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Explore Healthcare

Could healthcare be right for you?

You’ve probably come to this page because at some time in your life you’ve imagined yourself as a healthcare provider. Perhaps you saw how a healthcare team helped you and your family through a time of illness, or you had a very caring dentist who inspired you to follow in her footsteps. Perhaps you have always been a good student in the sciences, and you've thought that a good way to apply your talents would be in medicine.

Whatever the reasons may be, if you want to pursue a healthcare career Health Professions & Prelaw Advising is committed to helping you get there.

Becoming a skilled healthcare provider won't just require inspiration, but careful planning as well as hard work and dedication. HPPLA encourages pre-health students to develop habits from the start of devoting about 30 hours per week outside of classroom time to academics.

Confirm your path

One of the first steps is to confirm your path. It's important to decide for certain that you want to work in healthcare, and determine the best profession for you, based on your strengths, interests, and desires. We encourage you to shadow healthcare professionals or volunteer in a medical environment to gain firsthand exposure that can help you make an informed decision.

Use the resources of Health Professions & Prelaw Advising, including this website, to help you explore the possibilities. As an IU student, meet with a HPPLA advisor to discuss your interests, values, and motivations, and create a personalized plan for success.

Keep exploring

How do I know if a healthcare career is right for me?

Learn more about considerations and questions to ask yourself to help decide whether a career in healthcare could be right for you.

Which careers could be right for me?

Learn about the career options in the healthcare field.

Get Started

Learn about the preparation and expectations for healthcare.

Information for Pre-health Students

Current undergraduate students can find resources for getting started, preparing for your career, suggested coursework, and how to apply to graduate programs in the health professions of their choice in our HPPLA Guidebook. You can view the different pre-health sections of the guidebook by clicking below, or if you're just starting out, visit the new students section first.