Health Sciences and Wellness

Health science

Health science refers to the application of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology to deliver health care to people and animals.² In this field, scientific knowledge is applied practically, with the goal of improving how humans and animals live.

An aging population and changes in the health-care market are keeping growth in the health science field steady, with an expected 14 percent increase in employment for all occupations in this field from now until 2028.³ In fact, according to Deloitte’s recent ‘2020 Global Health Care Outlook’ report, worldwide public spending on health care is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 5 percent by 2023, presenting many opportunities for the health science sector.⁴

Wellness

The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”⁵ Wellness is multidimensional, covering aspects of the body, mind, emotions, and spirit, as well as the environment and community.⁶ Activities range from yoga to healthy eating, fitness and beauty, traditional and complementary medicine, meditation, wellness real estate, workplace wellness, and wellness tourism – and business is booming.⁷

The wellness economy saw 6.4 percent annual growth between 2015 and 2017, which is almost double the global economic growth rate of 3.6 percent. In that period, total global health expenditure was $7.3 trillion, and more than half of this was spent on wellness endeavors ($4.2 trillion).⁸ The business of fitness is a particularly well-supported sector, with 174 million people registered as members of the 201,000 health and fitness clubs around the world.⁹

GetSmarter’s online courses cover key aspects of wellness, such as nutrition and exercise. We also offer short online courses that go beyond physical health, covering mental health topics such as the neurological and psychological effects of addiction. These short online courses will help you gain the skills you need to start or accelerate your career in the health and wellness sector.

Health sciences and wellness career paths

Careers in health and wellness include clinical and nonclinical roles. A nonclinical career path could include working at an insurance company assessing medical claims, or working as a medical manager in a hospital.¹⁰

Recent reports show that positive career growth of between 37 and 48 percent is expected in the next decade in the health-care industry, particularly for those occupations that involve science, technology, engineering, and maths (collectively referred to as STEM occupations).¹¹ Health and wellness occupations that require strong interpersonal skills and empathy, such as massage therapy, fitness training, outfitting clients with hearing aids, and personal care are also on the rise.¹² Other professions include:

• Biomedical engineers. This role merges engineering knowledge with medical science to develop products, systems, and software that solve health and wellness problems. It’s a rapidly growing career field in health sciences¹³
  • Genetic engineers. Professionals in this subspecialty of biomedical engineering modify or alter DNA through scientific methods to improve living organisms. As is the case with biomedical engineers, jobs in genetic engineering show growth above the median¹⁴
• Pharmacists. These individuals dispense prescribed medication and share vital information with patients, such as dosage and usage instructions, possible side effects, and contraindications¹⁵
• Physical therapists. Responsible for the physical rehabilitation of individuals who are sick or have been injured, these health-care providers are in considerable demand, with growth in this career field much faster than average.¹⁶ These therapists help patients to regain mobility, manage pain, increase muscular strength, and improve their health
  • Sports medicine physicians. These professionals are responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of injuries at sporting events, during training, or while clients are doing other forms of physical activity. Forecasts show that sports medicine as a career will grow rapidly in years to come¹⁷
  • Fitness trainers. A fitness instructor guides individuals or groups through exercises, such as weight training, yoga, aerobics, and other physical activities to achieve or maintain a desirable level of fitness
• Clinical data managers. This profession combines health-care knowledge with database management skills to analyze, process, and report back on clinical data¹⁸
• Dietitians and nutritionists. With job growth that’s much faster than average, dietitians and nutritionists provide food and nutrition information to clients, helping them to achieve good health and mitigating the risk of disease¹⁹
• Home health aides. These health-care professionals take care of the medical and personal needs of the elderly, the ill, or those with disabilities who are confined to their homes. There are numerous job openings in this in-demand field²⁰
• Physicians and surgeons. These medical professionals diagnose and treat ailments and injuries. Above-average growth is expected in this career path²¹
  • Naturopathic physicians. These doctors base their medical practice on a belief in the body’s natural ability to heal. They employ physiological, psychological, or mechanical methods to manage the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. This career path is enjoying above-average growth²²
• Psychiatrists. These physicians work with disorders of the mind, such as addiction and neurosis, and diagnose, treat, and prevent mental disorders in children and adults. Job growth is rapid in this field²³
• Recreational therapists. These therapists create, coordinate and oversee medically approved recreational activities, such as arts, crafts, and trips for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. This career field’s growth is slightly above average²⁴

A recent report predicts growth of high-wage roles in the health sciences and wellness industry of 3.8 percent by 2030, but clearly states that growth is contingent on individuals investing in training to upskill themselves with in-demand methodologies and technologies. As automation could replace the jobs of close to 14.7 million people under the age of 34 soon, health and wellness organizations need to decide whether they’ll hire external talent, or train and redeploy their employees to address the impending skills crisis.²⁵

What are the skills needed for a career in health science and wellness?

The skills required in health sciences, particularly in the fast-growing STEM roles, are constantly evolving.²⁶ High-level skills needed for a career in health-care and wellness include medical, digital, and technical skills, with the need for people-centric competencies, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, and leadership skills, rising.²⁷ For most medically oriented professions, a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement to gain entry into the profession, with additional certification from health sciences and health-adjacent programs required.²⁸

Studies show that the old method of studying once at the onset of a career, and never again, is no longer viable, and that lifelong learning needs to be adopted as the new model.²⁹ GetSmarter’s approach to online learning allows for flexibility, and is fully supported by knowledgeable, helpful faculty, who are ready to assist you.

If you’re a doctor, an occupational therapist, a dietitian, pharmacist, nurse, nutritionist, fitness instructor, coach, or health educator, there’s a GetSmarter short course that can help you further your career. Refresh your knowledge on nutrition and fitness with a nutrition science course, or strengthen your leadership, business strategy, negotiation, critical thinking, and communication skills with one of the leadership and business strategy online short courses we offer.

Earning certificates from leading, globally acclaimed institutions through GetSmarter's online short courses in health sciences and wellness will help you to advance your career. By keeping your skills updated, your patients and clients will benefit, too.

Sources

¹Singhal, S. et al. (Jan, 2020). ‘McKinsey on healthcare’. Retrieved from McKinsey.
²(Nd). ‘Health science’. Retrieved from Science Daily. Accessed May 07, 2020.
³(Apr, 2020). ‘Healthcare occupations’. Retrieved from BLS.
⁴Allen, S. (2020). ‘2020 global health care outlook’. Retrieved from Deloitte.
⁵(Oct, 2018). ‘Wellness now a $4.2 trillion global industry – with 12.8% growth from 2015-2017’. Retrieved from the Global Wellness Institute.
⁶(Nd). ‘What is wellness?’. Retrieved from the Global Wellness Institute. Accessed May 08, 2020.
⁷(Oct, 2018). ‘Statistics and facts’. Retrieved from the Global Wellness Institute.
⁸(Oct, 2018). ‘Wellness now a $4.2 trillion global industry – with 12.8% growth from 2015-2017’. Retrieved from the Global Wellness Institute.
⁹Uta, I. (Mar, 2019). ‘The health & fitness industry is estimated to reach $100 billion in 2019’. Retrieved from BrandMinds.
¹⁰Comizio, C. (Jul, 2019). ‘What you need to know about becoming a health science major’. Retrieved from U.S. News.
¹¹Singhal, S. et al. (Jan, 2020). ‘McKinsey on healthcare’. Retrieved from McKinsey.
¹²Singhal, S. et al. (Jan, 2020). ‘McKinsey on healthcare’. Retrieved from McKinsey.
¹³(Apr, 2020). ‘Biomedical engineers’. Retrieved from BLS.
¹⁴Alyson, J. (Nd). ‘Genetic engineering careers’. Retrieved from Chron. Accessed May 07, 2020.
¹⁵McKay, D. (Jun, 2019). ‘What does a pharmacist do?’. Retrieved from The Balance Career.
¹⁶(Apr, 2020). ‘Physical therapist’. Retrieved from BLS.
¹⁷(Nd). ‘Sports medicine physicians’. Retrieved from Recruiter. Accessed May 08, 2020.
¹⁸(Nd). ‘Clinical data manager’. Retrieved from Recruiter. Accessed May 08, 2020.
¹⁹(Apr, 2020). ‘Dieticians and nutritionists’. Retrieved from BLS.
²⁰(Nd). ‘Home health aides’. Retrieved from Recruiter. Accessed May 08, 2020.
²¹(Apr, 2020). ‘Physicians and surgeons’. Retrieved from BLS.
²²(2019). ‘Summary report for: naturopathic physicians’. Retrieved fromO-Net.
²³(Nd). ‘Psychiatrists’. Retrieved from Recruiter. Accessed May 08, 2020.
²⁴(Apr, 2020). ‘Recreational therapists’. Retrieved from BLS.
²⁵Singhal, S. et al. (Jan, 2020). ‘McKinsey on healthcare’. Retrieved from McKinsey.
²⁶Singhal, S. et al. (Jan, 2020). ‘McKinsey on healthcare’. Retrieved from McKinsey.
²⁷Singhal, S. et al. (Jan, 2020). ‘McKinsey on healthcare’. Retrieved from McKinsey.
²⁸(Nd). ‘Health science careers’. Retrieved from Recruiter. Accessed May 07, 2020.
²⁹Singhal, S. et al. (Jan, 2020). ‘McKinsey on healthcare’. Retrieved from McKinsey.