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How to Satisfy your Healthcare Interest Beyond Medicine at Cornell

By: Austin Grattan

 

While studying in a science or health related field at Cornell, pre-med culture can be omnipresent. From the classic pre-med courses like CHEM 2070 or BIO 1440 to discussing clinical experience or MCAT study methods, it can sometimes feel like being pre-med and becoming a physician is the only option to have a successful career in health and/or science after graduating from Cornell. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

 

To preface this I want to give a shout-out to all of our smart, passionate, and dedicated pre-meds at Cornell. Medicine is the correct path for some people, and I think that everyone should have appreciation for how hard Cornell pre-meds work (after all, they may be saving your life one day). For the rest of us, organic chemistry, biochemistry, 4 years of medical school, and lengthy residencies are not worth it, but do not worry! There are countless career sectors outside of medicine that could be a great fit for you!

 

One option is public health. At Cornell, within the Department of Nutritional Science, we have the Global and Public Health Sciences major, which provides Cornell students with a plethora of classes and organizations focused around public health. Global and Public Health is a great field for students who have a passion for population health, health disparities, and large scale health solutions as compared to individual healthcare. 

 

Another great field is health/scientific research. At Cornell, a large number of majors can be applied to this field. Being a researcher usually involves grad school (at least a Master’s, if not a PhD), meaning that this career path is not for the academically faint of heart. It is still a great field outside of medicine for students really interested in the science behind medicine, researching/creating cures for chronic and infectious diseases. If you love problem solving, or being in the lab, being a researcher could be a great career for you. 

 

A very understated career field for students with a healthcare interest is health administration. At Cornell, a number of science and policy related majors could apply to this career path, namely the majors in the Brooks School of Public Policy (Policy Analysis and Management, and Health Care Policy). This career path often does, but does not always, involve graduate school. Popular graduate degrees include Master’s of Health Administration (MHA; check out the Sloan Program at Cornell) and Master’s of Public Health (MPH). Students pursuing a career in health administration could be interested in health policy, healthcare reform, hospital operations/management, and government. 

 

For students especially interested in health and its relation to food, a career in nutrition could be especially compelling. At Cornell within the College of Human Ecology, there is an entire department dedicated to nutritional science as well as the Nutritional Science major. Careers in nutrition analyze the way in which food impacts our health. It involves a strong understanding of macromolecular biological processes. Food Science within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is another great educational path for a future career in nutrition, especially as it relates to farming practices in America. Obesity, food insecurity, food safety, and many other issues and topics fall within the realm of nutritional science. 

 

Lastly, for students looking to have a political and legal impact on health, a career in health law is worth exploring. As a specific sector of law, students looking to pursue health law should obtain a background in health policy/issues and law/government. A variety of majors at Cornell could satisfy this requirement including Policy Analysis and Management, Health Care Policy, Government, Industrial and Labor Relations, etc. This is a field that requires law school, and in some cases, a dual degree program in law school, such as a JD/MPH, could be helpful. Health law specifically looks at the way in which practices of an individual, government, company, or organization intersect with the legal protections relating to health. This field often requires a slight understanding of science and health, with a much larger and deeper understanding of law and government. 

 

Please keep in mind that this is just a list of some potential career fields in health. Health outside of medicine is such an interdisciplinary topic! Every career field and program at Cornell in one way or another can impact the health of society in one way or another. From Art to Engineering, all fields impact human health. 

 

If you are a College of Human Ecology or Brooks School of Public Policy undergraduate and would like assistance with career exploration in health outside of medicine, please visit the Human Ecology/Brooks Career Exploration Center located in Martha Van Rensselaer Hall 1203. Our lovely Career Assistants can help you with job/internship searches, resume/cover letter reviews, practice interviews, and introduce you to the plethora of resources that we have to offer. 

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