Looking for a rewarding path in healthcare that offers real opportunity and long-term stability? The health field includes a wide range of roles — from hands-on patient care to lab work and medical technology — that keep hospitals, clinics and community practices running. With the right education, you can prepare for a well-paid career where your skills support patients and healthcare teams every day.
At Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), you’ll find more than 20 health sciences certificate and associate degree programs designed to prepare you for a variety of careers in health, including medical imaging, respiratory care, physical or occupational therapy, clinical lab services or medical coding. Each program combines classroom instruction with hands-on, healthcare job training in state-of-the-art labs and simulation suites on the Medical Education Campus. Every pathway meets credentialing requirements and offers a clear route to advanced study if desired.
Wherever your interests lie, NOVA’s health sciences programs equip you with the practical skills and professional connections to begin working in the field.
Why Choose Careers in Health?
For a stable, rewarding path with room to grow, jobs in the health field offer strong long-term potential. Allied health roles — spanning everything from medical imaging to therapy support — rank among the best health careers thanks to consistent job demand, solid starting salaries and the opportunity to help others.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare support occupations are projected to grow by 15.2% by 2033 — far outpacing the national average. Specific roles like medical assistants are expected to see a 15% increase, adding nearly 120,000 jobs, while radiologic and MRI technologists will grow by 6%, creating around 16,000 new positions. Median salaries range from $44,200 for medical assistants to $77,660 for radiologic technologists, making these different jobs in healthcare both accessible and financially promising.
NOVA’s health sciences programs combine academic preparation with training in real-world clinical environments. Whether your goal is immediate employment or to transfer to a four-year institution, NOVA equips you with the skills and credentials to succeed in a high-demand field.
Where Can Healthcare Job Training Take You?
NOVA provides an excellent foundation for careers in health, preparing you to join a workforce that’s essential, respected and always evolving.
Studying at NOVA can lead directly to different jobs in the health field including:
Physical therapy assistant: Guide patients through exercise, mobility and pain management.
Occupational therapy assistant: Help patients regain skills for everyday living.
Respiratory therapist: Assess lung function, manage ventilators and deliver breathing treatments for patients with cardiopulmonary conditions.
Radiologic technologist: Capture diagnostic X-ray images in hospitals, urgent care centers and outpatient clinics.
Diagnostic medical sonographer: Operate ultrasound equipment for abdominal, OB/GYN, cardiac or vascular studies.
Radiation therapist: Deliver targeted oncology treatments as part of a cancer care team.
Medical laboratory technician: Perform blood, chemistry and microbiology tests.
Phlebotomist: Draw and process blood specimens in hospitals, labs and donor centers.
Health information technician: Manage electronic health records, quality metrics and privacy compliance.
Clinical data coding specialist: Review patient records and assign codes to diagnoses and treatments.
Dental hygienist: Provide preventive cleanings, radiographs and patient education.
Dental assistant: Support chair-side procedures, take impressions and manage infection control.
Paramedic: Act as the first medical professional on scene, stabilizing and transporting patients.
Certified clinical medical assistant: Take vitals, perform basic lab tests and maintain front office duties.
Nurse aide & medication aide: Provide bedside and long-term care support, including vital signs and medication administration.
At NOVA, you can begin training for jobs in healthcare in just a few semesters. Our health sciences pathways prepare you to enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year institution.
Real-World Learning at NOVA’s Medical Education Campus
An essential piece of being career ready for jobs in the health field is hands-on training. At NOVA, the classroom is only one piece of your education.
Our Medical Education Campus offers hospital-grade simulation suites, digital radiography labs, on-site dental and phlebotomy clinics and a host of other spaces built for healthcare job training. You’ll prepare for different jobs in healthcare, from medical laboratory tech to respiratory therapist, and use the same equipment and software used in major hospitals, outpatient centers and other healthcare settings.
Under the guidance of expert faculty, you’ll move seamlessly between classroom theory and patient care scenarios, graduating with the hands-on skills employers expect for today’s fast-growing jobs in the health field.
Advance Your Education: Transfer Pathways for Health Students
If you’re interested in careers in health that may require more advanced training, such as becoming a registered nurse, physician assistant or public health specialist, NOVA helps you build a strong foundation through affordable, transfer-friendly programs that align with four-year degrees.
NOVA’s dedicated transfer agreements allow health sciences graduates to move directly into upper-division programs at partner universities in Virginia, such as George Mason University. Whether you plan to build on medical imaging studies, expand your health information management expertise or explore different jobs in healthcare, our advisors map out course plans that satisfy prerequisites while keeping you workforce ready.
Training for jobs in the health field at NOVA is just the beginning of a long-term, rewarding career in health, marking a streamlined path toward higher earnings and leadership roles.
Why Choose NOVA for Healthcare Job Training?
At NOVA, healthcare training is built for the real world. From your first semester, you’ll prepare for jobs in the health field with coursework and live practice in hospital-grade labs, community clinics and Virginia health systems.
Here’s what sets NOVA apart:
Build real-world skills by practicing intubation, IV starts, X-ray positioning and electronic charting using the same equipment professionals use in hospitals and clinics.
Learn from licensed experts — nurses, therapists, technologists and administrators who bring clinical knowledge and industry insight to every class
Connect to your future through resume clinics, job fairs and one-on-one advising that link you directly to regional healthcare employers.
Discover Healthcare Pathways
NOVA’s health programs are designed to help you move forward — whether that’s starting a new job or building toward a bachelor’s degree. Through hands-on learning, industry-aligned instruction and clear transfer pathways, you’ll gain the training and credentials to pursue a wide range of roles in the health field.