Health Science Career Cluster
Colorado Community College System
Health Science Pathways
• All Health Science Careers are organized
into 5 pathways
– Therapeutic Services
– Diagnostic Services
– Health Informatics
– Support Services
– Biotechnology Research and Development
Therapeutic Services
Maintain or change the health status of the patient over time
– Nursing
• Nursing Aide
• Licensed Practical
Nurse
• Registered Nurse
– Rehabilitation
Counselor
– Occupational Therapy
Assistant
– Speech Language
Pathologist
– Surgical Technologist
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Pharmacist
Psychologist
Massage Therapist
Dentist
Acupuncturist
Recreational Therapist
Wellness Coach
Social Worker
Orthotist/Prosthetist
Mortician
Diagnostic Services
Create a picture of patient health at a single point of time
– Magnetic Resonance
Technologist
– Nutritionist/Dietitian
– Respiratory Therapist
– Mammographer
– Exercise Physiologist
– Genetic Counselor
– Computer Tomography
Technologist
– Blood Bank Technician
– Opthalmic
• Assistant
• Technician
• Technologist
– Physical Therapist
– Phlebotomist
– Histotechnician
– Neurodiagnostic
Technologist
– Cytotechnologist
Health Informatics
Provide functions that support and document patient care
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Admitting Clerk
Cancer Registrar
Epidemiologist
Unit Coordinator
Medical Information
Technologist
– Medical Illustrator
– Health Information
Technician
– Healthcare
Administrator
– Data Quality Manager
– Clinical Coder
– Certified Compliance
Technician
– Patient Advocates
– Medical Librarian
– Ethicist
– Health Educator
– Information Privacy
Officer
– Ethicist
Support Services
Provide a therapeutic environment for the delivery of healthcare
– Transport Technician
– Materials Manager
– Biomedical/Clinical
Engineer
– Dietary Aide
– Industrial Hygienist
– Maintenance Engineer
– Environmental
Services Facilities
Manager
– Interpreter
– Dietary Manager
– Central Services
Technician
– Clinical Simulator
Technician
– Healthcare
Administrator
– Biomedical/Clinical
Technician
– Central Service
Manager
Biotechnology Research
and Development
Use scientific and technical advancements to enhance diagnostic and
therapeutic abilities in healthcare
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Biochemist
Toxicologist
Pharmacologist
Geneticist
Cell Biologist
Bioinformatics Scientist
Laboratory AssistantGenetics
– Laboratory Technician
– Microbiologist
– Quality Assurance
Technician
– Medical Editor/Writer
– Clinical Data
Management
Associate/Consultant
– Pharmaceutical Sales
Representative
– Clinical Trials Monitor
Educational Requirements
• High School Diploma with On-the-Job Training
– Dental Assistant*
– Home Health Aide*
– Medical Assistant*
*may require a certification in some states
• Certification – Specialized Training (must pass a
Certification Exam)
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Nurse Aide
Pharmacy Technician
Phlebotomist
EMT
Associate’s Degree
• Associate’s Degree
– 2 - year program
• Registered Nurse
• Dental Hygienist
• Respiratory Therapist
• Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Surgical Technologist
• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Radiologic Technologist
• Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
• Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technicians
*many of the above careers require a license
Bachelor’s Degree
• Bachelor’s Degree
– 4 - year program
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Athletic Trainer
Dietitian and Nutritionist
Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technologists
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist
Recreational Therapist
Biomedical Engineer
Information Systems Manager
Health Data Analyst
Master’s Degree
• Master’s Degree
– Bachelor’s Degree + 1 to 6 - year program
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Healthcare Administrator
Mental Health Therapist
Speech-Language Pathologist
Physical Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Epidemiologist
Medical Library Technician
Genetic Counselor
Physician Assistant
Doctoral Degree
• Doctoral Degree
– Bachelor’s Degree + 5 or more years
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Dentist
Physicians
Psychologist
Surgeon
Veterinarian
Anesthesiologist
Medical Scientists
Optometrists
Pharmacists
Professional Organizations
• HOSA is a leadership organization for
students interested in pursuing a career in
the health care field.
– Visit us online at www.hosa.org or
www.hosa.cccs.edu
SKILLS REQUIRED OF ALL
HEALTHCARE WORKERS
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Appearance and Hygiene
Dress according to the facility’s dress code
Jewelry kept to a minimum
Wear name badge
Clean and appropriate shoes
Clean hair
Bathe daily
Clean teeth and good breath
Use deodorant
Hair off of collar
No perfume, cologne, or aftershave.
Conservative makeup
No stubble
Behavior
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Calm and courteous
Listen
Monitor patients
Perform tasks efficiently and carefully
No gossip about patients or coworkers
No offensive language
Watch for hazardous situations
Follow all safety procedures
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Personal Characteristics of a
Healthcare Worker
Empathy
Honesty
Dependability
Willingness to
Learn
• Patience
• Acceptance of
Criticism
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Enthusiasm
Self-Motivated
Tact
Competence
Responsibility/
Accountability
• Discretion
• Team Player
Body Language
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Make eye contact with patients
Main eye contact as you converse with patients
Smile
Keep an open stance
Give your full attention to one patient at a time
Keep hands away from your mouth when
speaking
• Sit or stand at eye level with patients as you
converse
Maintain Confidentiality
• Maintaining confidentially of patient care and
medical records is critical.
• Medical records contain private information that
must not be shared with people who are not
involved in the patient’s care.
• Patients sign a confidentiality form before
receiving treatment. This is a legally binding
form that promises that the medical facility will
protect patient information.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT
TAKES TO WORK IN THE
HEALTHCARE FIELD?