Getting a master’s degree in a health-related field is a great way to both help others and to choose an industry that is at no risk of decline anytime soon. Here are five things to consider if you are considering taking this next step in your career path.

5 Things to Know about Getting a Health-Related Master's Degree

You Don’t Have to Be a Doctor

One of the best things about a master’s degree in the health field is that it gives you an option to work in this area without spending the decade or more that it takes to get a medical degree. If you love health but don’t want to spend quite that much time in school, this is one great alternative.

Technology Is an Option

From programs that doctors use to diagnose, chart, or keep records to life-saving machines and techniques, there is a strong intersection between health and technology. Programmers, inventors, and robotics experts can all find a home in this industry.

The Health Field Needs Big-Picture Thinkers

Public health is a great option for those who like to work on the big problems that face an industry. How to keep a hospital profitable while providing health to the neediest folks, how to plan for the next epidemic, and what kinds of preventative care make the nation healthier are just a few of the examples. If saving the world one big idea at a time excites you, this may be a great option.

Health and Policy Is a Growing Field

As the politics of public health take center stage and the nation continues to debate the merits of different health care systems, there is a need for public health policy experts and experts who inform the public by way of methods like healthcare informatics. Choosing to enter this field is a great way to have a say in the nation’s next laws and to help provide innovative opportunities for patients en masse.

There Is a Health Aspect to Many Undergraduate Majors

Health-related majors are not an insulated set of disciplines. The health field has a strong intersection with law, business, technology, history, politics, education, and more. If you prefer something more standard, the Affordable Care Act has also created an increased demand in traditional health fields like nursing.

Health is and will continue to be a booming field. Getting a Master’s or other advanced degree is a great way to find a secure and profitable career field in a discipline that you love.