FIU prepares students for many careers in the health sphere beyond those in which our office advises.

 A great resource for FIU students and alumni exploring other career options and pathways is the FIU Career and Talent Development (CTD) offices. CTD is a FIU student and alumni career resource. Their highly trained staff is dedicated to helping you make your career dreams a reality. CTD offer help with:

  • Resume writing and critiques
  • Professional development
  • Career related events
  • Internship and job search assistance

These services and other programming will help you move your career forward! Stay connected with FIU CTD!

Clinical Careers

Anesthesiologist Assistant

Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAAs) are highly skilled health professionals who work under the direction of licensed anesthesiologists to implement anesthesia care plans

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.

Registered Nurse

Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions.

  • Projected Jobs (2024-2034): 3,557,100
  • Median Salary: $93,600
  • Education Needed: Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must be licensed.
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurse 
  • FIU Nursing Advising

Medical Assistant

Medical assistants work alongside physicians, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as medical offices and clinics.

Radiologic and MRI Technician

Radiologic and MRI technologists , also known as radiologic technologists, diagnostic radiographers and medical radiation technologists are healthcare professionals who specialize in the imaging of human anatomy for the diagnosis and treatment of pathology.

Respiratory Therapist

A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people suffering from acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease.

Surgical Technician

A surgical technologist, also called a scrub, scrub tech, surgical technician, or operating room technician, is an allied health professional working as part of the team delivering surgical care. Surgical technologists are members of the surgical team.

Phlebotomist

Phlebotomists are allied health professionals who draw blood from patients or blood donors for medical testing. They can also prepare and process blood tests.

Physical Therapist

Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.

Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists treat patients who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities.

Recreational Therapist

Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses.

Psychologist

Therapists, or psychotherapists, are licensed mental health professionals who specialize in helping clients develop better cognitive and emotional skills, reduce symptoms of mental illness, and cope with various life challenges to improve their lives.

Chiropractor

A chiropractor is a healthcare professional focused on the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders, with an emphasis on treatment through manual adjustment and/or manipulation of the spine.

Nurse Midwife

Nurse Midwives encompasses a full range of primary health care services for women from adolescence beyond menopause. Midwives provide initial and ongoing comprehensive assessment, diagnosis and treatment.

Paramedic/EMT

The basic difference between EMTs and paramedics lies in their level of education and the kind of procedures they are allowed to perform. While EMTs can administer CPR, glucose, and oxygen, paramedics can perform more complex procedures such as inserting IV lines, administering drugs, and applying pacemakers.

Dental Assistant

The duties of a dental assistant are among the most comprehensive and varied in the dental office. The dental assistant performs many tasks requiring both interpersonal and technical skills.

Dental Hygienist

In performing the dental hygiene process of care, the dental hygienist assesses the patient’s oral tissues and overall health determining the presence or absence of disease, other abnormalities and disease risks; develops a dental hygiene diagnosis based on clinical findings; formulates evidence-based, patient-centered treatment care plans; performs the clinical procedures outlined in the treatment care plan; educates patients regarding oral hygiene and preventive oral care; and evaluates the outcomes of educational strategies and clinical procedures provided.

Dietician or Nutritionist

Clinical dietitians provide medical nutrition therapy for patients in institutions such as hospitals and nursing care facilities. They assess patients’ nutritional needs, develop and implement nutrition programs and evaluate and report the results. They confer with doctors and other health care professionals in order to coordinate medical and dietary needs. Some clinical dietitians specialize in the management of overweight and critically ill patients, such as those with renal (kidney) disease and diabetes. In addition, clinical dietitians in nursing care facilities, small hospitals, or correctional facilities may manage the food service department.

As opposed to dietitians, who are qualified to diagnose eating disorders and design diets to treat specific medical conditions, nutritionists deal with general nutritional aims and behaviors. Nutritionists are often employed in schools, hospitals, cafeterias, long-term care facilities, and athletic organizations.

Home Health Aide

Home health aides and personal care aides help people with disabilities, chronic illness, or cognitive impairment by assisting in their daily living activities. They often help older adults who need assistance. Home health aides may be able to give a client medication or check the client’s vital signs under the direction of a nurse or other healthcare practitioner.

Optician

Opticians help fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, following prescriptions from ophthalmologists and optometrists. They also help customers decide which eyeglass frames or contact lenses to buy.

  • Projected Jobs (2024-2034): 82,200
  • Median Salary: $46,560
  • Education Needed: High school degree or equivalent and receive on-the-job training Some states require opticians to be licensed, which may include completing an associate’s degree or a certificate in ophthalmic dispensing or a related field.
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Optician

Veterinary Technician

Veterinary technologists and technicians, supervised by licensed veterinarians, do medical tests that help diagnose animals’ injuries and illnesses.

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologist

Clinical Laboratory Scientists, also known as Medical Laboratory Scientists or Medical Technologists, perform complex laboratory tests that are essential for diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease. They analyze blood, tissue, and other body fluids to detect infections, monitor organ function, identify blood disorders, and ensure the accuracy of test results used by physicians to make medical decisions.

med tech

Non-Clinical Careers

Medical Records Specialist

Medical records specialists have a variety of data entry and recordkeeping tasks. They may gather patients’ medical histories, symptoms, test results, treatments, and other health information and enter the details into electronic health records (EHR) systems. Some workers categorize medical information for purposes such as insurance reimbursement and providing data to clinicians.

Social Worker

Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. Clinical social workers also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.

Healthcare Administration Director

Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians. Medical and health services managers must adapt to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology.

Patient Services Representative

Customer service representatives work with customers to resolve complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.