Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences Careers

A qualification from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences can take you in a wide range of careers.

Career possibilities

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB)

Careers include primary healthcare and general practice, or in a range of specialist disciplines including dermatology, emergency medicine, general medicine, geriatric medicine, gynaecology, medical research and education, neurology, obstetrics, oncology, paediatrics, pathology, psychiatry, public health, radiology and surgery.

Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm)

Pharmacists work in a range of industries related to the manufacture, prescription and provision of medicines. Government agencies regulate the quality and availability of drugs, pharmaceutical companies research and trial new compounds, community and hospital pharmacists liaise with the public and other health professionals on the safe and effective use of medicines. Graduates of the BPharm can expect to gain employment in any of these areas and may find rewarding positions in related industries such as medical publishing or pharmaceutical marketing.

The degree may also be used as a basic qualification leading to postgraduate study in pharmacology, health science or toxicology.

Potential careers include community or hospital pharmacist, health sector manager, medicines information pharmacist or prescribing adviser. Additionally, there are opportunities in other related areas such as medical publishing or pharmaceutical marketing. More on the careers in pharmacy

Bachelor of Nursing (BNurs)

Graduates of the BNurs will have an immediate advantage in the job market. With modern health provision increasingly focused on integrated care, where teams of health professionals work together to provide the best treatment possible, it is vital that tomorrow's nurses are trained in a multidisciplinary environment with extensive clinical experience. The University of Auckland's education of nurses alongside medical, pharmacy and health sciences students will equip its graduates with practical experience and an understanding of other allied health professions.

Potential careers include advanced nurse practitioner, community, gerontology, paediatric, hospital, primary healthcare or mental health nurse, or nurse educator, manager or researcher.

Bachelor of Health Science (BHSc)

For most BHSc students, the degree will lead to careers in a non-clinical field of healthcare. Nearly 50% of all people working in healthcare are involved in non-clinical fields. The degree prepares students for these non-clinical careers by providing an understanding of the social dimensions of health and health services, and by providing skills in identifying, designing and evaluating initiatives to improve the health of populations.

Career opportunities include health promotion, health policy analysts, medico-legal solicitors, medical anthropologists and geographers, hospital and pharmaceutical managers, medical charity or community group workers and health information managers, and many others in healthcare organisations. Students may apply for entry to the faculty's medicine, nursing or pharmacy programmes at the end of their first year of health science study. The BHSc may also be used as a basic qualification leading to graduate study in public health, health science or health management.

Certificate in Health Sciences (CertHSc)

Graduates in this area often move into careers in health promotion, health policy, healthcare management and health information services. Diverse employment opportunities exist with district health boards, non-governmental and governmental health agencies and private healthcare providers.

Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science)

Our biomedical science graduates work in some of the world's most rapidly advancing scientific fields. Opportunities exist in universities, research institutes, pharmaceutical/biotechnology industries as well as in private sector agencies both in New Zealand and overseas.