Health Science

What Health Science Career Pathways Are Offered?

Medical Assistant

Students develop the knowledge base, skills, and behaviors that entry-level medical assistants need to succeed. They’re introduced to healthcare topics like anatomy and physiology, diagnostic tests, diseases and disorders, treatments, and nutrition.

By graduation, students are fully equipped with the knowledge needed for a fulfilling and rewarding career as a medical assistant in doctor’s offices, clinics, and hospitals.

Courses Offered

Students will gain in-depth healthcare expertise with classes such as: 

• Medical Terminology
• Clinical Medical Assisting
• Health Science

Additional core courses, such as Biology and Chemistry, help students receive the well-rounded science education needed to excel as a medical assistant.

Pharmacy Technician

This program equips students with the knowledge and skills they need to support licensed pharmacists in delivering healthcare services and medications to patients within various healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and laboratories.

By graduation, students have an in-depth knowledge of prescription processing, pharmacy

nomenclature, biopharmaceutics and drug activity, dosage calculations, and common mathematical formulas and conversions.

Courses Offered

Students will gain pharmaceutical knowledge and skills with classes such as: 

• Pharmacy Technician
• Health Science
• Medical Terminology

These courses prepare students to work alongside pharmacists in a wide variety of settings. 

Additional core courses, such as Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry help students become well-rounded graduates in the health and science disciplines.

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in dispensing prescription medications to customers and health professionals. Most of them work in retail pharmacies and hospitals. The median pay for a pharmacy technician was $40,300 per year in 2023, and this career has a projected growth of 6% through 2032.

Medical Assistant

In addition to scheduling appointments and taking vital signs, medical assistants perform administrative and clinical duties. They might interview patients about their medical histories and check basic vital signs like temperature and blood pressure. The median pay for a medical assistant was $42,000 per year in 2023, and this career has a projected growth of 14% through 2032.

Phlebotomist

A phlebotomist draws blood for tests, research, and donations. Their goal is to assist patients or donors who are anxious before or have an adverse reaction after being drawn blood. The median pay for a marketing manager was $41,810 per year in 2023, and this career has a projected growth of 8% through 2032.

*Some of these jobs require additional education and certifications once a student graduates from high school.

What Could My Student’s Future Look Like in This Career Field?**

While we’ve discussed three of the most popular health science careers, there are many more to explore.

**Data is from Lightcast and is updated frequently.

Building Your Career in Healthcare: Certifications and Exams

Due to the personal and delicate nature of the healthcare field, additional certifications and exams may be required for your chosen career. 

Certified Clinical Medical Assistant – CCMA

The National Healthcare Association (NHA) administers the CCMA, which tests students on their clinical competency, legal and ethical knowledge, and healthcare administration skills. 

Medical Assisting “Pilot” – CTECS

The Medical Assisting “Pilot” program in Idaho is an initiative by the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education (CTECS) aimed at meeting the growing demand for healthcare professionals. This pilot program provides high school students with comprehensive training in medical assisting.

Certified Electrocardiography Technician – CET

The NHA also offers a Certified EKG Technician credential. EKG technicians assist doctors by performing diagnostic tests that will assist with diagnoses and treatments.

Certified Medical Administrative Assistant – CMAA

Earning a CMAA certification establishes you as a caring and responsible medical assistant who has completed a rigorous study and assessment program to validate your credentials.

NHA Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians – ExCPT

The NHA Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians includes questions related to the dispensing process, with a particular focus on medication order intake and entry. It also covers the preparation and dispensing of medications, calculations, sterile and nonsterile products, repackaging, unit doses, compounding, and more.

Certified Pharmacy Technician – CPhT

Earning a CPhT credential demonstrates your knowledge and commitment to medication safety and effective patient care across various pharmacy settings. Employers often prefer, and many require, their pharmacy technicians to be CPhTs. Students must earn their ExCPT before they can earn the CPhT.

Microsoft Office Specialist

A Microsoft Office Specialist certification in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint*** can help you achieve professional success by helping you stand out to employers, secure employment more quickly, and enhance your productivity.

Intuit QuickBooks Certified User

The Intuit QuickBooks Certified User certification proves that you have acquired the knowledge and skills to effectively use the Intuit QuickBooks Online software in a business environment, whether you choose to open your own business or work for an employer. 

***Many Microsoft^®️ Office certificates can be earned after completing one course. Other certificates require more classes to be better prepared, and students who participate in the program for at least two years will have further preparation for certification testing.

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