Careers in HealthGrowing Demand,

Growing Opportunity

Support for ExploreHealthCareers.org is provided in part by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey.

Site is administered by the American Dental Education Association.

America needs more health workersThe U.S. population is getting older and living longer – and older people require more health care services.

By 2030, one-fourth of the U.S. population will be over age 65

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

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50

40

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U.S

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Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

Minority health workers are in high demand

• African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans are underrepresented in the health care workforce

• Experts believe more diversity in the health workforce will improve health care for minorities

• Minority health workers are more likely to practice in underserved areas

• Health workers who share the same language and culture as their patients can provide more effective care

Anyone can train to become a health worker

• There are hundreds of different types of health careers – not just ‘doctor’ and ‘nurse’

• While many health professionals work directly with patients, others help maintain records, work in labs or manage the office

• Many of the fastest-growing health careers require just two years of training after high school

7 Steps to a Successful Health Career

• Find out what health workers do

• Start building your resume now

• Don’t let money stop you

• Believe in yourself

• Find out if a health career is right for you

• Learn more about health career opportunities

• Find a career that fits your educational plans

Is a Health Career Right for You?

EHC can help:

• Go to www.ExploreHealthCareers.org

• Point to the ‘Getting Started’ tab

• Click on “Is a Health Career Right for You?’

• It’s important to choose a career that you will enjoy.

• Think about what you like and what you don’t like.

• Write a description of your ideal job – what factors matter most to you?

Learn more about health career opportunities

• There are hundreds of health careers – including many jobs you may not have heard about

EHC can help:

• Go to www.ExploreHealthCareers.org

• Look for the heading ‘Career Explorer’

• Click on the field to see a list of health careers

• Health careers are organized into fields that focus on specific areas of health care or certain types of patients

Find a career that fits your educational plans

• You can train for many health careers in 2 years at your local community college. Other jobs require a four-year degree, while some involve up to 14 years of education.

EHC can help:

• Go to www.ExploreHealthCareers.org

• Point to the ‘Career Explorer’ tab

• Click on ‘Find a Health Career’ to search for careers by salary and education required

• If you want to get to work soon, consider training for a job as a health ‘assistant’ or ‘aide’

Find out what health workers do

• Before you choose a career, do some research to learn about the day-to-day responsibilities of the job.

EHC can help:

• Go to www.ExploreHealthCareers.org

• Use the Career Explorer to find a health career

• Click on working conditions tab to learn more about what the job entails

• ‘Shadow’ a health worker for a day to see what the career is really like.

Start building your resume now

• Most health careers require a background in science – take as many science and math courses as you can.

• Enroll in a summer program or internship to gain more experience in the health field

EHC can help:

• Go to www.ExploreHealthCareers.org

• Point to the ‘Career Explorer’ tab

• Click on ‘Find a pre-health enrichment program’ to search opportunities by field, program type and location

Don’t let money stop you

• Paying for school is a challenge, but you can get financial assistance for college or a training program

• Many scholarships, grants and loans are available for minority and low-income students

EHC can help:

• Go to www.ExploreHealthCareers.org

• Point to the ‘Career Explorer’ tab

• Click on ‘Find funding opportunities’ to search financial aid programs by field of study, funding type, student ethnicity and state

Believe in yourself

• If you can dream it, you can do it

• Picture yourself working in a rewarding health career – and take the steps to make it happen!

EHC can help:

• Go to www.ExploreHealthCareers.org often

• You’ll find profiles of new health careers, achievement tips, funding opportunities, pre-health enrichment programs and more

• Subscribe to our eNewsletter for ongoing news and ideas to help you achieve your goals