All Health care careers are organized into these 5 pathways. You will study various Health Care occupations to help you figure out what level of education is required for these occupations and if you may be interested in finding out more.

1)      Therapeutic Services

2)      Diagnostic Services

3)      Health Informatics

4)      Support Services

5)      Biotechnology Research and Development

Therapeutic Service Pathway are those occupations which treat illnesses and conditions of patients.

Sample Therapeutic Occupations:

Dentists – are doctors who specialize in the care of the teeth and mouth tissues.  They diagnose disease, perform surgery on the teeth, gums, and mouth tissues and try to help prevent further mouth disease.

Certified Nursing Assistants – may be also called nurse aides or nurse technicians.  They work under the direction of a nurse and help provide direct patient care such as assistance with bathing, feeding, walking, and taking vital signs.

Licensed Practical Nurse – is a mid-level nurse who is not required to know as much as a Registered Nurse.  They provide direct patient care and can give medications, perform dressing changes, and other treatments as ordered by the physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner.

Registered Nurse – is able to provide total patient care by assessing a patient’s condition, administering medications, dressing changes, starting IVs, giving blood, patient teaching, and other treatments.  An RN can specialize with advanced training to become a nurse practitioner or a nurse midwife.

Medical Assistants – work under the direction of a physician to prepare patients for examinations by taking vital signs, medical histories, performing basic laboratory tests, administering medications, assisting with procedures such as EKGs, and / or receptionist duties.

Optometrist – examines eyes for vision problems and defects, and prescribes glasses for the treatment of those vision problems.

Physicians (Doctors) – examine patients, obtain medical histories, order laboratory and other diagnostic tests, make diagnoses of diseases and conditions, perform surgery, treat diseases and disorders, and teach preventative health.   There are numerous specialties a physician may choose such as a pediatrician or a surgeon.

Cardiovascular Technologist – assists with heart procedures to remove blockages in the heart’s blood vessels, monitor patients during open-heart surgery, assist with the implantation of pacemakers, and perform tests to check for the flow of blood.

Therapeutic Services

Sample Careers:

• EMT / Paramedic
• Nursing

• • Certified Nursing Assisting
  • Licensed Practical Nurse
  • Registered Nurse

• Medical Assistant
• Optometrist
• Physician or Doctor
• Cardiovascular Technologist
• Surgical Technician

Diagnostic Services

Sample Careers:

•   Clinical Laboratory Technician
•   Exercise Physiologist
•   Orthotist  / Prosthetist
•   Pathologist
•   Phlebotomist
•   Radiologic Technicians
• Diagnostic Services Pathway are those occupations which help to determine what is wrong with the patient – creating a picture of that patient at a certain point in time.
• Sample Diagnostic Services Occupations:
• Clinical Laboratory Technicians  – work under the direction of a pathologist to study tissues, body fluids, and cells to determine the presence of disease.   They use microscopes and computers when performing tests.
• Geneticist – is a scientist that studies human genes and chromosomes, disorders that are inherited, as well as patterns of inheritance.
• Nuclear Medicine Technologists – is a specialty of radiologic technologists who prepare radioactive substances for administration to patients for the diagnosis of disease.   They radioactive substances may show the flow of urine through the kidneys, image blood vessels or show stones in the gallbladder.
• Pathologist – is a physician specialty who specializes in the diagnosis of diseases and infections by examining cells, tissues, and body fluids of  patients.
• Phlebotomists – are responsible for drawing patient’s blood which will be used for laboratory testing.
• Radiologic Technicians – work under the supervision of doctors to use x-rays,  radiation, nuclear medicine, ultrasounds, and MRIs to diagnose (and sometimes treat) disease.

Health Informatics

Sample Careers:

• Admitting Clerk
• Coder
• Epidemiologist
• Community Health Specialist
• Ethicist
• Health Care Administrator
• Health Educator
• Transcriptionist
• Health Informatics Pathway are those occupations which process, document, and store data.
• Sample Health Informatics Services Occupations:
• Coders – are responsible for converting diseases and other medical conditions as well as procedures to numbers on insurance forms for processing and reimbursement of payment.
• Community Health Specialists – are responsible for the promotion and teaching of health principles and wellness in the local area.
• Epidemiologists – are responsible for tracking the outbreak of diseases and infections in a community as well as coming up with prevention strategies to reduce the risk of diseases and infection.
• Ethicists – help to determine what is morally right and wrong in order to make decisions regarding the behavior of its associated members, or treatment options for sick patients.
• Health Care Administrators – are responsible for the daily operations of the hospital.  Their responsibilities include all facilities, personnel, and budgeting.
• Health Educators – are responsible for teaching the community about issues relating to health and wellness.
• Transcriptionists – use computers to enter information that has been dictated by a physician or other health care worker.

Support Services

Sample Careers:

• Biomedical Engineer
• Central Services Technician
• Dietician
• Facilities Manager
• Food Services
• Purchasing Agent
• Transport Technician
• Support Services Pathway are those occupations which help to provide a therapeutic environment for health care workers and their patients.
• Support Services Careers:
• Biomedical Engineers – work with many different machines used to diagnose, treat, and monitor patients.  They install, test, service, and repair the equipment.
• Central Services Technicians – are involved in ordering, maintaining, and supplying all equipment and supplies to all departments of the hospital.  They are also responsible for sterilizing instruments for use in the operating room and other departments.
• Dieticians – are responsible for planning individual, therapeutic meals to help promote healing.
• Facilities Managers – are responsible for the physical upkeep of the health care facility.
• Purchasing Agents – are responsible for purchasing high quality equipment and supplies for the best prices possible.
• Transport Technicians – are responsible for moving patients from one place to another.  For example, a transport tech would take a patient from their hospital room to x-ray and back again.

Biotechnology Research and Development

Sample Careers:

• Biomedical Chemist
• Biostatistician
• Geneticist
• Molecular Biologist
• Pharmacist
• Quality Control Technician
• Toxicologist
• Biotechnology Research and Development are those occupations which use explore and create scientific technologies to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
• Sample Biotechnology Research and Development Occupations:
• Biomedical Chemist – se knowledge of atoms, molecules, and chemistry to help treat diseases by creating new treatments and medications.
• Biostatisticians – use data to measure the effectiveness of various treatments.
• Microbiologists – study unicellular organisms and infectious diseases.
• Pharmacists – dispense and suggest medications to be used in the treatment of diseases and disorders.
• Quality Control Technicians – help to check the effectiveness of treatments and care delivered to patients.
• Toxicologists – study the poisonous effects of drugs and chemicals on the body and the environment.

Health Care Exploration

• Business

• • Health Informatics

• Family and Consumer Sciences

• • Therapeutic Services

• Support Services
• Technology Education

• • Diagnostic Services
  • Biotechnology Research and Development