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See the work up close
Learn about each profession, including what a typical day can look like and the roles people play on a healthcare team.
A guide for curious minds and future changemakers
Find your place in healthcare.
Healthcare Heroes: The Medical Careers Guide opens the door to a world of meaningful careers—beyond the jobs you may already know. Written by pharmacists and educators Dr. Mary Choy and Dr. Michele B. Kaufman, this award-winning guide brings readers closer to the people and possibilities that make healthcare work.
About the book
More than a list of jobs. A window into real careers.
Whether you're in middle school, high school, college, or exploring a career change, this guide helps you learn what healthcare professionals do—and how to begin imagining a path of your own.
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Understand the pathway
Explore education and training requirements, specialty areas, career settings, and employment outlook.
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Turn curiosity into action
Find practical ideas for exploring careers, strategies for success, and helpful websites and references.
2021 IBPA Benjamin Franklin AwardSilver Winner · Young Adult Nonfiction / Reference
Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards2020 Silver Medal · Nonfiction / Occupational
International Book Awards2020 Finalist · Young Adult Nonfiction and Careers
A world of possibilities
Healthcare takes a whole team.
Explore all 28 chapters of Healthcare Heroes, grouped by area of work—from patient care and medical science to creative therapies and animal health.
Patient carePhysician, Registered Nurse, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Physician Assistant, Surgical Technologist
Medication expertsPharmacist, Pharmacy Technician
RehabilitationPhysical Therapist, Occupational Therapist
Science & technologyBiomedical Engineer, Medical Imaging Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Technologist, Phlebotomist
Community supportSocial Worker, Clinical Counseling Psychologist, Managed Care Case Manager
Communication & industrySpeech and Language Pathologist, Medical Writer, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Emergency responseEmergency Medical Technician
Creative therapiesArt Therapist, Music Therapist
Dental healthDentist, Dental Hygienist, Orthodontist
Nutrition & specialized careDietitian Nutritionist, Podiatrist/Podiatric Surgeon, Veterinarian
Meet the authors
Healthcare experience. A passion for sharing knowledge.
The authors bring together experience in pharmacy practice, education, clinical care, and medical writing to help readers look beyond familiar healthcare roles.
Dr. Mary Choy
PharmD, BCGP, FASHP
Dr. Mary Choy is a board-certified pharmacist, educator, and award-winning author. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree with honors from St. John’s University and completed an ASHP-accredited pharmacy practice residency at the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System. A proud Fort Hamilton High School graduate, she was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.
Throughout her career, Dr. Choy has worked in academia, hospitals, community pharmacy, and the healthcare industry. As a professor, she has taught and mentored future healthcare professionals, developed curricula, and contributed to clinical practice and public health initiatives. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and has served as President of the NYC Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Director of Pharmacy Practice for the New York State Council of Health-System Pharmacists.
Dr. Choy is a medical expert for Verywell Health and the coauthor and coeditor of Healthcare Heroes: The Medical Careers Guide (2019) and Pharmacology: An Introduction (McGraw Hill, 2025). She has also authored more than 150 publications and presentations. Her contributions to pharmacy and healthcare have earned her numerous honors, including the American Pharmacists Association Immunization Champion Award, the ASHP-ABHP Joint Leadership Award, and the NYCSHP Harold Neham Award. She has also received citations from the New York State Assembly and New York City Council in recognition of her contributions to addressing racial disparities in healthcare.
Outside of work, Dr. Choy enjoys traveling with her family and discovering the cultures, cuisines, and traditions of people around the world. Through her writing and teaching, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and introducing students to the many career opportunities available in healthcare.
Dr. Michele B. Kaufman
PharmD, BCGP
Dr. Michele B. Kaufman is a pharmacist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital–Lower Manhattan with more than 30 years of experience in pharmacy practice. A Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist, she has worked in hospital pharmacy, academia, managed care, pharmaceutical product development, and medical writing.
Michele earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island, her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences in Boston, and completed a Drug Information Fellowship at the URI Drug Information Center at Roger Williams Medical Center.
Passionate about education and mentoring, Michele has guided numerous students throughout her career and is active in several professional organizations. She is the co-author and co-editor of Pharmacology: An Introduction and Healthcare Heroes: The Medical Careers Guide. Published in 2019, Healthcare Heroes features 28 personal stories from healthcare professionals, inspiring middle-grade readers and older audiences to explore the many rewarding career opportunities in healthcare.
Michele has received several professional honors, including the Harold Neham Award and Joel Yellin Award from the New York City Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, discovering new cultures, spending time with family and friends, and playing musical instruments, especially the saxophone.
Sharing the possibilities
A book that brings people together.
Healthcare begins with people. Explore the professions, discover the pathways, and start a conversation about what your future could look like.
A moment from the Healthcare Heroes book launch.
Start exploring
Your future in healthcare can take many forms.
Use Healthcare Heroes: The Medical Careers Guide to explore your options, ask better questions, and discover careers that fit your interests and strengths.
For bulk orders and institutional discounts, contact Sigel Press at 330-722-2541 or tsigel@sigelpress.com.