Health Careers Resources

General Sites

• Occupational Outlook Handbook
  A great first stop! Up to date information, gathered by the federal government, on most careers. It covers descriptions of the work and work environments, training needs, expected salaries and lists of related careers. Updated annually.
  
  
• Career Resources on the Web
  Web resources on careers, gathered by an Austin Community College librarian.
  
  
• Monster.com
  An international job search site that offers searches in the following healthcare categories: Business Office & Finance, CNA's/Aides/MAs/Home Health, Laboratory/Pathology Services, LPNs & LVNs, Medical & Dental Practitioners, Medical Records, Pharmacy, Radiology/Imaging, RNs & Nurse Managers, Therapy/Rehab services, and more.

Allied Health

• National Athletic Trainer's Association.
  The athletic trainer plays a unique and important role in the health care system by preventing, recognizing, managing and rehabilitating sports injuries. Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession. The athletic trainer works under the direction of a licensed physician and in cooperation with other health care workers, athletic administrators, coaches and parents.
  
  See also Athletic Trainers from the Occupational Outlook Handbook
  
  
• American Dietetic Association
  Dietetics is the high-tech science of applying food and nutrition to health. One can be either a dietician or a dietetic technician. Training options for both careers are covered.
  
  See also Dieticians and Nutritionists from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• AOTA: A Career in Occupational Therapy
  Occupational therapy uses everyday activities as the means of helping people to achieve independence. This site from the American Occupational Therapy Association gives an overview of the work, education required and employment opportunities.
  
  See also Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• APTA: Your Career in Physical Therapy
  The American Physical Therapy Association gives details about the wide-ranging work done by physical therapists and physical therapy assistants.
  
  See also Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  

Alternative Health

• Alternative Health Resources on the Web
  A good overview of areas covered by alternative medicine. Reliable sources gathered by an ACC librarian.
  
  
• American College of Nurse-Midwives - Career Center
  The practice of nurse-midwifery was established in the United States in the 1920s. Nurse-midwives are recognized for reducing infant and maternal mortality, premature births, and low birth-weight rates. They are primary care providers and 70% of women who receive care from nurse-midwives are considered vulnerable to poor health outcomes by virtue of age, socioeconomic status, education, ethnicity or location of residence.
  
  
• Midwifery Education Accreditation Council
  Midwives must have excellent training in order to be fully prepared to provide this care. In 1991, a group of U.S. midwifery experts formed a non-profit corporation called MEAC to evaluate and accredit midwifery education programs and schools. MEAC developed comprehensive national standards for education in out-of-hospital midwifery care.
  
  
• American Chiropractic Association - Careers
  Explains what a chiropractor does and the education required. Includes a list of approved colleges.
  
  See also Chiropractors from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
  The NCCAOM is a non-profit organization established by the profession in 1982 to promote nationally recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Acupuncture licensure is now available in many states, including Texas.
  
  
• American Massage Therapy Association
  This page, Starting a Career in Massage Therapy: What You Need to Know, gives valuable information about training, certification, and practice.
  
  See also Massage Therapists from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• National Center for Homeopathy
  Homeopathy is a system of medicine that can be summed up by the phrase "Let likes cure likes." It uses diluted forms of substances that cause symptoms associated with a disease to try and cure that disease.
  
  

Dentistry

• Careers in Dentistry (American Dental Association)
  A look at the reasons to be a dentist, how to apply and gain admission to a school, what the dental curriculum involves. Includes information for prospective dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental laboratory technicians.
  
  See also Dentists, Dental Hygienists, and Dental Assistants from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• ADA Dental Assisting, Hygiene and Lab Technology Programs
  A page where you can search for accredited programs in these three areas.

Laboratory Sciences

• American Society for Microbiology: Microbiology Careers
  Choose the Career Planning option to find job searching information, plus articles about careers in microbiology.
  
  See also Medical Scientists and Biological Scientists from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  

Medicine

• Medical Schools (MD)
  American Association of Medical Colleges. Information about medical schools in the U.S. and Canada, from the primary organization that advocates for medical schools and medical education.
  
  See also Physicians and Surgeons from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• Choosing the Osteopathic Medical Profession (DO)
  There are presently two complete systems of medicine utilizing all available medical treatments (i.e., medicine, surgery, etc.). They are allopathic medicine which grants the M.D. (Medical Doctor) degree and osteopathic medicine which grants the D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine ) degree. Both have their own accreditation organizations: the American Medical Association for Allopathic Medicine and the American Osteopathic Association for Osteopathic Medicine. Look here for additional details on the similarities/differences between M.D.s and D.O.s.
  
  
• American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
  The advocacy organization for the nation's osteopathic medical schools.
  
  
• American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (ND)
  From the website: "A Licensed naturopathic physician attends a four-year graduate level naturopathic medical school and is educated in all of the same basic sciences as an M.D. but also studies holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness."
  
  
• American Association of Physician Assistants (PA)
  Physician Assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. PAs employed by the federal government are credentialed to practice. Common services provided by a PA include taking medical histories and performing physical examinations; ordering and interpreting lab tests; diagnosing and treating illnesses; assisting in surgery; prescribing and/or dispensing medication; and counseling patients.
  
  See also Physician Assistants from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)
  A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) is to the foot what a dentist is to the mouth, or an ophthalmologist to the eye --- a doctor specializing in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of foot disorders resulting from injury or disease. A DPM makes independent judgments, prescribes medications and performs surgery. This site's Career Zone section outlines information on podiatry as a career.
  
  See also Podatrists from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  

Mental Health

• American Psychological Association: Careers in Psychology
  This PDF brochure outlines the types of work that psychology majors do at different levels of education. It also includes personal stories from working psychologists about their careers. The association's PsycCAREERS section has information under the heading "Learn about the field of pscyhology."
  
  See also Psychologists from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  
  
• American Art Therapy Association
  Art Therapy is practiced with developmentally, medically, educationally, socially, or psychologically impaired clients and is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational, and forensic institutions. Populations of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds are served by art therapists in individual, couples, family, and group therapy formats. Look here to find out more about the work and training required.
  
  
• American Music Therapy Association
  This page provides information on music therapy as a career, including information on schools offering degrees in music therapy, as well as scholarships and job opportunities.
  
  
• American Dance Therapy Association
  Dance/Movement Therapists work with individuals who have social, emotional, cognitive and/or physical concerns or problems. They are employed in psychiatric hospitals, clinics, adult day care, community mental health centers, infant developmental centers, correctional facilities, schools and rehabilitation facilities as well as in private practice. Therapists work with people of all ages in both groups and individually. They also act as consultants and engage in research.
  
  
• American Therapeutic Recreation Assocation
  Recreation Therapists, American Therapeutic Recreation Association. Yes, work can be play! Find out how at this site. The primary purposes of recreation services are to provide recreation resources and opportunities in order to improve health and well-being. Therapeutic recreation is provided by professionals who are trained and certified, registered and/or licensed to provide therapeutic recreation.
  
  See also Recreational Therapists from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.