Welcome to those considering a health professional career!
The GCC provides counseling and organizational assistance to Wesleyan students and alumni who are pursuing careers in fields such as public health, physician assistant, optometry, podiatry, nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and pharmacy.
Explore resources that will enhance your preparation for a future career, including Experiential Opportunities, featured courses, day-in-the-life videos, and alumni spotlights.
We encourage students to attend workshops, information sessions, and other Health Professions related events, which can be found on Handshake.
For support for those seeking doctoral study in medical, dental, and veterinary school, please visit our Medical, Dental, & Veterinary page.
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Foundations & Planning
Explore Health Professional Pathways
Applying to any health professions program or job requires:
- Awareness of how academic metrics and other factors affect your competitiveness
- Careful selection of individuals to write your letters of recommendation
- Advanced planning and familiarity with the application process
- Clear understanding of the timeline and requirements
Read about some of the different pathways and career options in healthcare below.
Public Health
Public Health focuses on improving the health and well-being of communities by preventing disease, promoting wellness, and addressing the social and environmental factors that influence health. Careers span government agencies, nonprofit organizations, healthcare systems, research institutions, and global health initiatives, with opportunities in epidemiology, health policy, education, environmental health, and more.
Whether or not you pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH), exploring within public health can help you find a path aligned with your interests. Read more about Public Health careers here.
Nursing and Advanced Nursing Practice
Nursing offers a wide range of career paths, from direct bedside care to leadership, education, research, and advanced practice. Whether you are considering becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), Nurse Practitioner (NP), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), or another nursing specialist, the profession provides opportunities to build long-term relationships with patients while making a meaningful impact on individual and community health.
To learn more about the nursing profession, including Nurse Practitioner and other advanced specialty degrees, click here. We also encourage students and alumni to utilize the Health Professions Portfolio (Nursing) to learn about requirements and customize their journey.
Physician Assistant (PA)
Physician Assistants (PAs) are licensed medical professionals who diagnose illnesses, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications, and assist in surgery while working collaboratively with physicians and other healthcare professionals. The profession offers flexibility across medical specialties and emphasizes team-based, patient-centered care, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy direct patient interaction and a broad scope of practice.
Click here to learn more about the PA career and its requirements. Interested students and alumni are also encouraged to utilize the Health Professions Portfolio (PA) as a place to track experiential opportunities and customize their journey.
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapists (PTs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) are two distinct, but related careers. PTs and OTs help people gain or regain independence, improve function, and enhance quality of life following injury, illness, or disability. While PTs primarily focus on restoring movement, strength, and mobility, OTs help individuals develop or regain the skills needed for everyday living, work, and meaningful activities. Both professions emphasize individualized care, patient education, and long-term relationships with those they serve.
Click here to learn more about the philosophies behind these careers, as well as program requirements.
Pharmacy
Pharmacists are medication experts who work at the intersection of science and direct patient care: dispensing medications, managing drug therapies, and, in many states, providing clinical services like immunizations and chronic disease management.
The profession spans community and hospital pharmacy, industry, academia, and research, offering a clinically-grounded, patient-facing path with a single, well-defined route to licensure.
Click here to learn more about the PharmD path and its requirements.
Alternative Medical Pathways
If you are interested in alternative medical pathways, here are a few resources to explore before speaking with the Health Professions & Life Sciences Advisor.
East Asian Medicine: American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Chiropractic Medicine: National Association for Chiropractic Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine: American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
Preparing to Apply
How Wesleyan Supports Your Applications
Aside from regular career advising, the GCC offers support to applicants to health professional graduate programs (non-doctoral) via an optional process called a Letter Packet.
Essentially, a Letter Packet bundles individual letters of recommendation from writers of your choosing with a cover page that explains Wesleyan-specific details about our curriculum, including information about credit-hours and science labs.
In addition to the Letter Packet process, you may choose to engage with other aspects of application preparation in collaboration with the Health Professions GCC Staff, including Readiness Assessment, Self-Assessment, and Narrative Refinement. More information about these is also available on the Letter Packet page.
For those applying directly for jobs, internships, fellowships, etc., speak to the Health Professions and Life Sciences Career Advisor for support on applications as needed.
Your Career—GCC Supported
Explore Gordon Career Center flagship programs that can help fuel your journey toward a lifetime of meaningful work in healthcare.
WesLink
Alumni Connections
WesLink connects students and alumni for meaningful 1:1 career conversations over winter break.
Students will learn from alumni, explore career paths, and build confidence.
Take the opportunity to connect with healthcare workers who have been where you are!
Wes Career Grants
Experiential Funding
Wesleyan offers many avenues for students to receive grant funding for unpaid and underpaid internships, research projects, and other academic and career-focused needs.
The Wesleyan Summer Grants Program in particular provides funding to help alleviate costs associated with pursuing career-related summer experiences.
Wes Career Month
Cohort Experience
This winter, the GCC will feature in-person and virtual events including alumni conversations, internship panels, career programming, and more!
Check back later for the schedule on our Career Month page.
View a directory of departments and faculty doing research at Wesleyan!
