Where Community Health Workers Actually Work: 7 Settings You Haven't Considered
12 May, 2026
When most people think about healthcare careers, they picture nurses in scrubs, physicians rounding on patients, or pharmacists counting pills behind a counter. But the world of healthcare careers is vastly more expansive — and more surprising — than most job seekers realize. I've spent years helping professionals discover roles they never knew existed, and some of the most fascinating paths I've encountered sit at the intersection of healthcare and fields like animal behavior, forensic science, and dental investigation.
In this post, I want to take you on a tour of three distinct and unconventional healthcare-adjacent career paths that share one thing in common: they all involve applying scientific and health-related expertise to solve problems most people don't even think about. Whether you're exploring healthcare carrers for the first time or you're a seasoned professional looking for a dramatic pivot, these roles might spark something unexpected.
You might be wondering what animal behavior has to do with healthcare. The answer is: more than you'd think. The growing field of One Health — a framework recognized by the CDC, the World Health Organization, and major veterinary institutions — emphasizes the deep connections between human health, animal health, and environmental health. Professionals who understand animal behavior play a critical role in reducing zoonotic disease transmission, supporting therapy animal programs, and improving outcomes in veterinary settings that increasingly overlap with human healthcare.
Animal behavior consultants work with pet owners, veterinary clinics, shelters, and therapy animal programs to address behavioral issues in animals. This work directly impacts human wellbeing — from reducing dog bite injuries (a legitimate public health concern tracked by the CDC) to ensuring that therapy animals used in hospitals and rehabilitation centers are safe and effective.
The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, or IAABC, offers a professional certification that has become one of the most respected credentials in this space. The IAABC certification signals that a consultant has met rigorous standards in applied animal behavior, ethics, and evidence-based practice. There are several tiers of IAABC certification, including Associate, Certified, and Consultant-level designations across species like dogs, cats, horses, and parrots.
Earning the IAABC certification typically requires:
While this isn't a traditional healthcare credential, the IAABC certification is increasingly relevant for professionals working at the intersection of animal-assisted therapy, veterinary behavioral medicine, and public health. If you're drawn to both healthcare and animal science, this path offers a genuinely unique career.
Animal behavior consultants with IAABC certification work in private practice, veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, research institutions, and increasingly within healthcare systems that use therapy animals. Compensation varies widely based on geography and specialization, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that animal care and service occupations are projected to grow in the coming years as pet ownership and the use of therapy animals in healthcare settings continue to expand.
Of all the unusual healthcare careers I've written about, forensic odontology might be the one that generates the most fascination. A forensic odontologist is a dentist who applies dental science to legal investigations — identifying human remains through dental records, analyzing bite mark evidence, and providing expert testimony in court cases. It's a role that blends clinical dentistry, forensic science, and public service in a way that few other careers can match.
If you've ever wondered how to become a forensic odontologist, the path is rigorous but well-defined. Here's what it looks like:
Forensic odontologists typically work part-time or on a consulting basis alongside their regular dental practice. Common work settings include:
This is not a high-volume career — there are relatively few full-time forensic odontologist positions in the United States. However, for dentists who are drawn to forensic science, public service, and the intellectual challenge of identification work, it can be an extraordinarily meaningful addition to their professional life. The BLS doesn't break out forensic odontology specifically, but it categorizes it within the broader dentist occupation, which continues to show a stable and positive employment outlook.
After discussing animal behavior consulting and forensic dentistry, I want to ground this discussion with a healthcare career path that's less exotic but arguably more impactful for most job seekers: health information technology (health IT). I'm including it because when people search for healthcare carrers, they often overlook the technology-driven roles that are absolutely essential to modern healthcare delivery — and that offer some of the most accessible entry points in the industry.
Health IT encompasses a range of roles, including:
These roles are critical to every hospital, clinic, insurance company, and public health agency in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently projects strong growth for health information technologists and medical registrars, driven by the ongoing digital transformation of healthcare.
One of the things I appreciate most about health IT is its accessibility. Unlike forensic odontology (which requires a decade of dental training) or IAABC certification (which requires extensive consulting hours), many health IT roles are attainable with:
For career changers, health IT is one of the most welcoming corners of the healthcare industry. If you have a background in IT, data science, or even administrative work, the transition can be smoother than you'd expect.
I chose these three careers deliberately because they illustrate something I believe deeply: the healthcare field is not a single career ladder. It's an ecosystem. Whether you're drawn to working with animals, solving forensic puzzles, or building the digital backbone of modern medicine, there is a place for you in healthcare.
All three of these paths also share a common thread: credentialing matters. The IAABC certification, ABFO board certification, and AHIMA credentials all serve the same purpose — they signal to employers, clients, and the public that you've met a recognized standard of competence. In an era when healthcare hiring is increasingly competitive and evidence-based, earning the right credential can be the difference between landing your ideal role and being passed over.
No matter which of these paths appeals to you, it helps to understand the bigger picture. Several macro trends are shaping healthcare carrers across the board right now:
Absolutely. Many healthcare careers — including health IT, animal behavior consulting, public health, and medical coding — don't require an MD or nursing degree. Certifications, associate's degrees, and bachelor's programs can open doors to dozens of rewarding roles across the healthcare spectrum. We built healthcareers.app specifically to help people discover these paths.
If you're starting from scratch, learning how to become a forensic odontologist involves roughly 8 to 12 years of education and training: four years of undergraduate study, four years of dental school, followed by clinical practice experience and specialized forensic training. Board certification through the American Board of Forensic Odontology adds additional time but significantly strengthens your professional standing.
The IAABC certification is most directly recognized within the animal behavior and veterinary communities. However, healthcare employers who operate therapy animal programs, rehabilitation centers using animal-assisted interventions, or One Health initiatives are increasingly familiar with and respectful of this credential. It demonstrates a commitment to evidence-based, ethical practice — qualities that translate across industries.
This depends heavily on the specific role and employer, but health IT consistently ranks well for work-life balance due to the prevalence of regular business hours, remote work options, and lower physical demands compared to clinical roles. Forensic odontology, because it's often a part-time consulting addition to a dental practice, also offers flexibility. Animal behavior consulting can be highly flexible for those in private practice, though it may involve evening and weekend client appointments.
I always recommend starting with self-assessment: What are you genuinely curious about? What kind of work environment appeals to you? From there, explore the specific credentialing requirements for roles that interest you. Browse our job listings on healthcareers.app to see what employers are actually looking for right now — it's one of the most practical ways to understand which skills and certifications are in demand.
The healthcare industry is one of the most diverse employment ecosystems on the planet, and the range of healthcare careers available in 2025 would have been unimaginable even a generation ago. Whether you're captivated by the idea of earning an IAABC certification and working at the intersection of animal behavior and human health, fascinated by how to become a forensic odontologist who helps solve complex legal cases, or excited about building your career in health information technology, there is a path forward — and it doesn't have to follow anyone else's blueprint.
I created this post because I believe too many talented people limit their career searches to the roles they already know about. The best healthcare carrers are often the ones you discover when you look beyond the obvious. Start exploring, get credentialed, and take the first step toward a career that genuinely fits who you are.
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