Health studies: Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Health service manager - responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and supervising the delivery of local healthcare provision through the management of local hospitals, general practitioners and community health services. Generalists manage an entire facility, while specialists manage a department. The NHS runs its own graduate management training schemes.
• Health promotion specialist - also known as a health education specialist or officer. Promotes awareness of health issues to individuals and the community and looks at ways of dealing with health issues and encouraging healthy lifestyles.
• Medical sales representative - a key link between medical and pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals. Works strategically to increase the awareness and use of a company’s pharmaceutical and medical products in settings such as general practices and hospitals.
• Adult nurse - provides medical care, supports recovery and promotes good health for patients suffering from acute and long-term illnesses, or diseases such as diabetes or arthritis, and surgical patients. Plans and carries out care within a multidisciplinary team and is the main point of contact for patients.
• Social worker - works with people who have been socially excluded or who are experiencing crisis. Role is to provide support to enable service users to help themselves. Maintains professional relationships with service users, acting as guide, advocate or critical friend.
• Occupational therapist - helps people who face everyday challenges due to mental, physical or social disabilities. Helps them to engage in purposeful activities or occupations to promote, regain or maintain health and well-being.
• Further education lecturer - teaches on health studies and related study programmes in further education colleges or adult education establishments.

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Community development worker - works with particular communities in order to bring about social change and improve quality of life.
• Speech and language therapist - works closely with infants, children and adults who have various levels of speech, language and communication problems. Assesses the clients' needs before developing individual treatment programmes to enable each client to improve as much as possible.
• Dietitian - translates scientific information about nutrition into practical advice to help people make health-conscious decisions about food. Also assesses, diagnoses and treats diet-related problems and aims to raise awareness of the link between food and health to prevent future problems.
• Magazine journalist - researches and writes medical news articles and features for medical periodicals, journals and other health-related publications.
• Counsellor - helps people to explore feelings and emotions that are often related to their experiences. The aim is reduce their confusion and enable them to make changes in their life if they decide to do so. Does not give advice, but helps clients to make their own choices within the framework of an agreed counselling contract.

Other options

Many medical jobs will require further professional study (see NHS Careers ). A period of related work experience will help with applications for study. There are numerous ways to gain practical experience in health-related occupations, either through formal placements or volunteer opportunities.

Healthcare experience might involve working for the National Health Service, in residential homes or centres for homeless people. Experience of mentoring, counselling or befriending may also be useful for those interested in a career in social work. If you have an interest in alternative approaches to health and healing, you might explore work experience within a holistic health practice. Volunteering on a health project in a developing country is also valuable career preparation.

When it comes to work experience, quality counts - what matters is that you can demonstrate what you have learnt through experience.

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it’s not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here. Look at your degree... what next? for informed advice on career planning and graduate employment, or login/register with My Prospects to find out what jobs would suit you, a helpful starting point for self-analysis.

Explore types of jobs to find out more about the above options and related jobs.