Education Requirement by Medical Discipline

Starting a career in the medical industry requires intensive schooling and continuous training. The path of what is required varies depending on each discipline. Below provides details on what level of schooling is required for different nursing and pharmacy positions.

Nurses Registered Nurse (RN): Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science
Cardiac Nurse: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, Registered Nursing License (RN)
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): Masters Degree (MSN – Master of Science – Nurse Practitioner), RN, and One Year in Acute Care Setting
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): Masters Degree, sometimes a Doctoral Degree
Critical Care Nurse: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
ER Nurse: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP): MSN and RN
Geriatric Nursing: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Perioperative Nurse (Surgical/OR nurse): Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Mental Health Nurse: Masters Degree and RN
Nurse Educator: Masters Degree and RN
Nurse Manager: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Nurse Midwife: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Nurse Practitioner: Masters Degree or Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree (DNP)
Nursing Administrator: Bachelor’s of Science and RN
Oncology Nurse: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Orthopedic Nurse: Bachelor’s of Science and RN
Pediatric Nurse: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Public Health Nurse: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN
Travel Nurse: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science, RN

Pharmacy
Pharmacists: Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
Pharmacy Technicians: High School Diploma or Associates Degree

Naturally, different positions require a higher level of expertise and generally those positions pay more. To find out more about salaries for these positions, visit our blog on Salaries By Discipline.