Everyone can agree that health care plays a vital role in any community. Trying to choose the top health professions that make a difference may be challenging, as all are beneficial. However, the following five health care areas provide a good quality of life for countless members of society with a ripple effect of benefits to their families and loved ones.

Doctors

Most of us need a doctor at various points in our lives, from infancy to the teen years, and then adulthood to old age. Doctors help to keep us healthy by monitoring our physical and mental condition. They diagnose problems, hopefully early, and prescribe treatment that can cure ailments or alleviate symptoms. Doctors save many lives.

Nurses

A nurse provides onsite support for doctors in various departments and roles, from surgery to an in-office exam. Nurses can perform certain tests, read lab results, and assist with patient education and care. Often, nurses serve as the intermediary between busy doctors and nervous patients to provide important information and instructions.

Pharmacists

Those who dispense medications hold a valuable position in society. They are experts in understanding chemical processes involved in various medicines and in the dynamics of mixing certain compound ingredients. Pharmacists are aware of the risks of adverse effects in certain medicines and provide warnings to alert patients of potential risks. If one type of medicine doesn’t work, the pharmacist can prescribe another by consulting with the doctor. Often the pharmacist explains in more detail than a doctor’s office how a medicine works or how to use it.

Mental health providers

Specialists in mental health are becoming ever more valuable to society today. More people are being diagnosed with mental or emotional disorders, requiring evaluation and treatment with follow-up care. Substance abuse is on the rise, with mental health care providers seeing more addicts and helping admit them to rehab programs. Support for families is also widely available.

Dentists

Dentistry has branched out into specializations for oral surgeons, orthodontics, periodontics, and other related areas. Recent research has shown that good dental health can positively impact the rest of the body, with the opposite true as well. Good dental care is a life-long process that requires regular exams and treatment as needed.

Medical education is becoming easier to get. For example, The University of Florida online health education degrees can be pursued at the student’s convenience. Financing is available. Students interested in a health care career should go for it.

 

By Lizzie Weakley

Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. I went to college at The Ohio State University where I studied communications. I enjoy the outdoors and long walks in the park with my 3-year-old husky Snowball.