If you’re passionate about health and fitness, then it’s no surprise that you want to develop a career in which you can help others who are on their own health journey, but you might be feeling stuck for inspiration, especially if you’re currently working in another industry that isn’t so health-conscious. Whether you’re hoping to retrain in a completely new field, or you want to work in an area that you’re already familiar with, there are plenty of options for you to make a difference in the work you do on a daily basis that are centered around the health and wellbeing sector. In this article, we’ll discuss our top picks for the best careers that you can get into to help others on their health journey.
Nurse
While nursing is a demanding and rigorous job, it’s one of the most rewarding careers for individuals who really want to make a difference in a health-focused way. Nurses treat patients of all ages and genders, treating and preventing illness alongside promoting a healthy way of life. Duties can include prescribing medications, creating health plans, and even assisting doctors as they perform some minor surgeries. Depending on your natural strengths and interests, there are different areas of nursing in which you can become a qualified Nurse Practitioner, and this is a great way to land job security during the more turbulent times we live in today, while still fulfilling your dream to help others.
Another great thing about becoming a qualified nurse is the range of different programs and specialisms that exist within the sector. Once you’ve identified your strengths, you’re certain to find an area of nursing that will develop your skill set and help you find your dream career, and you can then search for suitable programs. There are some reputable, high-quality education institutions like Wilkes University that provide online nursing programs at a range of levels depending on your experience and career goals, meaning that you can study from anywhere, at any time, and still hit the targets you’ve set for yourself in the nursing profession.
Doctor
It’s no secret that becoming a doctor takes years of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, but this rewarding career is a great option for individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of others by promoting their health and wellbeing. Doctors are certified to practice medicine and treat patients with both long and short-term illnesses or injuries, making this a fulfilling career path and one that you can be proud to work towards. For many doctors, qualifying and starting to work in practice isn’t always the end of the journey, as you can then choose to volunteer with organizations around the world that provide medical care for those most in need, so this is a great choice for you if your desire to work in a health-focused career stems from a desire to help others.
Personal Trainer
If exercise is more your thing, then your calling for a career might be something closer to a Personal Trainer or fitness coach. Personal Trainers are an often overlooked but vital component of a person’s health and wellbeing routine, and these individuals can be truly life-changing for their clients. To become a personal trainer, you can opt to take in-person or online classes to learn about the anatomy and physiology of the human body, basic nutrition, and workout principles that you can apply in group or individual training sessions, which can leave you making a real impact on those who attend. What’s more, Personal Training is a great career choice if you’re looking for more flexibility around the hours you work, and how often, as with the growth of social media in recent years, more and more opportunities have arisen for trainers who instruct clients online through video and voice calling apps.
Nutritionist
For many people, the secret to good health lies not in the exercise they do in the gym, but in the food they eat at home or work. A poor diet can be the cause of many health concerns including obesity and mental health disorders, so some individuals turn to a nutritionist to get some input on the food they eat and their supplement intake, to understand how this can affect their health. From there, a meal plan can be created that optimizes the food intake of the client and is tracked based on how the body responds.
Becoming a nutritionist isn’t a process that is completely set in stone, and people do take different routes when getting started in this career. However, most nutritionists hold at least a bachelor’s degree in nutritional science or a similar field of study. While this might seem like a big financial and time investment, this career is a rewarding one that is accessible to many different people, and you can see directly how the work you do affects the lives of others when you help someone with weight loss or healthy weight gain.
Physiotherapist
For a lucrative career focused on the health and wellbeing of others, physiotherapy is a great choice, as this is a lucrative job that is in high demand across the States. By taking a holistic approach to therapy, you can change the lives of patients affected by injury or disability and create long-lasting bonds with them in the process. Often, a patient will see the same physiotherapist over a prolonged period of time, so this job will suit you perfectly if you prefer a more personal element in your work.
To become a qualified physiotherapist, look for a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and discuss the requirements to begin your course, as some institutions will have different entry assessments and progression routes. From there, you can begin your journey into your new career.
While there are plenty of options available for careers in which you can help others on their health journey, it’s important that you sit down and work out which one is the right path for you to take. From an online nursing practitioner program to a bachelor’s degree in nutritional science, there really is no ‘one right way’ to go about settling into a career that suits your ambition, but it’s certain that if you approach your career move with empathy and compassion, you can be living the life you’ve been dreaming of in no time.
