If you’re considering a new career path, healthcare may already be on your radar—and for good reason. The industry continues to experience strong growth, driven by an aging population, advances in technology, and an increased focus on public health. As a result, there’s a rising demand for professionals across a wide range of roles.
But is healthcare the right move for you? Making a career change isn’t always easy, especially if you’re well established in your current field. “It does take courage,” says Justin Roy, Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management at Bouvé College of Health Sciences. “Especially if you’re established, you’re really making that change because you want to.”
This article will help you determine whether that leap is the right one by exploring what a career in healthcare really looks like, what you should consider before making the switch, and the steps you can take to start your transition with confidence.
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What Is the Healthcare Industry?
Many people considering a career change to healthcare picture the most visible roles, like nurses, doctors, or physical therapists. But healthcare is a broad and complex industry that depends just as much on professionals behind the scenes as those delivering direct patient care. Careers in project management, data analytics, health informatics, scheduling, and administration all play essential roles in ensuring the system runs smoothly.
Still, one of the most common misconceptions is that you need a clinical background—or even a specific degree—to transition into the field. In reality, many people successfully enter healthcare from business, tech, and other industries by applying their transferable skills to a new context. For example, someone with a project management background might find their niche coordinating clinical trials, while a data analyst could support healthcare providers through informatics and reporting.
Even in non-clinical roles, though, purpose matters. “It’s a caring, compassionate field,” Roy says. “Even if you’re in analytics or informatics or pharmaceutical work, you have to be in it for the care of the patient.” That sense of mission—wanting to improve people’s lives—is what sets healthcare apart from many other industries and makes it a uniquely rewarding field to work in.
If you’re feeling drawn to the field but unsure how to begin, you’re not alone. Before taking the leap, it’s important to understand the factors that can help you determine whether healthcare is the right career move.
What to Consider Before Making a Career Change to Healthcare
Do Your Skills Transfer?
Before jumping into a new field, it’s essential to evaluate the skills you already have. A common misconception is that you need a science degree or clinical background to be successful, but many people enter the healthcare industry from entirely different sectors by leveraging their expertise.
“If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to lean into your strengths,” Roy adds. “Even doing some quick searches like, ‘I’m a data person—how can I incorporate data into healthcare?’ can help you bring it all together during your career change.”
So start by assessing what you do well. Are you highly organized and detail-oriented? Project management roles in healthcare, such as coordinating clinical trials or overseeing operations, may be a natural fit. Do you have a knack for working with data? Skills in data analysis or informatics are in high demand as healthcare organizations increasingly rely on data-driven decisions. Even backgrounds in customer service or business administration can translate well to patient coordination, healthcare navigation, or administrative support roles.
What Are the Education and Training Requirements?
The next step is understanding what education or training may be required. And while some roles—like nursing or physical therapy—do demand formal degrees and licensure, others may only require short-term training or certifications.
The good news is that there are more flexible and accessible options than ever before. From online programs and part-time degrees to accelerated courses designed for career changers, healthcare education is evolving to meet the needs of adult learners.
“There are a lot more options for students who want to do a career change when it comes to modality—full-time, part-time, when classes are held,” Roy explains. “A lot of people in their thirties, forties, and fifties are thinking, ‘Either I have to quit and go back to school, or I’m going to night school.’ And that’s not the reality anymore.”
If you’re not ready to commit to a full program though, consider taking one or two prerequisite courses at a community college or online. Not only can this build foundational knowledge, but it can also help you gauge whether healthcare is the right fit before making a larger investment.
Do You Have the Time and Money?
Making a career change often comes with logistical challenges, particularly around time and finances. Many prospective career changers worry that they’ll need to quit their job and return to school full time, but that’s not always the case.
Today, many healthcare programs are designed with working professionals in mind, offering part-time, online, and asynchronous options to make education more manageable. Still, depending on your chosen path, some sacrifices may be necessary. Accelerated programs, for instance, often require an intense time commitment that may make working full time difficult.
“People think they have to quit their job and go back to school for four years,” Roy says. “That is true for some things—but there are a lot more options now.”
For those pursuing patient-facing roles like nursing, cutting back on work hours at some point may be unavoidable. But planning ahead, looking into financial aid, and exploring employer tuition benefits can help ease the transition. Some career changers even take out living expense loans during short, intensive programs, confident that the long-term payoff—often a higher salary and greater job satisfaction—will be worth it.
Is It Too Late In Your Career?
One of the most common concerns for career changers is whether it’s too late to start over—especially if they’ve already established themselves in another industry. But in healthcare, that concern is often unfounded. Thanks to a growing job market and high demand across roles, there’s room for professionals at every stage of life and career.
In fact, healthcare is one of the few industries where you don’t need to constantly climb the ladder to gain respect or increase your salary. “Nurses who have 30 years of experience being a nurse and doing patient care are just as respected as someone who’s climbed the ladder to more leadership-like roles,” Roy adds. “So there’s less pressure to become the manager or the director in healthcare. In fact you can stay in your role and still make a fantastic salary.”
For those who do want to advance, prior professional experience can be a major asset. Leadership skills, business acumen, and team management—developed in other fields—often translate well into healthcare and can help fast-track career growth. “I have known folks who’ve had a successful business career. Then they went into nursing, and quickly became a nursing leader,” Roy says. “And it’s because they have those skills to lead and manage a team.”
4 Steps to Successfully Transition into Healthcare
If you’re considering a move into healthcare, the transition doesn’t have to happen all at once. By taking a strategic, step-by-step approach, you can build a path that’s aligned with your goals, experience, and lifestyle.
1. Research Healthcare Careers
The first step is understanding the full scope of what the healthcare industry offers. Go beyond the obvious clinical roles and explore the wide variety of careers available—from mental health and health informatics to operations, compliance, and patient experience.
Start by identifying roles that fit your background and interests. For example, if you’re a strong communicator with customer service experience, roles in patient advocacy or care coordination might appeal to you. If you’re detail-oriented and tech-savvy, consider positions in healthcare IT or data analysis.
To get a more realistic sense of different roles, seek out informational interviews with professionals in the field. Ask them how they got started, what challenges they face, and what they enjoy about their work. Their insights can help you avoid assumptions and better understand where your skills might fit.
2. Explore Educational Pathways
Once you’ve narrowed your focus, investigate what education or training is required for the roles you’re interested in. Some positions—like medical billing, healthcare administration, or clinical research coordination—may only require a certification or associate degree. Others, like public health or mental health counseling, might require a graduate degree and licensure.
Fortunately, many programs now cater to adult learners and career changers by offering part-time, online, or accelerated options. Take time to compare program lengths, costs, and flexibility. Don’t be discouraged by prerequisites—completing one or two courses can be a great way to ease back into academic work and build momentum.
Also consider whether your existing education and professional experience could fulfill some requirements or shorten your path. Many institutions offer credit for prior learning or allow work experience to count toward internships and clinical hours.
3. Gain Real-World Experience
Before committing fully, try to get firsthand exposure to a healthcare environment. Volunteering at a local hospital, assisting in a clinic, or shadowing someone in your desired role can provide valuable perspective—and help you determine if the work aligns with your expectations.
Even short-term or part-time opportunities can help you build relevant experience, boost your resume, and expand your professional network. For example, taking on a temporary administrative role in a healthcare setting can help you learn medical terminology, understand workflows, and gain comfort with electronic health records systems—all of which are applicable across the industry.
If in-person opportunities are limited, consider virtual options like online health simulations, remote internships, or project-based work that helps you develop practical skills in a healthcare context.
4. Network and Make Connections
Breaking into a new field is often easier when you have support from people already working in it. Start by identifying connections in your existing network—former colleagues, friends, or classmates—who work in healthcare or adjacent fields.
You can also expand your network by joining healthcare-related LinkedIn groups, attending webinars, or participating in virtual conferences. Industry associations like the American College of Healthcare Executives or Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) offer member benefits, events, and networking opportunities that can be especially valuable for career changers.
The more you engage with the healthcare community, the easier it becomes to find mentorship, learn about job openings, and feel confident in your decision to make the switch.
Start a New Career in Healthcare
A career in healthcare doesn’t have to mean becoming a doctor or nurse. It’s a dynamic, fast-growing field with opportunities in project management, data analytics, public health, mental health, administration, and more. Whether you’re just beginning to explore the idea or ready to make a change, there are multiple entry points that can align with your existing skills and passions.
If you’re serious about making the transition, start by assessing your strengths, researching roles that excite you, and taking small steps—like enrolling in a course, speaking with a professional, or gaining hands-on experience. While making a career change takes commitment and courage, the growing demand for healthcare professionals makes this path both viable and rewarding.
At Northeastern’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences, we’re here to support your journey with flexible programs designed for career changers like you. Whether you’re looking to upskill, reskill, or take on an entirely new challenge, Bouvé offers the education, resources, and real-world experiences to help you thrive in today’s healthcare landscape.
