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Is it possible to pursue a job in healthcare with a Bachelor's in Biochemistry??

I'll be attending college later this year and I'm majoring under Medicinal Biochemistry, as well as trying to become part of the Pre-Med program the university offers. I'm aiming to become a Nurse or Nurse Practitioner and I'm wondering more about the steps I should take after earning my degree.

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Samantha’s Answer

Absolutely! Biochemistry is a very popular major that most students peruse. Jobs that compliment with a Biochemistry major are forensics departments, laboratory technician, research assistant, researcher, and so on. My advice is to explore where ever you plan to work, such as hospitals, labs, and clinics. Search for their careers and this will guide you to fulfil the requirements needed for a specific job field.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for your contribution towards my question. Do you think I would benefit from minoring in forensics or some other science prerequisite to boost my chances of landing a job with Bachelor’s in Biochemistry? Caliyma
Thank you comment icon That will absolutely help and open more doors for your future jobs! You can also involve yourself in internships, externships, or volunteer work if studies become overbearing. I do know colleagues who just majored in Chemistry and were able to be accepted to forensic jobs, though it is your choice at the end of the day to which ever sound like your calling. Samantha Rojas
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Becky’s Answer

Caliyma,
Medicinal biochemistry can be a good foundation for many health-related curriculums. There are nursing programs designed for candidates with a non-nursing degree. These programs require additional nursing courses to meet the bachelor's in nursing degree requirements. Upon completing an associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing, one can take the national license to practice as a registered nurse. Good Luck with your education and decision to take a career path. Healthcare is a great field.

Becky recommends the following next steps:

Shadow a few health care professionals to see which one you enjoy most
Explore different health-care settings for example: hospital, dentist, medical office, radiology.
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Joseph’s Answer

Of course. Bio Pharmaceutical industry is one of the most sought after careers today. With everything you're currently doing you're on a path which will make you versatile within the Med field.
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Audrey’s Answer

Hi Caliyma! Biochemistry is a very popular pre-med major; however, you would need to major in nursing and obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to become a nurse or a nurse practitioner.

To become a Registered Nurse (RN), you need to complete a BSN and take the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination). This exam grants you licensure to practice as an RN once you have completed your degree.

To become a Nurse Practitioner (NP), you must get a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN). Naturally, this requires a bachelor's degree (BSN). Further, many NP programs require you to work a few years as an RN before you can apply. Many students get their BSN, pass the NCLEX to obtain licensure, work a few years as a nurse, then apply to an MSN program to become a NP.

There are a few accelerated MSN programs out there that don't require a BSN to apply, but they still require you to take accelerated courses to get a BSN + take the NCLEX before starting your MSN courses. These programs are largely for people who have a degree in something other than nursing and want to become a nurse/nurse practitioner.

I hope this helps and wasn't too confusing!
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the helpful information, but I still have a few more questions if you don't mind answering. Is it possible to still apply for a healthcare position under another title, such as a pathologist or dermatologist, with a Bachelor's in Biochemistry and attendance of a Pre-Med program or would I have to major under a different subject? If the latter, what majors would you recommend are the top ones, aside from BSN, that would be best help to pursue occupation in the medical field? Caliyma
Thank you comment icon Obtaining a bachelor's degree in biochemistry alone could not land you a job as a pathologist or a dermatologist since both professions require medical school. A lot of healthcare-related jobs require graduate school. Some examples are nurse practitioners (NPs; master's degree), medical doctors (MDs; medical school), doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs; medical school), and physician assistants (PAs; master's degree). Different graduate schools require you take certain prerequisite courses in order to apply. The good news is, biochemistry is a great major for this! A lot of courses you will be required to take to get a bachelor's in biochemistry are also required by graduate programs as prerequisite courses. Audrey Ganser
Thank you comment icon Typical medical school prerequisite courses include: biology, general (inorganic) chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Many pre-med students try to pick a major in which these courses are already required. If a medical school I'm interested in requires 8 credit hours of advanced biology with lab and those courses are already required to get a degree in biochemistry, I'd kill two birds with one stone by majoring in biochemistry. This is why getting into medical school (or any other medical-related graduate program) with a degree other than biology or a related science is difficult, because you must add prerequisite courses on top of what is required for your chosen degree. Audrey Ganser
Thank you comment icon Biochemistry is a great option for those interested in medicine, since a lot of the courses you will be required to take check off pre-requisite courses for many medical graduate programs. As a side note, there are jobs in the medical field you can get with a biochemistry degree alone! A lot of students pursue jobs in clinical research. Audrey Ganser
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washaq’s Answer

I would recommend having a degree in general health or health facility management
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Lesly’s Answer

Hello! Absolutely, you can secure a healthcare job with a Biochemistry degree! Just remember to complete all the necessary courses for the particular area you're interested in. For instance, if you're considering medical school, ensure you've taken Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, and so on. Best of luck!
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Midwest’s Answer

Yes! In fact, that major will likely open doors to many different careers in healthcare. Another key point to consider is that oftentimes people start with a major at the beginning of college and then sometimes will switch - this would also be OK. If you do decide you would like to become a nurse or a nurse practitioner, then an important step early on is to determine which coursework you need to complete in addition to your Bachelor's in Biochemistry in order to get your nursing degree, as well. By figuring out what extra work that would require, this may help you decide whether to switch to a BSN degree rather than Biochemistry or complete Biochemistry and then pursue the nursing degree.

Be starting out as Biochemistry and also pre-med, your options should be relatively open to pursue really any healthcare career, but it will be important to explore and determine the different potential pathways early on in college so you are fully informed about when to pivot, if you decide to. This may be nursing as described but could also be medical school, in which case you will likely already satisfy all the pre-medical requirements through your Biochemistry major and pre-med program.

I would highly recommend you get exposure to all of these careers as soon as you're able to, both now and once you start college. You can do this in numerous ways including shadowing, formal internships, volunteering, or part time jobs. Jobs such as medical scribe would expose you to multiple healthcare roles at once which may help in your decision-making process. Volunteer opportunities are available at virtually every hospital and can be found on hospital websites. The most direct way to experience these different careers is through one-on-one shadowing for a day or two with individuals in these careers. The sooner you do this and really get solidified in an intended path then the better you will be able to mold your trajectory.

Hope that helps!

Midwest recommends the following next steps:

Arrange shadowing/volunteering with physicians and nurses
Gain exposure to both inpatient and outpatient settings
Use these experiences to decide on a summer intership
Map out your college coursework toward your intended career
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