HOSA Future Health Professionals (HOSA) member and recent Green Country Technology Center (GCTC) graduate Cheyanne Holman of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was awarded a $1,000 student scholarship from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) at the 2024 HOSA International Leadership Conference, held June 26 to 29 in Houston, Texas.

The healthcare sector is evolving rapidly, with staffing and retention at the forefront of many organizations' strategic planning. In response, data-driven approaches are increasingly being adopted to refine recruitment and training processes. The National Healthcareer Association® (NHA) provides valuable resources that align with these data-centric strategies, aiding healthcare employers in their quest to build resilient and skilled teams.

The healthcare industry is plagued by high turnover rates, which significantly affect both patient care and the operations of healthcare facilities. The emotionally taxing and demanding nature of healthcare jobs often drives professionals to seek other opportunities. High turnover also affects the morale of remaining staff, increases workload, and can lead to a decline in patient care quality.

Preparing students for today’s healthcare workforce goes beyond basic clinical and classroom instruction. Healthcare training encompasses so much more than thoroughly preparing allied healthcare students for their careers. The best clinical knowledge is essential of course, but they also need hard-to-teach skills like teamwork and communication, not to mention resources on how even to FIND the right job and prepare for interviews. 

Editor's Note: This is the last in a series of three articles focused on medical assistant recruitment and retention. 

The previous two blogs in this series focused on How to Overcome MA Staffing Shortages and How NHA is Addressing the MA Skills Gap. However, if Medical Assistants (MAs) are overworked due to staffing issues and are experiencing burnout, employers are at risk of high turnover rates and cannot retain qualified help.

It’s NHA’s business to speak to allied health workers, employers, and physicians to better understand how we can help. We consistently hear that physicians cannot do their jobs well without highly qualified MAs. They’re described as vital care team members who promote efficiency, joy, and successful clinical outcomes.

Editor's Note: This is the second in a three-part series focusing on MA SkillsBuilder™: Clinical.

Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of three articles focused on medical assistant recruitment and retention.