Story from the Star-Telegram
Despite an uncertain economy and a depressed job market, the professional potential of a health care degree has never been, well, healthier—at least from the perspective of job seekers.
"Most people have heard about the nationwide nursing shortage," wrote Mary Engel in a 2008 Los Angeles Times article. "But the country is also experiencing a shortage of trained workers in the … [more than] 200 occupations that make up about 60 percent of health care workers."
"One of the things we can absolutely be assured of is that we are going to use more health care, and the more health care we use, the more health care providers we use," said Dr. Michael West, executive director of the University of Texas at Arlington’s Fort Worth Higher Education Center.
"About 1,100 people a day will go on Medicare and Social Security starting in 2011," he said. "That’s why the industry is growing."
Many jobs require a graduate degree
Graduate degree credentials can open the door to many in-demand health care jobs; in some cases, advanced training is required rather than preferred.
"A large majority of the health care programs are going to graduate degrees," said Dr. Jimmy H. Ishee, dean of the College of Health Sciences at Texas Woman’s University.
Ishee offered an example of how one patient might require a health care team populated by professionals with advanced degrees:
"Let’s say a person has a stroke," he said. "During rehab, they might need a speech pathologist, a physical therapist and an occupational therapist.
"A nutritionist or dietician would meet with the patient to help prevent recurring strokes, and a kinesiologist would work with the patient on a treadmill," he said.
Advanced education for nurses
One health care field particularly rich in opportunities for professionals with post-graduate education is nursing, and a nursing professional remains in very high demand.
"There is a nursing faculty shortage across the country which is contributing to the (general) nursing shortage," said Dr. Paulette Burns, dean of the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas Christian University. "To help meet this shortage, we are graduating nurse educators (from our program)."
"We are also beginning a new graduate option for a clinical nurse leader," said Burns. "This nurse functions at the unit level in hospitals or agencies, making sure the patient has coordinated care.
"They are kind of a pivotal force in making sure that the patient gets what the patient needs," she said.
The clinical nurse leader is a somewhat new health care career path, according to Burns. "We’re working with Texas Health Resources to begin this program and implement it in their systems," she said.
Not all health care career paths are clinical: examples of these include health educators or health care administrators who manage operations.
"From a practical standpoint, it’s more cost-effective to prevent (disease) than it is to treat it," said Ishee. "We prepare health educators who teach in the public schools or work in community health centers (to teach) preventive aspects, from drugs to smoking to nutrition.
"A degree in kinesiology can prepare someone to go on to occupational or physical therapy school, teach physical education or be a personal trainer," he said.
A nursing certificate is a somewhat shorter path of entry into the nursing field.
Consider a dual degree graduate program
Dual degree graduate programs combining business and health studies prepare health care professionals for career advancement — and are also viable options for business professionals in other fields who want to transition into health care.
"Enrollment [in our dual program] has doubled in the past two years," said Dr. Paula Ann Hughes, director of the School of Management at Texas Woman’s University.
"That’s because the health care field has a good future," said Hughes. "There’s a need for educated professionals, and there’s also a lot of cost pressure [in the health care field today].
"You have to have a good 'health care head’ as well as a good 'business head,’ "she said.
Hughes said enrollment interest has also increased in TWU’s executive MBA program offering a healthcare emphasis.
"One of the things we do [in the health care EMBA program] that makes us special is our applied projects," said Hughes. "These are actual projects for health care institutions that help them save costs or give better customer service.
"For example, we reassessed the leukemia unit of a Texas hospital to help them give better patient access and patient care," she said. "In another instance, we assessed the [financial] feasibility of a pain management unit.
"We do this free of charge; it’s a good community service plus a good learning experience for the students, so it’s a win-win," she said.
Business types with an interest in health care can also prepare for new careers or advancement through the University of Texas at Arlington’s master’s level program in health science administration.
West said that the UTA program prepares students for a range of jobs, including entrepreneurial enterprises like health care Web site management; clinical service managers, such as the head of an organ transplant organization; and traditional department leadership in a hospital or acute care setting.
"Nowadays it’s almost mandatory that a department head have a master’s degree in some kind of management," he said.
Advice on getting started
Admission requirements for graduate programs vary widely, and requirements for some programs, nursing in particular, can be a bit daunting to people attempting to enter from another field.
"Having a bachelor’s degree in nursing is a predominant requirement [for graduate admission]," said Burns. "However, many schools have started what we call accelerated baccalaureate nursing programs, which are for people who have degrees in other fields.
"Several Metroplex universities offer this program," she said.
Ishee recommends that those interesting in migrating to the health care field investigate career options and do some volunteer work in the industry area of choice.
"Volunteer at local medical facilities, or ask to be an observer and find out what a physical therapist does," he said.
West said that "people who don’t have a clinical background in health care still have a lot to offer the system because they have fresh perspectives."
"We need new ideas and new ways of looking at things," he said.
