Healthcare & Science Research Career Community
Healthcare & Science Research
Careers in healthcare and science research offer opportunities to improve lives, advance medical knowledge, and promote public health and wellness. Professionals in these fields work in clinical settings, laboratories, public health organizations, and research institutes. From patient support to laboratory discovery and policy advocacy, these roles make a direct impact on communities locally and globally.
Exploration Tools
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- Clinical practice: acute care, rehab/subacute rehab, extended care, wellness and prevention, sports and fitness
- Specialties: cardiovascular, electrophysiology, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, pediatrics, sports medicine, etc.
- Management
- Education
- Research
- Consultation
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- Public Health Analyst
- Clinical Research Assistant
- Medical Scribe
- Community Health Educator
- Laboratory Technician
- Patient Advocate
- Epidemiology Data Analyst
- Healthcare Administrator
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Handshake is Macalester’s go-to platform for career and internship opportunities. There’s no need to create an account—just log in with your Macalester ID and password. Use Handshake to search and apply for jobs and internships, explore hiring organizations, schedule appointments with career advisors, and more.
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What Can I Do With This Major? is a website featuring 106 major profiles with information on common career paths, types of employers that hire in the field, and strategies to maximize opportunities. Links to professional associations, occupational outlook information, and job search resources are included.
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My Next Move is an interactive career exploration tool that helps you identify careers based on your interests. Use it to browse job profiles in healthcare and science research, or take the quick interest profiler to see which paths might be a good fit for you.
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Pre-Health at Mac supports students interested in careers across the health professions, including medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, public health, and more. The program offers tailored advising, planning resources, alumni connections, and opportunities for research and internships with partners such as local hospitals and the Mayo Clinic.
Job & Internship Search Resources
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Career Exploration hosts dozens of exploratory and skill-building events throughout the school year, including events highlighting careers in healthcare & science research. All of our events are posted on Handshake Events and on the college events calendar. We also send an email each Monday during the school year to all students as a reminder of the upcoming week’s events.
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Looking for a place to start your summer research? We know that there is a lot that goes into a research opportunity. It can get overwhelming! Here are useful links to resources that can get your ideas up and running as well as help you prepare the necessary requirements for your research.
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Employers in Science Research field tend to hire more heavily in fall and spring for full-time roles, and fall for internships. View our Industry Timelines page for more information.
Application & Interview Prep
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- Career Exploration Interviewing Resources
- Schedule a mock interview with Macalester’s Career Exploration team through Handshake
- Do a mock interview with a Career Fellow during drop-in hours (Monday-Thursday 4-6PM in Kagin Commons)
Get Involved
Getting involved in student organizations and college-led initiatives is a great way to build leadership skills, connect with peers, and explore your interests outside the classroom. These experiences can help you grow personally and professionally, strengthen your resume, and open doors to new opportunities on campus and beyond.
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MacExplore is a hands-on program that helps students explore career paths through local and national site visits. Led by faculty and staff, students meet with professionals, connect with alumni, and strengthen their career development skills.
Previous trips have included:
- Twin Cities: Law; Public Health; Arts, Media, & Media/Communications; Urban Planning; Private Sector
- National: Media and Communications: New York City; Social Science Research: Washington, D.C.; Technology (Data Analysis, Software, UX, Design): San Francisco; Banking and Finance: New York City
Through MacExplore, students gain insight into diverse industries, build their professional network, and grow their confidence in real-world settings. Follow Career Exploration on Instagram to stay in-the-know about upcoming trips.
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Professional and industry associations are great ways to build connections, gain career insights, and stay current in your field. They often offer job boards, mentorship, and events that can boost your professional growth. Some associations are listed below, so be sure to explore them!
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Getting involved in any student organization helps you build leadership, teamwork, and communication skills while expanding your network.
Gain knowledge specific to the Healthcare & Science Research career community through student organizations such as Health Professions Student Coalition (HPSC), Macalester First Aid (MFA), Macalester Pre-Dental Society, National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), Friends of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), and more.
Check out Macalester’s list of student organizations to learn more.
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Macalester’s Community Engagement Center offers a wide array of opportunities to engage with the Twin Cities community. Visit their Health & Wellness Engagement Opportunities page to learn more about involvement related to the Healthcare & Science Research career community.
Graduate & Professional School Info
Graduate and professional programs are often essential for students pursuing careers in healthcare or science research. Whether you’re aiming to become a clinician, public health expert, or biomedical researcher, advanced education provides the training, credentials, and experience necessary to enter these fields.
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- QuickStart Guide to Applying to Graduate School
- Personal Statement Guide
- Schedule an appointment with the Writing Center to plan and review your personal statement.
- An Undergraduate’s Essential Guide to Graduate School (Associated Colleges of the Midwest)
- The Parts of Your Medical School Application (Association of American Medical Colleges)
- Timeline for Application and Admission to Medical School (Association of American Medical Colleges)
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- Medical School (MD or DO): Careers in medicine, surgery, psychiatry, and medical research (4 years + residency/fellowship)
- Nursing (MSN, DNP, PhD): Clinical practice, nurse leadership, or research (2–4 years)
- Physician Assistant/Associate (PA): Diagnostic and preventive healthcare under physician supervision (2–3 years)
- Public Health (MPH): Epidemiology, health policy, and global health (1–2 years)
- Dentistry (DDS): General dentistry and specialties such as orthodontics or oral surgery (4 years + residency)
- Veterinary Sciences (DVM): Animal care and research (4 years + optional residency)
- Physical Therapy (DPT) / Occupational Therapy (ODT or MOT): Patient recovery, rehabilitation, and wellness (2–3 years)
Alumni Spotlights
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Mac2Med is a biannual event where alumni health professionals return to campus to connect with pre-health students through panels, networking, and mentorship.
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Explore additional alumni stories and videos through MacConnect, Macalester’s alumni networking platform.
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In the summer of 2020, four Macalester students participated in a project interviewing Macalester alumni working in health-related professions.
While working remotely and using zoom as their primary form of communication, these students – Emelie Beattie ’21, Brian Zou ’22, Sam Hochberger ’21 and Katherine Podoll ’21 – completed these interviews as part of a larger project to make health professions advising resources more abundant and accessible for Macalester students.
This 3-part series captures key advice and reflections from these alumni. The full interviews are also available below.
Full Alumni Interviews
- Rich Albrecht ’01, PA-C, physician assistant
- Jessica Beattie ’89, MA, LMFT, psychotherapist
- Hayley Berra ’12, MSW, IMH-E, parent-child and program coordinator
- Charlie Cosimini ’09, DVM, veterinarian
- Janna Cuneo ’04, FNP-BC, AAHIVS, family nurse practitioner, HIV clinical specialist
- Amy Hagstrom Miller ’89, Founder and CEO, Whole Woman’s Health
- Xu Han ’10, MS, DDS, pediatric dentist
- Emily Hawes-Van Pelt ’00, MD, obstetrician/gynecologist
- Jen (Lee) Hundevad ’09, PT, DPT, OCS, physical therapist
- Kristina Krohn ’05, MD, internal medicine and pediatric hospitalist
- Chidyaonga Shalita ’17, medical student (M2)
- Jess Vaughan ’12, BSN, DNP, CNM, certified nurse midwife