Updated May 6, 2022

For new high school graduates and midlife career-changers alike, starting a career in healthcare can be rewarding and competitive. However, certain fields and positions require unique certifications and training.

If you are considering starting a career in healthcare, you may want to take a realistic assessment of your lifestyle, career interests, and personality type to help guide you to the most fitting position. The following post will outline seven questions to ask yourself before starting a career in healthcare.

Dr. Jerome Craig teaches in the Functional Nutrition program.

Manda Draper is a nutritionist who graduated from the Masters of Science in Nutrition program at the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM). Manda is the coordinator for the Food as Medicine Institute. She teaches the FAME series, a 12-week, community based, cooking, and nutrition course. Prior to completing her masters degree, Manda served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa. As a Food Security volunteer she created a nutrition and feeding program for mothers with malnourished children. Manda’s passion is to encourage the growth and wellness of local communities through cooking and nutrition education. Manda will be hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from April- September while maintaining an entirely whole foods based diet.

Heather Pratt is a natural born foodie with a passion for the medicinal effects of food. She is a Master Nutrition Therapist and is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition and has been helping people to improve their health with nutrition for the past 10 years. She works for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage as a Nutrition Writer and regular contributor to the Natural Grocers Health Hotline Magazine, where she educates staff and customers alike on how to use food and supplements to enhance their health. She also teaches nutrition classes to the public and offers individual nutrition counseling.

Susan Barendregt is a Functional Nutritionist and is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition. She has also earned a degree in Statistics and a certificate in Massage Therapy. Susan is a former Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals. She has been a practicing functional nutritionist since 2006.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates

This idea that food should be our medicine is not a new one. In fact, it is the cornerstone of a modern day nutritionist's work. The role of a nutritionist is to help prevent disease and promote good health by encouraging an active lifestyle combined with healthy eating habits.

Alan is an Irish educated paramedic with previous experience in a variety of settings in Ireland, Europe, North America and the Middle East. He is adjunct faculty with Portland Community College, faculty in the paramedic programs at Fanshawe College, London, Ontario, Canada and a Paramedic Educator with Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is also a Prehospital Emergency Care and First Aid Program Manager with the International Committee of the Red Cross. He provides consultancy services to a number of organizations worldwide on research, clinical governance and educational matters. He is an editor and peer-reviewer for several publications including the Irish Journal of Paramedicine, and has affiliations with several organizations around the world as a paramedic researcher. 

Alan joins the Functional Nutrition instructor team to bring his expertise of research to the program. As a functional nutritionist, it is vitally important to discern between science-based and non science-based research. Alan has a background in teaching paramedics, and for the Functional Nutrition program he teaches the Research and Evidence-Based Practice for Nutritional Therapy course in Term 1. 

Alan also teaches in the Foundations of Clinical Research program in the modules Good Clinical Practice and Overview of Study Design.

Have you considered a career in healthcare? Are you organized, efficient, detail-oriented, consistent in your work, and do you have a desire to play a vital role in a hospital or clinical setting? If so, Medical Coding may be the perfect career for you.

The following information will explore how to become a medical coder and start your healthcare career.

If you have ever considered starting a career in the healthcare field and enjoy working with people, consider becoming a patient access specialist. In this role, you will work directly with patients and their families—performing registration duties, medical billing submissions, insurance verification and authorization requests, and financial counseling—all while providing excellent customer service and ensuring compliance to regulatory agencies through adherence to strict patient safety policies.