If you are pursuing a healthcare career but are limited by funds, you do not have to worry. There are several free online healthcare courses with certificates that can help you kick-start and advance your career.
Whether you are only starting your healthcare career or seeking more professional knowledge, these courses can help you. As a beginner, you can use some of the online healthcare courses I will highlight to launch your career.
If you are already in the healthcare line, these courses will assist you in learning more about a specialization.
The certificates offered showcase your skills and expertise. It will be beneficial when applying for jobs.
Having done my research properly, I can tell you that these are opportunities too good to be free. If you are ready to learn about them, let us get started!
If you happen to live in Canada, see 10 Best Free Online Healthcare Courses With Certificates in Canada.
List of 15 Free Online Healthcare Courses With Certificate
- Level 2 Certificate in Safe Handling of Medication in Health and Social Care
- Level 2 Certificate in Dignity and Safeguarding in Adult Health and Social Care
- A Practical Guide for Adult Social Care Managers and Supervisors Course
- CPR, AED, and First Aid
- Healthcare Management
- Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics
- Medical Parasitology
- Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us
- Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CPD) in Primary Care Settings
- Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research
- Introduction to Caregiving
- Elderly Care and Caring for the Disabled
- Improving Global Health: Focusing on Quality and Safety
- The Basic Science of Public Health
- AI in Healthcare
Top 15 Free Online Healthcare Courses With Certificate
Level 2 Certificate in Safe Handling of Medication in Health and Social Care
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is provided by Learning Curve Group.
- Duration: it lasts 7 weeks and is self-paced.
Medications have saved several lives in the past, and will still save many more in the future. However, when not handled properly, they can become killers.
The Level 2 Certificate in Safe Handling of Medication in Health and Social Care is an introductory course. It provides relevant information on different medications, and how to record, store, and handle them.
The course is perfect for social worker assistants, medical secretaries, and care workers. If you are a pharmacy assistant, or desire to be one, this course is also good for you.
In some settings, nursing assistants play a role in medication handling. If you are a nursing assistant, I recommend you check out the 8 Best 2-week CNA Classes Online Free in US.
There is one drawback in the availability of the course. You can only take it if you are up to 19 years old, and live in England. For more information, see Free Online Level 2 Certificate in Safe Handling of Medication in Health and Social Care Course.
Level 2 Certificate in Dignity and Safeguarding in Adult Health and Social Care
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by the Learning Curve Group.
- Duration: it lasts 6 weeks and is self-paced.
Level 2 Certificate in Dignity and Safeguarding in Adult Health and Social Care is another course offered by Learning Curve Group. You can opt for this course if you are into adult care. The course can also boost your career as an art therapist, family support worker, and counselor.
There are a lot of difficulties you can face as an adult health and social care worker. You will learn how to navigate these challenges in this course.
In the course, you will learn the principles regarding dignity, duty of care, and safeguarding. You will also learn how to apply these principles.
As with most free online healthcare courses with certificates offered by the Learning Curve Group, you must be at least 19 years old and resident in England.
I scrutinized the reviews from students who previously took this course. The course has a staggering 5-star rating. So, you can do no wrong by offering this course. For more information, see Free Online Level 2 Certificate in Dignity and Safeguarding in Adult Health and Social Care Course.
Effective Supervision: A Practical Guide for Adult Social Care Managers and Supervisors Course
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by Caredemy.
- Duration: it takes 1 hour to complete.
Effective Supervision is a free online training course to help you understand the nitty-gritty aspects of supervising adult care workers. Although the training only lasts an hour, I consider it an hour well spent.
Dealing with adult care workers comes with its challenges. In this course, you will learn different supervision techniques that you never knew existed.
As the saying goes, “A truly effective leader cultivates the growth of other leaders”. In this course, you will learn how to train other supervisors.
The course is one to take if you are a supervisor, manager, or work at the human resource department of a health facility. The following professionals should also consider it:
- Health Care Workers
- Nurses, Doctors, Ambulance services, clinical and non-clinical workers
- Social Care Workers, including Councils, Carers, and Care assistants
Effective Supervision is a COD-accredited course so you can be sure of good value for your time. The providers also grant you 12-month access to the course materials to aid your assimilation.
For more information, see Effective Supervision Online Course.
CPR, AED, and First Aid
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: this course is offered by Alison.
- Duration: it lasts about 1.5–3 hours.
CPR, AED, and First Aid is an Alison free course that will train you in emergency response. The course module covers topics related to First aid for injuries and illnesses and emergency treatment for choking.
In the course, you will learn the basic components of a first aid kit and how to utilize each of them.
You will also learn how to administer Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), giving the right amounts of rescue breathing and chest compressions. You will familiarise yourself with different CPR techniques for infants, children, and adults.
As someone with a certificate in Basic Life Support (BLS), I can tell you that acquiring life-saving skills is beneficial. Learning how to respond to emergencies will benefit you and the people around you.
Having a certificate to go with makes it all the better. The certificate can pave the way for you in many health organizations. Many employers prefer employing staff grounded in emergency response.
For more information on the course, see CPR, AED, and First Aid.
Healthcare Management
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by Great Learning.
- Duration: it lasts 1 hour and is self-paced.
Healthcare Management is a free certificate course offered by Great Learning. The course exposes you to the essential concepts and principles of healthcare management.
Aside from the concepts and principles you will learn, you will also understand your roles as a manager in healthcare. By the end of the program, you will be able to differentiate clearly between a healthcare manager and a healthcare administrator. I bet you did not know they were different.
The course outlines over 12 topics, the first being the introduction to healthcare management. Whether as a beginner or a professional seeking more in-depth knowledge, this course is an excellent go-to.
Great Learning certificates are among the most respected online all over the world. Gaining this certificate can help you land your dream job in the healthcare industry.
For more information about the course, see Healthcare Care Management.
Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by the University of Cape Town.
- Duration: it lasts a total of 27 hours.
Understanding Clinical Research is a free course on Coursera offered by the University of Cape Town. Whether you are a medical researcher or engage in medical papers as a reader, this is a course for you.
In the course, you will learn how to organize, analyze, and present data for public use. The course provides an overview of statistical analysis techniques to make something out of the results you obtained in your research.
Although access to the course is free, the certificate comes at a cost. Since it is a Coursera course, you can be sure the certificate will be worth every penny. For more information, see Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics.
Medical Parasitology
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by Tsinghua University.
- Duration: it will take 6 weeks to complete at 2–4 hours a week.
Medical Parasitology is a self-paced online course offered on edX. The course provides a foundational understanding of parasitic organisms and their impact on human health.
In this beginner course, you will gain the knowledge necessary to identify, diagnose, and manage parasitic infections.
The course is taught by Ning Wu, an associate professor with excellent records in the School of Medicine, at Tsinghua University.
The audit course is free but with limited access to course content. For more information, see TsinghuaX: Medical Parasitology.
Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by the University of Pennsylvania.
- Duration: it takes approximately 14 hours to complete.
Understanding vital signs is very important for every healthcare worker. This course helps you understand how to check and interpret vital signs accurately.
The syllabus consists of six parts. The topics include pulse/heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, temperature, respiration rate, and pain.
Each of the topics takes approximately 2 hours to complete. Quizzes are also available to test what you have learned at each point of the course.
Although the course includes a paid certificate, you can get it at a subsidized or no rate through financial aid. For more information, see Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us.
Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CPD) in Primary Care Settings
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by The University of Edinburgh.
- Duration: it lasts a total of 5 weeks.
Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CPD) in Primary Care Settings is an introductory course where you learn how to handle certain respiratory conditions in poor-resource settings. These conditions include asthma, chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD), and interstitial lung diseases.
It is one thing to know how to manage respiratory conditions under sophisticated hospital conditions. Understanding how to handle these conditions in low and middle-income settings is another thing entirely.
By the end of the course, you will have learned how to adapt your diagnostic approaches and treatment options to the available local resources.
I noticed that the course is organized by 3 different institutions, one of them being the University of Edinburgh. You will also learn from 7 industry professionals. I can bet they will leave no stone unturned.
As is the custom of FutureLearn, the free course option offers limited access. I suggest you enroll for the full access option, so you earn the certificate.
For more information about the course, see Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD) in Primary Care Settings.
Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: FutureLearn
- Duration: it lasts 4 weeks at 4 hours per week
Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research is one of the most highly rated free online healthcare courses with a certificate from FutureLearn. Through this course, you will learn how research contributes to the treatment of several diseases, including cancer.
The course was developed by the University of Leeds and the National Institute for Health Research. The tutor is the top member working for the NIHR.
From my research, I noticed that most people had good things to say about this course. Two phrases were most consistent: “informative” and “good structure”.
The course materials are available for free for a limited time. If you cannot afford the certificate, you can go for this option. For more information, see Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research.
Introduction to Caregiving
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by Advance Learning.
- Duration: it takes between 1.5–3 hours to complete.
Caregiving extends beyond conventional perceptions. This free certificate course will expound on your responsibilities as a professional caregiver.
In this course, you will also learn how to be a team player. The course curriculum includes several other areas including the rights of individuals receiving care. This is important so you do not infringe on their rights in a bid to administer care.
Once you achieve 80% or more in your assessment, you will get certified. For more information, see Free Online Caregiver Training Course.
Elderly Care and Caring for the Disabled
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by Advance Learning
- Duration: it takes 1.5–3 hours to complete.
Of all the free online healthcare certificate courses on Alison, this one is among the best. Alison rates it among the top three free online courses on the platform.
In the course, you will learn about the various diseases associated with aging. Understanding age-dependent diseases will help you administer better care to the elderly.
You will also learn about the effects of aging, including how to differentiate it from a disability. For more information, see Elderly Care and Caring for the Disabled.
Improving Global Health: Focusing on Quality and Safety
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: this course is offered by Harvard University.
- Duration: it lasts about 10 weeks.
Improving Global Health: Focusing on Quality and Safety is a Harvard University course created to improve the quality of healthcare. It is a self-paced course you can take at your convenience.
In this course, you will learn the relationship between quality and population health. You will also learn several approaches to measure what quality should look like.
You have a free access limited option to this course. You can pay for the full option, and receive the certificate afterward. For more information, see Improving Global Health: Focusing on Quality and Safety.
Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by The University of North Carolina.
- Duration: it takes 6–7 hours to complete.
Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health is an online healthcare certificate program offered by the University of North Carolina through Coursera. The course is available on-demand, meaning you can access it at any time.
The first module introduces the history of epidemiology. In this module, you will also understand what epidemiology is really about.
Subsequent modules delve into more in-depth topics relating to statistical tools for measuring disease frequency.
The course materials are available for free. However, you will have to pay to take the assessment and earn the certificate. For more information, see Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health.
AI in Healthcare
Here is an overview of the course:
- Provider: it is offered by Great Learning.
- Duration: it takes 2 hours to complete.
AI has become an essential tool in the healthcare industry. Understanding how to maximize this avenue will make your work easier and your purse fatter.
The AI in Healthcare course is a free training offered by Great Learning. The certificate is also free. You receive it upon completion of the course.
In the course, you will learn about different components of AI, including Convoluted Neural Networks (CNNs). You will learn how these tools operate, and their relevance in healthcare improvement.
An additional advantage of this course is that it offers lifetime access to course materials. For more information, see AI in Healthcare Free Course With Certificate.
Top Online Platforms Offering Free Online Healthcare Courses With Certificate
Coursera
Coursera is arguably the best platform for free online healthcare courses with certificates. You can also find free online medical courses with certificates there.
Coursera provides some of the best programs offered by some of the best universities and taught by healthcare professionals.
From my experience, learning on Coursera is easy. The tutors break down complex concepts into the most digestible form. The certificate is also recognized worldwide.
edX
edX is an online platform offering several online healthcare certificate courses. The platform is easy to navigate, and the teaching is top quality.
Most edX courses are also self-paced, allowing you to balance studying with other responsibilities. One thing I love about edX is that they offer specializations. It becomes easier to learn the diverse specifics of your profession.
FutureLearn
FutureLearn is a British digital learning platform owned by The Open University and SEEK Ltd. FutureLearn offers up to 400 online healthcare certificate courses.
From technological courses in healthcare to pharmacy courses, FutureLearn covers all areas of the healthcare sector.
Two things I love most about FutureLearn? The first is the sophisticated yet easy-to-navigate structure of its website. The second is how informative the courses are. Taking courses on FutureLearn will leave you a professional in your field.
Alison
Alison is one of the giants of online healthcare certificate programs. The platform offers beginner to advanced-level courses. Whatever your status, there is something there for you.
Alison makes its courses as short as possible, focusing on only the major areas. This makes the courses easier to assimilate and complete.
Learning on Alison means you will be learning from industry experts from elite institutions like the University of Cambridge and Stanford.
Great Learning
Great Learning is among the best platforms offering free online healthcare courses with certificates. It provides short courses that you can complete within a few hours.
After completing the free course, you have access to your certificate. The platform also provides lifetime access to the course materials. This ensures that your learning never stops.
What is the Easiest Healthcare Degree to Get?
Generally, shorter academic degrees are less demanding. Degrees in phlebotomy, physical therapy, and dental hygiene are among the easiest in the healthcare industry.
However, what may be easy for one may be difficult for another. The choice of the easiest healthcare degree will depend on you.
You should also know that because these degrees do not require much, the pay is not as rewarding as more advanced degrees.
FAQs About Free Online Healthcare Courses With Certificate
What Types of Healthcare Courses are Available for Free?
You can find courses in areas like public health, medical terminology, healthcare management, and research, among many others.
How Long Do Online Healthcare Certificate Courses Take?
Course durations vary, but you can complete most of them within a few hours to a few months, depending on the content and time commitment.
Are These Certificates Recognized in the Healthcare Industry?
While they may not replace formal degrees, certificates can enhance knowledge and skills, and some employers value them as professional development.
Conclusion
So there you have it! I have shown you the 15 best free online healthcare courses with certificates. These courses are short and specialized to give you quick entry into the healthcare industry.
I suggest you go over each course carefully, understand your strengths, and pick the ones most suited for you. You can also look out for the reviews of the courses before signing up.
I should also add that you can take multiple courses as these increase your skills. However, never take more courses than you can handle or those not within your areas of interest.
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