If you want to know what type of healthcare jobs with an online psychology degree are available to you, you should stop worrying. Many students assume that an online degree with limit their future opportunities and that they’ll have a harder time finding a job. As long as you attend an accredited school, you shouldn’t have a difficult time landing your dream job. Online programs teach you the same things you would learn in a traditional program, and you’ll have access to the same types of jobs later.
According to the American Psychological Association, health psychologists look at how specific things impact the health and well-being of people. Many of these psychologists work in hospitals or consult with medical doctors before diagnosing an issue. The hospitals might call on them for help when treating a patient diagnosed with cancer, diabetes or another illness. The psychologist will look at that person’s lifestyle and how that lifestyle impacts his or her health. Health psychologists can help patients in ways that doctors cannot.
Community Psychologists
Healthcare jobs with an online psychology degree include positions as community psychologists. They might work at a job center, a homeless shelter or a recreation center and examine the health and well-being of the public at large. Psychologists can talk with patients about why they made certain decisions and how they can repair their lives when they make new decisions. They’ll also look at how larger factors affect the general public. They might talk with AIDS patients, pregnant teens or those who practice unsafe sex and explain how their decisions can affect their friends and loved ones.
Counseling Psychologists
Many people assume that counseling psychologists work in hospitals or private practices and that they only treat individual patients. Counselors often work in drug and alcohol treatment centers, health clinics and in other locations. They hold group therapy sessions that let people share stories about their experiences, and they help patients realize that they are not the only ones dealing with a specific problem. Some counselors also work in private schools, public schools, colleges and universities and provide treatment options for students.
Clinical Psychologists
Healthcare jobs with an online psychology degree can also include clinical psychology positions. Clinical psychologists often work with a specific group of people, including the elderly, teen girls, single moms or gay men. Though some psychologists help those dealing with emotional pain and minor stresses, others deal with more serious medical conditions, including depression and bi-polar disorder. As part of the healthcare field, these psychologists work in medical settings and see multiple patients a day. Many choose to work in hospitals, but others work in institutions and treatment facilities. While many psychologists cannot prescribe drugs, clinical psychologists sometimes have the credentials necessary to prescribe medications in addition to providing therapy for patients.
Thousands of students graduate from psychology programs every year, and while some of those students complete doctoral programs, others enter the healthcare field. Healthcare jobs with an online psychology degree are available to students who demonstrate knowledge and experience in the field, and many employers care more about your skills than they do your college degree.