Embarking on a medical career is an exciting pursuit. Whether you’ve just graduated from high school or are considering a career change, the path to becoming a healthcare professional can be both demanding and rewarding. In today's digital age, online medical courses like those from StraighterLine offer a flexible and accessible way to prepare for your journey ahead.
Online courses now provide aspiring medical professionals with a wealth of resources, knowledge, and practical skills. By enrolling in online programs, you can learn at your own pace and fit your studies around your existing commitments, such as work or family obligations. This flexibility allows you to take control of your educational journey, setting you up for success on your future pre-med/med school path.
Why Consider a Career in Medicine?
A career in medicine offers versatility in career paths and job security for a long and rewarding career. Healthcare professionals are always in need, as people get sick, injured, or need preventive care. It’s a field that’s ever-evolving and ever-expanding, with something to offer almost anyone.
Versatility
The versatility within the healthcare industry allows you the freedom to choose what type of career you want to pursue. Will you work directly with patients? Research new medical techniques? Work in pharmaceuticals?
You can develop your skillset based on your preferences to prepare for a healthcare career you’ll find fulfilling. The sheer diversity of medical specialties empowers individuals to explore various roles, offering the chance to pivot and diversify their expertise.
Additionally, with the demand for healthcare services spanning all hours, flexible work schedules have become a reality, allowing you to accommodate any unique work preferences you might have.
Job Security
As you begin your medical career, you'll find a great deal of job security. The need for doctors is increasing every year, driven in part by the aging Baby Boomer generation. This growth trend promises robust job prospects, projecting a 3% increase through at least 2031.
Lifelong Learning
With new developments in healthcare evolving almost daily, there’s always something new to learn and new ways to grow within your career. Additionally, many healthcare professionals including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, are expected to regularly complete continuing education requirements and re-certification exams.
How Can Online Courses Help?
Education is your key to starting a medical career. But if you didn’t take a lot of science courses in high school or follow a pre-med track in college, don’t be discouraged. You can still get started on the right track for your medical career by gaining a good understanding of basic scientific and medical concepts. A quick and affordable way to prepare for the more advanced phases of your education is by taking pre-requisite classes online with a program like StraighterLine.
More Access to Classes and Certifications
Relevant online classes, like the ones offered by StraighterLine, have democratized education, providing opportunities for a diverse range of individuals eager to start a fulfilling career in medicine. Online classes accommodate various learners, from full-time workers transitioning to the field to stay-at-home parents and recent high school graduates.
With StraighterLine, you learn at your own pace, which makes medical education feasible for a wider spectrum of learners. Our classes enable tailored learning paths, so you can take one class or multiple classes at a time — whatever suits your learning style and schedule.
More Flexible Schedules for Completing Requirements
Unlike traditional in-person classes, online learning replaces set schedules with adaptable routines. Learning during free hours seamlessly integrates education into your daily life. Moreover, flexible schedules prevent burnout and enhance learning outcomes. Study at a time that works best for you to improve comprehension and retain more of what you learn.
More Affordable
Online classes are often more affordable alternatives to the courses offered at traditional 4-year universities or even community colleges. For example, StraighterLine classes cost about 60% less than traditional classroom courses. If you’re considering a change in career and need to save money on prerequisites, online classes can help.
Take as many prerequisites as you can online so that when you get to your chosen degree program, you can focus on taking classes that really interest you or that can’t be completed online, including hands-on clinical experiences. When you sign up for online classes, make sure you take those that will fulfill credit requirements at your chosen college.
Types of Medical Courses You Can Take Online
StraighterLine has many medical courses you can take online to get started on your journey. Here are some popular classes for our students who are preparing for careers in medicine:
- Anatomy & Physiology as well as Medical Terminology. The knowledge you gain will equip you to train for several medical professions.
- Biology. Knowing how cells and organisms function will give you the grounding you need to succeed in many medical professions.
- Chemistry. This field is essential for anyone looking for a career in pharmaceuticals, research, or medical technology.
- Psychology. There is no better way to learn the people skills you need to provide quality bedside service to your patients.
Start Preparing for Your Medical Career with StraighterLine
StraighterLine has over 70 courses, many of which can fulfill requirements for pre-med/med school or other healthcare professional programs. Our online courses offer credits that can transfer to over 170 partner colleges and universities, making us an affordable and convenient way to complete prerequisite courses.
Explore our full library of courses or our Healthcare Fundamentals Course Bundle to discover how StraighterLine can help you prepare for your medical career.
