Pursuing a degree in health and medicine abroad: what you must know

In our modern world, it is more crucial than ever for high-quality healthcare to help prevent existing and new diseases as well as improve our quality of life.

If you’ve always wanted to help others, a career in health and medicine could very well be your calling! This noble profession will allow you to positively impact the lives of others and make a difference to the world.

With the recent COVID-19 global pandemic, we have seen first-hand the importance of healthcare – from the development of the vaccine to the different COVID-19 tests.

In this fast and evolving field, there’s now a larger need for more healthcare professionals to help meet the increasing global demand.

If you’re thinking of pursuing this area of study, read on to explore all you need to know when it comes to getting your degree in health and medicine.

What is health and medicine?

As its name suggests, health and medicine is the study of the human mind and body, and how they function and interact – not only with one another but also with the environment.

It covers a broad variety of related fields and careers in healthcare and medicine.

Expect to dive into topics such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, gynecology, pharmacology and more, depending on which area you choose to focus on.

Future outlook of the industry

There will always be a global demand for healthcare practitioners, as highlighted during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Within the next decade, the overall employment in the industry is expected to grow by 16%, a much faster rate than other occupations. This will add a total of almost 2.6 million jobs, making healthcare a stable industry to consider.

3 things you must know about studying health and medicine

1. The study options and costs

Depending on what you wish to pursue – be it biotechnology, neuroscience or genetics – you can do so when you take your bachelor’s degree in health and medicine.

However, if you intend to study in medical school, you’ll be required to have taken a biology, chemistry and physics course with lab in your undergraduate studies to improve your chances.

A typical pre-medical program would include foundational courses such as biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, cellular biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, among others. Such a degree would take four years to complete and can cost up to US$120,000, depending on your educational institution of choice.

If you wish to specialize further, you can then consider a master’s degree in your selected area of study. This would typically take two years to complete and may cost up to US$65,580.

For those who aspire to become professors and inspire the younger generations, you can also consider pursuing your health and medicine studies on a doctoral level. For this program, you’ll need to set aside up to 6 years and around US$28,000 to US$30,000 per year – if you’re studying in the US.

2. The jobs and careers in the field

As a health and medicine graduate, some career paths you can consider within the industry include:

• Pharmacist
• Neurologist
• Anaesthesiologist
• Radiologist
• Dentist
• Biostatistician

Apart from the jobs that made this list, there are also plenty of other health and medicine career paths out there, be it in the private sector or government agencies.

3. The cross-industry opportunities

In the event you decide to not work within the field, the good news is that even with your health and medicine qualifications, there are other opportunities in different industries that you can pursue.

These jobs include being a teacher or lecturer, medical writer or editor, transplant coordinator, medical or pharmaceutical sales representative and forensic medical examiner.

Alternatively, you can also take the entrepreneurial path and work for yourself if you decide to start your own company.

Get closer to your dream career in health and medicine

If you’re thinking about furthering your studies in chemistry, we’re more than happy to help ensure that you enroll in a suitable health and medicine course that is aligned with your preferences and goals.

At IDP, we have a team of education counsellors that are specially trained to give you tailored guidance and assist you throughout every step of your application process – from selecting a course to preparing your accommodation.

Book your free counselling session today to get started!