What are you looking for in your future career path? For some it’s job security, for others it’s flexibility. It might even be the ability to make an impact on the world around you.

No matter what you’re looking for, it’s worth considering a career in health given the vast opportunities and benefits associated with the industry. Here are our top five reasons to consider pursuing a career path in this booming industry:

1) Helping others

By far the most attractive thing about a career in the health industry is your ability to directly help other people. Very few other industries allow you to noticeably improve the quality of someone’s life through your work, which is why healthcare is unique and rewarding as a career path.

Some people believe helping others is only possible through a hands-on career, like nursing. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Through things like medical technology design, disease research, healthcare management you’re also able to see the impact your work has on patients.

2) Growing industry

Healthcare is Australia’s largest and fastest growing industry. According to the Department of Jobs and Small business, by 2023 overall employment will increase by 7.1 per cent. By contrast, jobs in healthcare are due to increase by over twice that, at a rate of 14.9 per cent.

When it comes time to getting a job in your chosen industry, joining a growing industry assures you a certain level of job security. With more new jobs to fill, the more likely it is you’ll get a job out of university.

International student Mehtab found studying nursing at Murdoch helped him learn how to provide the best holistic healthcare possible, ensuring he had diverse skills to keep in at the forefront of this growing industry.

 “The simulation labs provide a great opportunity for us to link theory to practise, and I have been exposed to practising and developing every type of clinical skill I will need in the healthcare industry.

“I want to work in the aged care industry and Murdoch has provided me with the opportunity to do practicals in aged care.”

Discover more about becoming an international student at Murdoch.

3) Ability to work in new places

With the demand for healthcare workers all over the world, there are opportunities available to travel with your skills in healthcare, and take opportunities regionally or internationally. If you’re interested in international aid and development, there are also opportunities available to use your skills in volunteer scenarios abroad.

For some specific countries and professions, you’ll need to take assessments or meet certain criteria before taking a job overseas. If you have a particular job or country in mind, make sure you do your research before committing to a career path.

4) Career Progression

As part of the growing industry there are many opportunities for career progression available in the health industry. Especially for students interested in postgraduate study, there are many opportunities to specialise and get jobs that reflect your area of study.

In some cases, you are able to take specialised postgraduate health courses completely online.

5) Be at the forefront of innovation

Due to a high investment in health-related research and Australia’s great reputation for health, graduates in the industry have the opportunity to work on cutting edge projects. Whether it’s developing new ways to detect and treat diseases, or using innovative techniques to improve surgery outcomes, there’s no limit to what can be pursued in medical innovation.

Murdoch University leads the Australian National Phenome Centre, where world-leading researchers strive to revolutionise the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of conditions like cancer, autism, Alzheimer’s and Type 2 diabetes. The Centre is one of several initiatives by Murdoch set to change the nature of healthcare and disease prevention.

Where to start?

For a career in health it’s useful, if not necessary, to have a foundation of study. According to the Australian Government, half of all healthcare and social assistance jobs require a Bachelor degree or higher.