How to prepare for your health career in high school

Posted by in Healthcare



If you're Dazed and Confused or enjoying your Fast Times at Ridgemont High, you might want to think about more than just getting a diploma. In fact, if today's economy doesn't pick up, you may just be flipping burgers till you're 30—unless you start thinking about your career right now. And one of the most promising careers in the next decade will be healthcare.

The good news is that there will be many openings in this field. The sobering news is that the competition will be fierce. High-paying healthcare career training programs and the jobs that follow will go to those who have a strong working knowledge of math, science and English. If you're a senior, don't just take easy courses and "party" toward graduation.

Whether your goal is to become a surgeon, an occupational therapist, or a hospital administrator, health career training programs at community colleges and four-year universities require 2 to 4 years of math and science, 4 years of English, and 1 to 2 years of computer science. To stand head-and-shoulders above your competition, you should take Advanced Placement (AP) classes, visit the websites of schools and colleges for their specific academic prerequisites, and do some volunteer work in a healthcare facility.

A study reported in Harvard’s Review of Economics and Statistics found that students who take advanced math have higher incomes ten years after graduating—regardless of family background, grades or college degrees.

For more information on health careers, visit http://www.healthcarejobsite.com/

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.
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