Many people around the world are interested in a career in nursing, and it is an incredibly rewarding job path. You get to help people and have a change in pace nearly every day. A common barrier is not knowing what steps to take to become a nurse. You have a few options when looking into this career, and there is no right or wrong answer. Many feel that you have to get a nursing degree from day one in undergrad, but this isn’t necessarily the case. You are able to go into nursing with a health science degree.
Why choose health science?
The great thing about a health science degree is that it gives you an umbrella foundation of knowledge in health. You can achieve a health science degree with no prior background in health, as well, which is extremely valuable. You can really kick-start your nursing dream by starting with this applicable foundation. You can do a lot with this degree, even if you decide against nursing. A great way to start is by achieving an online health science associate degree.
A nursing degree is valuable as well, but a health science degree gives you a variety of knowledge about more than just nursing. You learn the ins and outs of the medical field in general, as well as information you can use to pursue becoming a nurse.
What will you learn?
You will learn a ton of applicable health knowledge in this field such as how the human anatomy works, medical terminology and how health care systems work. One of the best parts of this degree is that it also teaches you how to communicate within the health field. It gives you the foundation to succeed in any career you pursue in the health field after your health science undergrad or associate degree. Tons of people in a variety of positions can attribute their encompassing health knowledge to the details they learned in health science.
For example, you can complete a health science undergrad or associate degree, then apply to get into a specialty nursing program. You will have an advantage in knowing the processes and inner workings of the hospitals you will be working in. This might even make you stand out as a candidate when applying to jobs.
You also will learn effective communication skills and teamwork in your health science program, which will translate across the board in your career.
How will it apply to nursing in the future?
You will learn a ton about how nursing positions and other positions work in these programs. Health science degrees teach you how members of the hospital staff operate and work together. With this degree under your belt, you can head into your next years of nursing school with confidence.
This degree will expand your skills and prepare you to apply to an accredited nursing school. One benefit of this degree is that you can take four years of health science to prepare yourself for nursing school. Nursing school is more specialized than health science, but a health science degree will provide you with a background to pass nursing school with flying colors!
Health science is a great option for those of you wanting general background knowledge before applying to nursing school or those of you who want to go into the health field but aren’t yet sure of a direct path. You can always change your mind and diverge into a different part of the medical industry with a health science degree.