking the #1 spot for top health care jobs of 2015 due to comfortable salaries and healthy life-work balances, there are expected to be 23,000 new job openings for dentists this year alone. If you would prefer a different track, nurse practitioners and physicians trail close behind, although the latter profession requires many years of intensive study and long hours. Business Insider projects that jobs for audiologists (specialists that diagnose and treat hearing and balance problems) will grow by 34% by 2022, just in time for med school! Other careers that are projected to experience high growth are physical therapists (36%) and dental hygienists (33%).

Med School Trends: You have some time to think about this, but if you already have an idea of what track you want to pursue, start doing your research on the top medical schools for your specific profession. University of Michigan ranks #4 in the world for their dentistry program, with Harvard and UNC Chapel Hill as #9 and #10. For those interested in general medicine and pharmacology, Harvard ranks the highest, with other top options like Purdue, Johns Hopkins, and Duke. Check topuniversities.com for worldwide college rankings based on your subject. If you’re more interested in figuring out what steps you should take to get into medical school before even thinking about choosing one, read this article.

Science and Technology Trends: Don’t wait until college to learn about the latest trends in health and science, stay up-to-date by visiting online news centers of top medical universities around the world. According to the University of California San Francisco’s website, scientists are now working on technology that will allow paralysis and amputee patients to control their artificial limbs using brain signals, while scientists around the world are making advances in cancer research and degenerative diseases.

As a student you have the opportunity to be a part of this exciting industry, internships and summer jobs at medical offices are almost always available, and offer a great way to get an inside look at your future career!