A Brief History of Medical and Dental Majors
For those wanting to gain entry into the rapidly healthcare industry but are unable to commit the time and money needed to become or doctor, physician or dentist, one of the fastest growing fields in the medical industry today is for medical and dental assistants.
One of the biggest upsides for training to be a medical or dental assistant is that those interested can complete the necessary entirely through online certificate and degree programs. This means a career as a medical assistant, dental assistant, medical office manager, occupational or physical therapist’s assistant can be within reach after completion of an associate program.
Going beyond a position as an assistant usually requires further education beyond that of a two-year degree. For students looking pursue medicine beyond an associate level may have to pursue further education not available online. However, students looking to further their medical education online can still pursue health science degrees up to a bachelor’s level online.
Delving Into Medical and Dental Majors
With so many options available when pursing a medical or dental career, there are several different ways to pursue a degree. Pursing a medical or dental degree online will limit most options to associate degree aimed at providing students a career as a medical or dental assistant or office assistant. Students who begin education with a certificate or associate program with begin with anatomy, physiology and medical terminology courses to establish a basic foundation of medical knowledge.
Once students have developed a firm understanding of basic science, classes will begin to branch out into more specific training. Depending on the type of profession one may be seeking and the emphasis of the program, students can expect courses in keyboarding, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting, and insurance processing. Additionally, many programs also offer courses to familiarize students with medical law and understanding insurance and Medicare filing.
Students who will be doing hands-on patient care in the field will perform coursework in laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, the administration of medications, and first aid. Expect most online medical and dental programs to draw references almost entirely from text books, however some may make use of medical and dental journals as well as other online resources for insurance and Medicare materials.
Degree Levels:
Associate
Associate students can expect an initial course load of standard basics such as composition and mathematics, but will progress into a course load designed to establish a solid understanding of medical science where students will build a solid understanding of the human anatomy and physiology as well as pathophysiology (the study of the disease process in humans).
Students will also take courses in microbiology, nutrition and health development. It is also very important for any kind of health care employee to have a firm knowledge of working medical terminology, so expect to see courses loaded with medical terminology to prepare the student for the workforce. Expect references for most health science programs to be almost entirely made up of text books.
Bachelor’s
While there are no specific medical or dental programs available online, you can continue your online medical training by pursuing a health science bachelor’s degree online. Here, bachelor’s degree level students will see a curriculum with a heavy emphasis on science and medical procedure courses.
As with any bachelor’s program expect there to be a generalized group of basics to be completed as well as several major oriented basics such as microbiology, physiology and anatomy. Bachelor’s will pull from a more diversified blend of reference materials that will include text books, medical journals and depending on the direction and program chosen, will also include other materials.
Supplementing Medical and Dental Majors
While an associate degree as a medical or dental assistant will provide a basic working knowledge of medical and dental practices, supplementing that knowledge is a good way to set yourself apart from the pack in a competitive field. It is also a great way to prepare for the future.
In order to be a success in any kind of medical practice, one must first have a solid understanding of the science behind the medicine. As a result, pursing any form of medical science will always help. Many pre-med students pursue a background in microbiology in order to gain a better understanding of how the human body works. Additionally chemistry courses can help an individual gain a better understanding of how certain chemicals and medicines react with the body.
Another good option is to take courses that can improve a student’s understanding of the rapid changes taking place in the medical industry due to an increased role of computers and technology used in daily operations at hospitals and private practices. While most health science courses will offer some sort of introduction to computer based medical filing, growing technology will in the medical industry will only further the necessity of a strong knowledge of technology.
If you are seeking a career as a medical assistant, taking courses designed to help students understand how hospitals and private practices work with insurance companies and Medicare for seeking reimbursement for services performed is a plus. Depending on how far you want to take your education and what your career aspirations are, supplemental options for medical professionals are almost limitless.
Learn More About the Health Science Major
- Princeton Review
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Healthcare
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Assistants
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Dental Hygenist
Medical and Dental Majors in the Job Market
Those who graduate from online medical and dental degree programs with concentrations in fields like medical assisting or medical technology will enjoy faster than average job growth in the next ten years. Degree holders can find work with health insurance companies, at dentist’s offices, at medical laboratories, in small health care facilities and at large hospitals.
Occupational health students should find stable job growth and can find work with the federal, state and local governments, as well as with private companies and hospitals. New dental hygienists, however, will notice that their field is projected to be one of the fastest growing fields in health care and overall by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment is expected to rise 36% through 2018. Employment for medical assistants is right on pace with that of dental hygienists, coming in just shy at 34 percent through 2018.
The need for healthcare workers has also increased as the healthcare industry expands due to improvements in medicine and because the aging of America’s large population of baby boomers puts them closer to where healthcare is at a premium for the demographic. Additionally, the use of medical assistants throughout the American healthcare system has also created a demand for jobs to allow doctors to care for more patients.
Licensed nurses will also enjoy a promising job outlook as job openings in independent health care facilities and outpatient care centers are expected to increase. Median hourly wages ranged anywhere from $11-$15 an hour for orderlies, nursing aides, office and information clerks and medical and dental assistants, while vocational nurses earned $18 an hour and registered nurses earned $30 an hour.
Dental hygienists earned significantly more than dental assistants as the median annual wages for the position is $66,570. Becoming a dental hygienist does require additional education beyond what is currently offered online.
Careers I Can Get with This Degree:
