Prospective Students
Interested in a degree in one of the health professions? The Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP) is one of the largest undergraduate health sciences colleges in the state of Georgia. Our accredited programs train outstanding leaders through engaged teaching and learning opportunities, scholarly and creative research and socially responsive service activities. With a commitment to interdisciplinary learning and professional excellence, we prepares the next generation for success.
About the Health Professions
WCHP’s academic units prepare students for careers that range from nursing, physical therapy, sport management, physical education, nutrition and food science, respiratory therapy and communication sciences and disorders.
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Careers in the Health Professions
Clinical Sciences
What do they do?
They examine the patient for broken bones, ulcers, tumors, diseases, or malfunctions of various organs through the production of consistently high-quality radiographs (x-rays) ready for the radiologist’s interpretation.
Where do they work?
Hospitals, physician’s offices, clinics, public health service agencies, and private industries.
What is their salary?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for radiographer was $70,240 in May 2022.
What do they do?
What do they do?
Radiation therapists deliver daily radiation treatments to cancer patients to ensure the treatments are accurately and safely administered.
Where do they work?
Radiation therapists work in hospitals, offices of physicians, and outpatient centers.
What is their salary?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for radiation therapist was $98,340 in May 2022.
What do they do?
They image organs, tissues and vessels to be imaged with high frequency sound waves emitted into the body. These waves bounce off tissues and send back “echoes” that are converted into images. The most common sonograms are of fetuses, body organs, blood vessels, and soft tissue structures.
Where do they work?
Hospitals, physician’s offices, and medical laboratories
What is their salary?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for sonographer was $84,410 in May 2022.
What do they do?
Nuclear medicine technologists administer small amounts of radioactive pharmaceuticals into the patient. The radiation emitted by the body is detected by specialized equipment, which converts the radiation measurements to images which are used to detect abnormalities.
Where do they work?
Hospitals, physician’s offices, clinics, public health service agencies, and private industries.
What is their salary?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states the median annual wage for nuclear medicine technologists was $89,610 in May 2022.
What do they do?
Cardiovascular technologists and technicians help diagnose and treat blood vessel and heart diseases.
Where do they work?
Hospitals and physician groups who diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases and work within cardiac catheterization departments, electrophysiology laboratories, and angiography departments.
What is their salary?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay of cardiovascular technologists and technicians were $65,490 in May 2022.
What do they do?
Medical laboratory scientists, often called medical scientists, are vital healthcare detectives, uncovering and providing laboratory information from laboratory analyses that assist physicians in patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as in disease monitoring or prevention (maintenance of health). They use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and technology, computers, and methods requiring manual dexterity to perform laboratory testing on blood and body fluids. Medical laboratory science professionals generate accurate laboratory data that are needed to aid in detecting cancer, heart attacks, diabetes, infectious mononucleosis, and identification of bacteria or viruses that cause infections, as well as in detecting drugs of abuse. In addition, we monitor testing quality and consult with other members of the healthcare team.
Where do they work?
The medical laboratory scientist typically works in a hospital setting but can also work in medical and diagnostic laboratories or doctor’s offices.
What is their salary?
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that medical laboratory scientists earned a median annual wage worth $59,130 in May 2022.
What do they do?
Respiratory therapists are board-certified healthcare professionals who treat and help diagnose patients with respiratory/breathing disorders, and also play a vital role in administering life-saving interventions such as acquiring and maintaining artificial airways and manage mechanical ventilation life-support equipment.
Where do they work?
Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, long-term acute-care hospital (LTAC), home health care and DME, physicians offices, pulmonary function labs, pulmonary rehabilitation clinics, sleep labs, hospice care, sales and marketing of healthcare equipment, research and educational institutions.
What is their salary?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for respiratory therapist was $74,310 in May 2022.
What do they do?
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have the expertise to help individuals with a variety of communication disorders. SLPs may work with individuals with developmental delays, such as autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy; language-learning disabilities; stuttering; and speech sound production errors, such as a “lisp.” SLPs also routinely assist in the recoveries of people who have had head injuries, strokes, and cancers of the head and neck. Others who benefit from these services are individuals learning English as a second language and those who seek to improve their communication skills for the corporate world. SLPs assist individuals of all ages by working with them and their families in their schools, their hospitals, their homes… anywhere they need communication facilitation.
Where do they work?
Speech language pathologists may work in a variety of settings such as schools, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health care, and private practices.
What is their salary?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for speech language pathologists was $89,460 in May 2022.
What do they do?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists review patient’s medical history and any referrals or notes from doctors or surgeons, diagnose patient’s dysfunctional movements by observing them stand or walk and by listening to their concerns, among other methods, set up a plan of care for patients, outlining the patient’s goals and the expected outcome of the plan, use exercises, stretching maneuvers, hands-on therapy, and equipment to ease patients’ pain, help them increase their mobility, prevent further pain or injury, and facilitate health and wellness, evaluate a patient’s progress, modifying a plan of care and trying new treatments as needed, and educate patients and their families about what to expect from and how best to cope with the recovery process. A doctoral degree must be earned and a passing score on the National Physical Therapy Examination in order to become a physical therapist.
Where do they work?
Private practice and rehabilitation centers.
What is their salary?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for physical therapists was $97,960 in May 2022.
Nursing
What do they do?
Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate educate patients and the community about various health conditions and provide support to patients and their families.
Where do they work?
The registered nurse works in hospitals, home healthcare services, doctor’s offices, schools and nursing care facilities.
What is their salary?
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that registered nurses earned a median annual wage worth $89,010 in May 2022.
What do they do?
Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate educate patients and the community about various health conditions and provide support to patients and their families.
Where do they work?
The nurse practitioner works in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, physicians’ offices, and clinics.
What is their salary?
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that registered nurses earned a median annual wage worth $124,680 in May 2022.
Health Sciences and Kinesiology
What do they do?
A career in health informatics will have you working alongside professionals who use thoughtfully designed, implemented and managed health information systems to improve the health of individuals, groups and populations. You’ll support research, manage clinical workflow tasks, control health information databases and improve healthcare information security.
Where do they work?
Hospitals, offices of physicians, the private sector and nursing care facilities.
What is their salary?
Data from the BLS shows health information technicians earned a median annual pay worth $65,280 in May 2022.
What do they do?
A career in health informatics will have developing fitness and exercise programs that help injured or sick patients recover.
Where do they work?
Hospitals, physical therapy offices, fitness center and clinics
What is their salary?
Data from the BLS shows health information technicians earned a median annual pay worth $55,820 in May 2022.
What do they do?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health services administrators work to improve efficiency and quality in delivering healthcare services, keep up to date on new laws and regulations so that the facility in which they work complies with them, supervise assistant administrators in facilities that are large enough to need them, manage the finances of the facility, such as patient fees and billing, create work schedules, represent the facility at investor meetings or on governing boards, keep and organize records of the facility’s services, such as the number of inpatient beds used, and communicate with members of the medical staff and department heads.
Where do they work?
The administration and management of health care programs in a variety of settings, including hospitals, group practices, the private sector, the health and fitness industry, sales, gerontology, and public health.
What is their salary?
Data from the BLS shows that medical and health services managers earned a median annual pay worth $115,160 in May 2022.
What do they do?
They advise people on what to eat in order to achieve a specific health-related goal or live a healthy lifestyle.
Where do they work?
Dietitians and nutritionist work in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, cafeterias, and for state and local governments.
What is their salary?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for radiographer was $69,350 in May 2022.
Learn more about earning a Bachelor of Science with a major in nutrition and food science.
What do they do?
Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.
Where do they work?
Athletic trainers may work in a variety of settings such as college, universities, elementary schools, hospitals, fitness centers, for professional sports teams, and physician offices.
What is their salary?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for athletic trainers was $57,810 in May 2022.
Scholarship Opportunities
WCHP Scholarships
School of Nursing Scholarships
Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology Scholarships
Department of Clinical Sciences Scholarships
Ways to Get Involved
Georgia Southern is home to over 350 registered student organizations. Browse all active organizations on Georgia Southern’s Student Organization Directory or explore student organizations within WCHP.
Last updated: 12/22/2023