If you’re considering a future in healthcare, you’re exploring a field centered on service, responsibility, and care for others. From direct patient care to leadership and community health, healthcare careers offer a wide range of paths shaped by both professional skill and personal values.
Use the buttons below to explore healthcare careers and degree pathways, understand the education and training required for each role, and learn how faith-integrated preparation at Cedarville University shapes professional practice, leadership, and patient care.
Explore Healthcare Careers
Healthcare careers span hospitals, clinics, laboratories, schools, nonprofit organizations, and community settings. Whether you’re drawn to hands-on patient care, scientific research, leadership, or community service, healthcare offers a wide range of roles that align with different strengths, interests, and callings.
Consider the various healthcare careers below and discover the degree pathways to get there.
Patient Care and Clinical Practice
direct patient care, nursing, physician assistant, clinical health roles
ExploreRehabilitation and Performance Care
physical therapy, athletic training, rehabilitation sciences, sports medicine
ExploreMental and Behavioral Health
mental health counseling, psychology, behavioral health, therapy pathways
ExplorePharmaceutical and Medication Sciences
pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, medication management, patient safety
ExploreHealthcare Leadership and Administration
healthcare administration, leadership, management, health systems
ExploreResearch and Health Innovation
clinical research, health sciences research, medical innovation, data analysis
ExplorePre-Professional Health Pathways
medical school preparation, dental, PA, optometry, professional health programs
ExploreIs a Healthcare Career the Right Fit for You?
If you’re thinking about healthcare, you probably want a career that feels meaningful. You may enjoy science, problem-solving, or working with people — or you may simply know you want to help others in practical, real-world ways.
Healthcare offers a wide range of paths, and healthcare careers are in demand. Some students are drawn to hands-on patient care, while others are interested in leadership, research, education, or improving community health.
Whether you picture yourself working in a clinic, hospital, school, lab, or community setting, healthcare careers allow you to combine skill, responsibility, and service in meaningful ways.
What Does It Take to Become a Healthcare Professional?
Healthcare careers don’t all follow the same path — and you don’t have to have everything figured out right now.
Some healthcare roles begin with undergraduate degrees, while others require graduate or professional education, clinical training, or licensure. Careers that involve direct patient care — such as pharmacy, athletic training, nursing, or physician assistant roles — often include hands-on clinical experiences as part of the educational process.
Many students start college by building a strong foundation in science and general education courses, then narrow their focus as they gain experience, confidence, and guidance.
How Does Faith Fit Into Healthcare Education at Cedarville?
At Cedarville University, students prepare for healthcare careers within an evangelical Christian learning community that connects faith with real-world practice. Rather than separating belief from profession, a biblical worldview shapes how students think through ethical decisions, interact with patients and colleagues, and respond to the responsibilities that come with caring for others.
Students are challenged to see healthcare not just as a career but as a way to serve. Alongside developing strong clinical skills, they grow in character, integrity, and leadership — qualities that prepare them to serve well in a wide range of healthcare settings.
Compare Healthcare Pathways and Programs
These expert-written articles take a closer look at specific healthcare programs, helping students understand curriculum, clinical experiences, and career outcomes.
Athletic Training vs. Physical Therapy: Which Sports Medicine Degree Path Is Right for You?
You love sports, movement, and healthcare — but you’re not sure which career path is right for you. Two of the most common options are athletic training (AT) and physical therapy (PT). Both careers play vital roles in sports medicine, yet they differ in focus, education, and career settings.
Understanding these differences is an important first step in making your decision. Let’s begin by defining each profession.
Defining the Professions
What Is Athletic Training?
According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), an athletic trainer is:
“a highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professional who renders service or treatment under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician, in accordance with their education, training, and the state's statutes, rules, and regulations. As part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include primary care, injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.”
What Is Physical Therapy?
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) defines a physical therapist as:
“a licensed doctor who works with multiple patient populations impacted by disease, injury, and movement dysfunction. They optimize quality of life by maintaining, restoring, and improving patients’ ability to move, function, and live more active lifestyles.”
Athletic Trainer vs. Physical Therapist: Key Differences
Athletic trainers primarily work with athletic populations — including athletes, first responders, military personnel, performing artists, and industrial workers — to prevent, assess, and treat acute injuries.
Physical therapists, on the other hand, work with a variety of patient populations to guide them through rehabilitation after injury, surgery, or during chronic conditions.
A key difference in patient care is that athletic trainers often see patients before injury, at the time of injury, and throughout recovery, while physical therapists typically see patients after injury through the return to functional activity.
Education Requirements and Degree Pathways
Both professions require a graduate degree, but the degree types and timelines differ.
- Athletic Training: Requires a master’s degree.
- Physical Therapy: Requires a doctoral degree.
Entry into either program requires a completed undergraduate degree and the necessary prerequisite courses.
How Long It Takes
Beyond the four-year undergraduate degree:
- The Master of Athletic Training (MAT) is typically a two-year program.
- The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is typically a three-year program.
Cedarville University offers an accelerated BS in sport medicine + MAT option, allowing you to complete both an undergraduate and master’s degree in just five years!
AT vs. PT: At a Glance Comparison Chart
| Athletic Training | Physical Therapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | injury prevention, immediate/acute care, therapeutic intervention | injury rehabilitation and long-term recovery |
| Degree | Master’s | Doctorate |
| Total length of schooling | approximately six years | approximately seven years |
| Settings | colleges/universities, secondary schools, professional sports, non-traditional settings | outpatient clinics, hospitals, rehab centers |
| Environment | fast-paced, varied settings, full scope of patient care | structured rehab settings with diverse patient populations |
Both professions are in high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, athletic training and physical therapy are each projected to grow 11% from 2024 to 2034.
Cedarville University’s Athletic Training and Pre-Physical Therapy Options
If athletic training sounds like a good fit, Cedarville University offers an accelerated 3+2 program, allowing students to complete both a Bachelor of Science in sport medicine (three years) and the Master of Athletic Training (two years) degrees in just five years.
Students interested in physical therapy typically pursue a Bachelor of Science in allied health or exercise science with a pre-physical therapy track. Cedarville does not currently offer a graduate DPT program.
FAQs About Athletic Training and Physical Therapy Careers
Do I have to work with all populations as a physical therapist, or can I only work with athletes?
Physical therapists often serve all populations but may occasionally work with athletes. To specialize in athletic care, you’ll need to pursue employment in sports-specific or orthopedic settings.
Will I only work with athletes if I become an athletic trainer?
Not necessarily. The AT profession has expanded into diverse areas, including the armed forces, occupational health, performing arts, physician practices, public safety, and healthcare administration. Traditional settings still include secondary schools, colleges/universities, and professional sports.
Do both AT and PT require a graduate degree?
Yes. PT requires a clinical doctorate, while AT requires a master’s degree.
How do salaries of ATs and PTs compare?
Athletic training vs. physical therapy salary and job outlook according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024):
- Athletic Trainers: $60,250 per year (average)
- Physical Therapists: $101,020 per year (average)
Salary varies by setting, years of experience, and additional credentials.
Can I be both an AT and PT?
Yes, but it’s becoming less common. To practice both, you must complete both graduate programs and pass the respective national board exams.
Find Your Path in Healthcare at Cedarville University
If you’re ready to be on the front lines of injury prevention or rehabilitation, athletic training or physical therapy may be the perfect fit! Cedarville University has a number of professional healthcare degree programs to help you meet your goals and set you on the path to a successful career.
Posted in Healthcare
Healthcare Blog Contributors
Cedarville University's healthcare blog articles are written by faculty and professionals with real-world and academic expertise.
Melissa Burns, MD
Associate Professor of Biology
Ken Blood, EdD, ATC
Master of Athletic Training Program Director, Associate Professor of Athletic Training
Thad Franz, PharmD
Associate Dean for Student Affairs, PharmD Program Director, Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Jason Grahame, MPA, PA-C, DFAAPA
PA Program Director, Associate Professor of PA Studies
Mary Smith, PhD, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
Adjunct Instructor of Graduate Nursing Programs