US institutions providing the next step in health sciences

Advancing your career in or joining the health sciences sector is a great way to make a difference. From community development and mental health to counselling and medical sales, there is a big demand for experts who can improve human and animal health through scientific research. Every year, there are 1.8 million job openings projected, driven by an ageing population who will need more care and support in their twilight years and government reforms leading to greater access to healthcare services.

Whatever your aspirations, an advanced degree in this field will help you turn those ambitions into a rewarding and fulfilling career.

Florida State University students will have the opportunity to consult with professional nutritionists and exercise physiologists at the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine research facility. Source: Florida State University

Florida State University

Founded in 1851, Florida State University is the oldest continuous site of higher education in the state. It is here that students interested in sciences, technology, arts, humanities, and professions learn to think critically in their chosen fields. Among the many graduate programmes found at the university’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, Exercise Physiology, offered at the master’s and doctoral levels, is a standout.

Exercise Physiology builds a strong foundation in scientific methods and practical skills for learning how the body responds and adapts to physical activity. It emphasises increasing human performance, gaining a deeper understanding of wellness, and advancing your understanding of exercise.

And where better to achieve all of this than in state-of-the-art facilities? The college is home to many laboratories, equipment, and resources — these include the applied electrophysiology/physiology, cardiovascular, and skeletal muscle laboratories, environmental chamber, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) units and many more. You have access to professional nutritionists and exercise physiologists at the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine research facility as well.

“The most interesting part of the exercise physiology programme is the practical experience that is gained hands-on,” says Ghanaian master’s degree student Kofi Yamoah Ponkor. “It is satisfying to put academic knowledge to use in practical situations through exercise testing, laboratory work, and internships.”

Winner of the top award in international education by the Association for Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), the university has a large community of students from across the globe. You will be a part of a close-knit family of students from over 50 countries, all of whom have adjusted to life in Tallahassee thanks to a wide range of support services always ready to assist you as you prepare for diverse careers in health and fitness. Apply to Florida State University today.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center is home to the Rachel Kay Stevens Therapy Center, a student-run pro bono clinic dedicated to serving underinsured or uninsured minors of the Mid-South. Source: University of Tennessee Health Science Center

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Established in 1911, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) recognises that the health of a community is the cornerstone of a thriving society. To date, UTHSC has graduated 75% of the state’s dentists and 34% of its pharmacists. It is also the largest producer of Tennessee’s doctorally prepared nurses. Everyone receives training from expert faculty, who seamlessly transition into roles as frontline physicians in the state’s largest hospitals — which is just one of the reasons why they leave UTHSC ready to save lives.

Enhancing the health and well-being of Tennesseans is a priority across UTHSC’s six colleges. Its College of Dentistry is the US’s third oldest, offering degrees and certificates in Diagnostic Sciences, Oral and Maxillofacial Diagnostic Services, Dental Hygiene, Endodontics, General Practice, Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health, Periodontology and more.

With campuses located in Knoxville and Memphis, the College of Health Professions is composed of the departments of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Diagnostic and Health Sciences, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy and the Division of Regenerative and Rehabilitation Sciences.

The College of Medicine is reserved for those keen on providing health services of the highest quality, namely in Anatomy and Neurobiology, Anesthesiology, Comparative Medicine, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Genetics, Neurosurgery, Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Preventive Medicine, and Radiology, amongst several other topical subject areas. UTHSC is also home to a College of Nursing, a College of Pharmacy and a College of Graduate Health Sciences.

The Master of Public Health at Texas A&M University’s School of Public Health has six concentrations for you to choose from. Source: Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University

Established in 1876, Texas A&M University is the state’s first public institution of higher learning. Today, it is one of the top 20 public schools in the US, providing the highest quality education and preparing graduates for leadership and service to society.

At the School of Public Health, there are many graduate programmes that develop the required professional skills to improve quality of life, extend life expectancy, and reduce human suffering. Take the award-winning Master of Public Health, for instance. It has six concentrations for you to choose from including Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Occupational Safety and Health, and Biostatistics.

As an MPH student here, you’ll have the luxury of using research labs and centres to work on projects, thus enhancing your practical skills. Here, students work with researchers to find answers to problems involving population, rural, and environmental health. They go on PHield trips, the most common of which is to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)  in Austin to hear from division employees about their work and tour lab facilities.

However, your time at the university is about more than academic excellence. While earning your degree, you can explore the twin cities of College Station and Bryan often referred to as Aggieland. It is here where you will build strong relationships, create lasting memories, and be part of a community known for its hospitality and friendliness.

*Some of the institutions features in this article are commercial partners of Study International