How Long Should a Health Sector Career Take?

Between 2024 and 2025, there’s an expected 15.4 percent growth in the healthcare and social assistance occupations. This statistic shows that many may grow interested in working in the health sector, but one of the major setbacks for some is the timeline. For instance, being a doctor in the United States takes ten to twelve years. So, how long should a career in the health sector take?

Common Health Sector Career Paths and Timelines

If you’re deciding on the path to take in the health sector to set yourself up for success early, here are some of the common career paths to consider and the timeline for each:

Nurse Practioner (NP)

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, NPs work with healthcare professionals and other experts to provide primary, acute, and specialty care services. NPs work in a variety of settings, including:

1. Physician offices

2. Clinics

3. Hospitals

4. Urgent care sites

5. Emergency rooms

6. Nursing homes

NPs have similar responsibilities to registered nurses to achieve the following:

1. Ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic tests like lab work and X-rays.

2. Prescribe medications and other treatments.

3. Counseling.

4. Diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, infections, and injuries.

5. Educating patients on disease prevention and positive lifestyle choices.

Becoming a certified nursing practitioner could take five to nine years, depending on your chosen route.

Nursing Assistant 

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) provide direct care to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and home care. When learning about new online nursing degrees, you may discover that CNAs assist patients with daily activities like mobility, grooming, bathing, and eating. These experts also contribute to ensuring the well-being and comfort of patients under their care.

The core duties of nursing assistants are:

1. Taking vital signs like blood pressure, pulse, and temperature.

2. Maintaining a clean and sanitized environment.

3. Communicating with healthcare teams and family members.

Most certified nursing assistant programs take between four to twelve weeks. This training is much shorter than a nursing practitioner’s since it involves less technical skills. 

Registered Nurse 

Registered nurses (RNs) have many duties, including working directly with patients to monitor vital signs, dispensing medications, and educating friends and family about upcoming procedures or home care tasks.

While it’s common practice for nurses to work with hospitals, surgical clinics, and physician offices, they also work in schools, patient homes, and government institutions. As a registered nurse, you can work in various specializations, including:

1. Pediatrics

2. Ambulatory care

3. Geriatric care

4. Oncology

5. Family medicine

6. Rehabilitation

7. Radiology

Depending on the specific nursing program and requirements, it could take 16 months to four years. You should carefully select a program, considering the cost, time, and skills to learn.

Nurse Midwife 

A certified nurse midwife (CNM) is an advanced practice registered nurse (RN) who goes through additional training to help support pregnant women from labor to postpartum care. Becoming a certified nurse-midwife involves several steps, including applying for an accredited nurse-midwifery program and taking a certification exam.

After earning a certification, you need to apply for state licensure to practice as a CNM in your state. If you’re starting from the ground up, it takes between six to eight years to become a nurse-midwife, especially due to the BSN and MSN requirements.

Nutritionist 

If you are interested in food and its impact on the human body, getting a degree in nutrition isn’t a bad choice. As a nutritionist, you will counsel clients on the best diets, exercise routines, and sleeping patterns based on your client’s body type. Unlike nurses who primarily work in health facilities, most nutritionists work outside.

Below is a list of possible workplaces for nutritionists: 

• Holistic healthcare clinics
• Sports facilities
• Corporations
• Physician offices
• Private practices
• Community health organizations

You must have a bachelor’s degree and a nutritionist license. The entire process takes between four to five years to complete.

Speech Pathologist 

Speech pathologists, or “Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP)” are speech therapists who diagnose and treat communication and swallowing problems. These health professionals work with children and adults in clinics, schools, and other settings as required.

Generally, SLPs may help in the following ways:

1. Teaching people how to form sounds

2. Showing patients how to use exercises to strengthen muscles for speaking and swallowing.

3. Educating people on how to overcome communication and swallowing problems.

4. Providing aural rehabilitation which also helps with hearing loss.

It takes approximately four to six years to be a speech-language pathologist. This is because earning a bachelor’s degree typically takes four years while earning a master’s degree takes two years in most institutions.

Pharmacy Technician 

Pharmacy technicians work with pharmacists to supply medicines to patients on prescription or over the counter. Depending on the role, pharmacy technicians may need to supervise other pharmacy staff and manage areas of medicine supply, like dispensaries.

Most pharmacy technicians work at community pharmacies, prisons, primary care organizations, and as staff for pharmaceutical sales or production. 

You need at least a high school degree, a certificate program, or an associate’s degree to become a pharmacy technician. Depending on your chosen program, it takes 5 months to 2 years to become a pharmacy technician.

Occupational Therapist

An occupational therapist is a healthcare professional who uses therapeutic techniques to improve or rehabilitate a patient’s motor skills, helping them perform everyday activities better. They are responsible for developing treatment plans that address patients’ needs and help them meet set goals.

To become an occupational therapist, you need a degree in occupational therapy. This degree takes at least three years to complete full-time and six years part-time. You also need to gain communication skills and problem-solving skills.

Most Occupational Therapists get at least a master’s degree from an accredited program, while some go further to get a doctoral degree. In addition to getting a master’s degree, you must write an exam conducted by the National Board for Certification in Occupation Therapy.

Physical Therapist

A physical therapist (PT) helps improve patient mobility, manage pain, and boost overall quality of life. They typically review the patient’s medical history and observe their movements before leveraging any equipment or technique.

To become a PT, you need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, which typically takes three years, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). They also need a professional certification and license to practice in the state.

Alternative to Traditional Health Sector Degrees

Thanks to technological advancement, you can get an online degree in the health sector by learning online. You can take an online bachelor’s and complete the program at home. This could be a good option for many, especially those with commitments that affect constant movement.

Final Thoughts

A career in the health sector can be fulfilling, especially if you care about making a difference in people’s lives. You also get the opportunity to earn an above-average salary, especially when working in hospitals or government organizations. Once you decide on what area of healthcare you would like to specialize in, review the timeline to know if it aligns with your goals. If the timeline works, start your learning process early.