Essential Resources for Medical & Health Students (& Professionals)

From working with patients and managing stress to earning the latest certification, use these 50 no-cost resources to make a difference and move your career.

Students who choose to work in medicine or healthcare have an exciting and highly rewarding career in store. But of course, the journey to get to that career might present challenges, such as finding the right school, figuring out the required certifications (if necessary), passing the require examinations and of course, deciding how to pay for it all. The good news is that there are many resources available to help students through the educational aspect, as well as resources to help them when they do land that career and begin working in the healthcare field. This guide provides a list of those resources to get you started on the road to success – no matter where in the journey you are.

Education & Training

The single biggest challenge for anyone working toward a career in healthcare is getting the necessary education. This applies not only to prospective healthcare students, but to those currently working in the medical profession. You might be starting from scratch, about to attend your very first college class. Or you might be in the midst of a comfortable career but feel the need to enhance your management prospects or have your eye on that promotion. Or perhaps you’re in healthcare already, but you’re quite interested in making a lateral move to another area of the hospital or clinic. Whatever the case may be, additional education can help you get there. These resources are a great place to begin the important job of getting through the training and education you’ll need to pursue something new.

Accelerated Training Programs

Accelerated (or “Fast-Track”) programs give experienced students a way to earn credentials faster than traditional courses or programs. Already an LPN and looking to earn a bachelor’s? See if an accelerated program makes sense for you.

Accreditation for Online Colleges

Flexible education is a must in today’s fast-paced, multi-task world, but it’s essential to earn a degree that employers will trust. If you’re considering an online program, get the inside scoop on what accreditation is and why it matters.

Clinicals & Fieldwork for Online Healthcare Students

Online degree programs are giving more and more people the opportunity to join nursing, dental and other in-demand healthcare fields. But how do in-person clinical and fieldwork experiences work for online students? Learn all about hands-on training requirements in popular online healthcare programs and how to make the most of your experience.

The Admissions Handbook for Healthcare Students

Learn what you can expect from each stage of the healthcare admissions process and find out what you can do to get ahead of the game.

Healthcare Education & Community Colleges

Community colleges are a great way to get the education and training you need quickly and affordably. They have lower tuition, a wide range of student services, and a growing number of online courses and programs for healthcare students. This guide breaks down the benefits of starting your healthcare education journey at the two-year level.

How to Choose Your Pre-Med Major

From the most popular to the underrated, learn which pre-med major will best prepare you for your dream job in healthcare and get expert insight from a med school dean of admissions on making the right choice.

How to Crush the MCAT: Insider Tips & Online Resources

Gather the MCAT resources every med school hopeful needs and discover the inside info on what they don’t tell you about the exam.

Earning College Credit as a Non-Traditional Student

Whether you’re a military veteran applying to nursing school or a single parent with a GED, learn how to turn your life experience and professional knowledge into real college credit.

Transferring Your Healthcare Program

Learn what you need to know about transferring, from choosing the right school and applying to your program to securing financial aid and ensuring you’re ready to make the move.

Mentorship in Healthcare & Medicine

Mentorship in healthcare benefits students, new and seasoned professionals, patients and employers alike. Find programs in your field that fit your experience level and interests and get expert advice for making the most of your mentorship experience.

Healthcare Student’s Guide to Internships

Learn how to find the best opportunities, acquire the skills you need, and understand the key differences between internships, externships, and clinicals.

Studying Abroad as a Medical/Healthcare Student

Thinking about study abroad? This guide breaks down what you can gain from a study abroad experience, how to choose the right program, ways to save and pay for the trip, and much more to ensure you are prepared for the adventure ahead.

Study Skills for Healthcare Students

No matter which healthcare profession you enter, you need to study. Whether you’re about to enter a certificate or degree program, or you’re getting ready for a career-boosting exam. If this sounds like you, see what the experts say are the best ways to study in healthcare education.

How Technology is Changing Healthcare Education

Discover how technology is continuing to change healthcare education and patient outcomes and learn how you can turn your tech skills into a rewarding career in healthcare.

The Power of Upskilling, Re-skilling, & Certificate Stacking

Things change fast in the world of healthcare. To meet the advancing demands of the industry, healthcare professionals and employers are turning to upskilling, re-skilling and certificate stacking. Learn how you can advance your career and salary with these strategies.

Volunteering in Healthcare

Volunteering in healthcare is a great way to acquire new skills and network with future employers. Learn how you can meet your career goals while also making a difference in the life of others with a volunteer position in healthcare.

How to Get Off the Nursing School Waitlist

Your dream nursing school wait-listed you. Be proactive and pursue other avenues. Visit our guide to help you get off the waitlist.

Health & Wellness

College is a challenging time on many levels. Even when classes are relatively easy, there’s still the task of balancing personal and work lives with what the school requires. For some, there’s intense pressure to graduate and get the highest grades possible. So, it’s common for college students, especially those in medical and health-related programs, to be under a lot of stress – and as everyone knows, as stress levels go up, good health can begin to suffer.

Finding some time to relax, breathe, and simply step away from school for a day is healthy and strongly encouraged. Here are a few ideas to help students to stay healthy, relax, and reduce their stress levels. Some of these resources have suggestions that might take time away from school, but the benefits will more than make up for any lost time studying.

25 Colleges Prioritizing Health & Wellness

From campus meditation and bicycle programs to farmer’s markets and school-wide recycling, learn how colleges are prioritizing physical, mental, social, global, and food health and discover which schools are leading the way.

50 Dynamite Discounts for Nursing Students

From scrubs and medical equipment to transportation and housing, nurses and nursing students can find tons of discounts to help them get through school and work. These are just 50 awesome discounts to take advantage of as a nursing student.

Achieving Work-Life Balance in Healthcare

Whether you’re working in healthcare or studying to become a health professional, learn why those in the healthcare industry are at higher risk for burnout and gather tips for striking balance between your personal and professional lives.

Cognitive Impairment Education Guide

Fewer than 1 in 5 seniors receive annual check-ups for signs of cognitive impairment. And with more than 6 million people in the United States living with some form of dementia, why is testing so rare? Learn the key warning signs of cognitive impairment and how you can help those who live and work with it.

Combatting Heart Disease: Education & Advocacy Guide

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn about the different types of heart disease, how to spot the telltale symptoms in yourself or a loved one, and which careers and degrees are making the biggest difference in heart care.

Comfort Care Resources & Support

Whether you’re caring for a family member, friend, or someone else, understanding which options you have is key. Learn about the different types of comfort care and gather the resources you need to provide the care that you want.

Cyberbullying and Online Harassment: Awareness & Prevention

From online newbies to seasoned digital learners, cyberbullying can happen to any student at any time. Start to understand what cyberbullying looks like and get expert advice on handling yourself in cyber harassment situations.

Finding the Right Mental Health Professional for You

Compare counselors, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, review different kinds of treatment options, learn what type of therapy is right for you, and take the first steps towards mental wellness.

Getting Health Insurance Out of Open Enrollment

While missing the deadline for the open enrollment period can feel stressful, there are still ways to get health coverage. Learn how to get health insurance outside of open enrollment, explore special options to get insured, and find answers to your important insurance questions.

Healthcare Professionals & Suicide: Awareness & Prevention

From detecting the warning signs to addressing the stigma, learn how to recognize suicidal behavior in others and gather prevention tools and resources so you can find help today.

Healthy Sleep for Healthcare Students & Professionals

Having a hard time getting enough zzz’s? Sleep can be hard to come by for healthcare professionals and students. Learn about common sleeping disorders and find advice, tips, and resources for getting more shuteye in this guide.

How to Quit Smoking: Education & Advocacy

Quitting tobacco is challenging, but not impossible. From taking the first step to becoming completely tobacco-free, find the quitting method that works for you and gather the tools and resources you need to stop smoking for good.

Lowering Your Healthcare Expenses & Medical Bills

With healthcare costs in the United States continuing to rise, it’s more important than ever to find ways to save. Learn insider tips and tricks for lowering your medical bills and expenses, and where to turn for help when you can’t afford to pay.

Mental Health & Wellness as a Medical Professional

Even those who take care of others need a little TLC once in a while. Stress and sleeplessness are real challenges for those in all areas of medical and health. Read about the top mental health issues that medical professionals face, including warning signs and where to get help.

Online Guide to Compassion Fatigue

Working with patients brings you joy, but it can also wear you down. If you help people in a medical and health capacity, you may have felt stress and burnout, but have you experienced compassion fatigue? Learn the warning signs and what to do if you recognize them in you.

Online Guide to Eating Healthy in College

In this guide, you’ll find simple, creative ways to eat nutritiously in college without breaking the bank. You’ll also receive expert advice from a nutritionist and registered dietitian on how to make smart food choices.

Patient’s Guide to Safe & Effective Pain Management

Discover the connection between opioids and pain management, learn how to recognize opioid abuse in yourself and others, and get expert insight on how to safely manage pain.

Pediatric Health Education: Answers & Resources for Parents

Find answers to common concerns, learn about major physical and social development milestones, and get resources for keeping your child healthy at every stage in EduMed’s parent guide to pediatric health.

Pro-Vaccine Advocacy & Education Guidebook

Vaccines play a key role in keeping our communities healthy. But immunizations are now under attack by a growing movement of vaccine deniers. In this guide, you’ll learn all the ways you can stand up for vaccinations, educate others, and stop the spread of misinformation and disease.

STDs, STIs, and Staying Safe During Intimacy

If you or someone you know have questions about STIs and STDs, where and how to get tested, and what to do if a test comes back positive, this expert-backed guide is the right place to start.

Stress Management Guide for Healthcare Students

The demands of medical school and other healthcare college programs can cause high levels of stress, which can lead to issues like burnout, anxiety and depression. Learn how to keep your stress under control and where to turn for help in this guide.

Student’s Guide to Drinking Responsibly in College

Educate yourself and others on what responsible drinking looks like as a college student, when your drinking habits may be getting out of hand, and where to seek help for problem drinking.

Substance Abuse in Healthcare

Learn about the risk of substance abuse in healthcare professionals, discover how to recognize the warning signs in yourself and others, and get expert advice and resources for staying or getting sober.

The Caregiver’s Handbook

Caring for a loved one can be one of the most challenging and most rewarding responsibilities out there. Whether you’re new to caregiving or you’ve been caring for someone for years, get details on some of the toughest challenges and read three keys to maximizing caregiving success.

The Definitive Guide to Senior Care

Finding the right senior care is easier said than done. There’s understanding the options available, choosing the one that works best for you and your loved one, lining up financing if needed, and another dozen things to consider. Use our guide to make the search easier and take our quiz to help you and your family move forward.

Understanding & Combating Student Loneliness in College

Feeling lonely in college? You’re not the only one. Find tips, resources, and advice for beating college loneliness, see why it’s more common than you might think, and learn what schools are doing to help.

Virus & Disease Prevention and You

Whether it’s washing your hands and preparing your food safely or going into quarantine when you’re sick, learn how you can do your part to stop the spread of disease at school, work, the hospital, and even at home.

Special Interest Students

Sometimes, it pays to be a little different. Students who are of a minority group, those who served in the military, or even those who choose a career a bit off the beaten path can all find resources and assistance that is tailored to their special status. This also applies to those who are choosing a career on the basis of being able to help those who are members of underserved groups, or those who are members of certain groups that need help in a special way, such as wounded veterans or those with disabilities.

The following is a list of organizations and resources that can help students with special interests. Keep in mind that this list is just a starting point – there are thousands of special interest groups out there!

College Students with ADHD: Online Resources & Support

ADHD can cause significant academic and personal challenges for college students. Learn how to make college work with ADHD resources, tips, tools, and expert advice.

Creating LGBTQIA+ Friendly Communities in Healthcare & Education

Creating LGBTQIA+ friendly healthcare begins in the classroom. Learn the challenges we face and the measures we can take to build a more inclusive healthcare system for sexual and gender minorities.

Gerontology & Long-Term Care: Helping Seniors Find Health

Whether you’re interested in a gerontology career or you there’s a senior in your family, learn about the growing importance of long-term care, find tips for healthy aging, and discover which professionals are making a difference in the health of senior citizens.

Must-Have Resources for Low Income College Students

If you’re a low-income student, there are dozens of valuable resources available to you, you just need to know where to look. From academic preparation and mentorship to financial aid, find resources to make earning your degree more than just a dream.

Resources for Students with Disabilities

College students with disabilities often face challenges that other students don’t. If you, a friend, or a loved one have a disability, this guide outlines your rights, provides resources, and can help navigate the academic and social realities of college.

Support for College Students with Cancer: Tools & Resources

Higher education can pose unique challenges for students with cancer. Increase your understanding and awareness of the struggles students with cancer face and take away expert insight and resources to succeed.

Support for College Students with Chronic Conditions

Learn how to navigate college with a chronic condition, gather useful resources, explore scholarships, and gain expert insight.

Support for Students with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, & Dyscalculia

Students with dyslexia and related learning disabilities can face additional challenges when entering college. This guide offers support, resources, and expert insight to make the transition smoother.

Health Professionals

Whether you’ve reached your dream career in healthcare or you’re working one job while going to school to pursue something more advanced, being a healthcare professional doesn’t mean you’re done learning. In fact, most of your learning may still be ahead of you. Healthcare professional, whether a medical assistant or a nurse practitioner, are constantly gaining new knowledge, fine-tuning their existing skills, and taking on new and challenging responsibilities.

The following resources can help you, as a health professional, be a better practitioner, take your skills to new states, expand your professional network, and much more.

Addressing Workplace Violence in Healthcare

One in every three workplace assaults happens to medical and healthcare professionals. Learn how to keep yourself safe at work, what to do in the event of an incident, and how to talk to your employer about safety policies.

Healthcare Professional’s Guide to Emergency Preparedness

From developing a solid crisis plan to ensuring the continuity of patient care, learn how hospitals and healthcare professionals can prepare for emergencies.

How to Adapt to a Public Health Crisis as a Healthcare Professional

In the face of a pandemic or natural disaster, it’s critical to be prepared as a healthcare professional. Learn how to get ready for a public health crisis, cope with the fallout, and make the necessary adjustments to keep yourself and patients safe.

How to Thrive in Rural Healthcare

Discover the benefits of working in rural areas as a healthcare professional, take away tips for thriving in these remote locations, and get your important questions answered by a real rural health professional.

Make a Difference in Medical & Health

Watching someone get healthier on your watch is beyond rewarding. You can make a difference in so many ways, including with a career in healthcare. Read about today’s career in care where you can make a direct impact with patients.

Networking Guide for Nurses

Whether you’re looking to find employment or advance your current nursing career, learn about the importance of networking as a nurse and take away tips and expert advice on making meaningful career connections.

Patient’s Guide to Telehealth

COVID-19 has changed the way we do just about everything including how we receive healthcare. Learn how telehealth is helping millions get the care they need and get the information you need to sign up, see a doctor, and find treatment fast.

Supporting COVID-19’s Healthcare Heroes

Learn how you can support our front-line healthcare workers as they battle COVID-19 through volunteering, donations, or even joining the front lines yourself with a degree in healthcare.

Transferring Your Professional License to Other States

With many states having a unique set of licensing and certification requirements for nurses and other medical and healthcare professionals, moving your career across states can be tricky. Learn how to transfer your license or certification to another state today.

Travel Nursing & The Pandemic: Risks, Rewards, & Resources

Understand the risks, learn about the rewards, hear from an expert with personal experience, and gather valuable resources to help you thrive as a travel nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic.