Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Salary Overview

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Key Skills

Knowledge Areas

What They Do

• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
• Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
• Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
• Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.

Tools & Technology

★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)

Education Requirements

Typical entry-level education: Master's Degree

Related Careers

Featured In

Careers with the highest skill compatibility from Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary.

A Day in the Life

A typical day for a Health Specialties Teacher begins with preparing lecture materials, updating case studies, or reviewing student assignments before morning classes. Classroom instruction varies from large lecture halls for foundational courses to small lab sessions where students practice clinical techniques under close supervision. Office hours occupy midday blocks, during which students seek guidance on coursework, clinical rotations, or career decisions. Afternoon activities often include committee meetings for curriculum review, accreditation preparation, or faculty governance. Many health specialties faculty maintain active clinical practices, spending designated days or half-days treating patients to stay current in their fields. Research-active faculty dedicate time to grant writing, data analysis, and manuscript preparation for peer-reviewed journals. Evening hours may involve grading practical exams, reviewing simulation recordings, or corresponding with clinical preceptors about student performance. The academic calendar provides structure, with intensive periods during finals and accreditation site visits balanced by more flexible summer schedules.

Work Environment

Health Specialties Teachers work primarily in universities, medical schools, community colleges, and teaching hospitals. The environment combines traditional academic office and classroom spaces with specialized clinical laboratories, simulation centers, and sometimes active patient care areas. Teaching loads vary significantly by institution type, with research universities expecting less classroom time but more scholarly output than teaching-focused colleges. The intellectual atmosphere is collaborative, with frequent interdisciplinary interactions among faculty from different health professions. Academic freedom provides significant autonomy in research direction and teaching methodology, though accreditation standards impose curricular requirements. The pace fluctuates with the academic calendar, peaking during exam periods and accreditation reviews. Many programs now incorporate online and hybrid teaching modalities, offering some flexibility in work location. Clinical practice days may involve hospital or clinic environments with direct patient interaction.

Career Path & Advancement

The educational path to becoming a Health Specialties Teacher typically begins with earning a professional degree in the relevant health discipline, such as a DDS, PharmD, or doctoral degree in a clinical laboratory science. Most postsecondary teaching positions require a terminal degree in the field, though some community college roles accept master's degrees with significant clinical experience. Clinical practice experience of five to ten years provides the expertise and credibility needed for effective teaching. Entry-level academic positions include clinical instructor, lecturer, or assistant professor, depending on the institution and track. Tenure-track positions require demonstrating excellence in teaching, research productivity, and service contributions over a probationary period of five to seven years. Promotion from assistant to associate and then full professor follows established criteria at each institution. Administrative advancement includes department chair, associate dean, and dean positions for those interested in academic leadership. Some faculty pursue dual appointments, maintaining both academic and clinical roles throughout their careers.

Specializations

Dental education faculty teach in areas including oral surgery, periodontics, prosthodontics, and dental hygiene with specialized curricula for each discipline. Medical laboratory science educators focus on clinical chemistry, hematology, microbiology, or molecular diagnostics instruction. Pharmacy education encompasses pharmacology, pharmacotherapy, pharmaceutical sciences, and clinical pharmacy practice teaching. Nursing education at the postsecondary level spans specialties from pediatrics and geriatrics to psychiatric and community health nursing. Public health faculty teach epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, and health policy with emphasis on population-level thinking. Rehabilitation sciences educators cover physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology programs. Health administration faculty prepare students for management roles in hospitals, insurance companies, and public health agencies. Simulation education specialists focus on designing and facilitating high-fidelity simulation experiences across multiple health disciplines.

Pros & Cons

Industry Insight

The shortage of health professions faculty is a persistent challenge, driven by the salary gap between academic and clinical practice positions. Simulation and virtual reality technologies are transforming health professions education, requiring faculty who can design and facilitate technology-enhanced learning experiences. Interprofessional education mandates from accrediting bodies are pushing programs to create collaborative learning opportunities across health disciplines. Competency-based education models are replacing traditional time-based curricula, requiring faculty to develop new assessment approaches. The expansion of online and hybrid program offerings has accelerated, opening new teaching modalities and reaching a broader student population. Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are reshaping curricula, admissions processes, and faculty recruitment across health education. Clinical placement site competition among growing numbers of health programs is intensifying, requiring creative approaches to experiential learning. Artificial intelligence tools are creating both opportunities for personalized learning and challenges around academic integrity.