Today, 40% of employers report that newly graduated healthcare workers lack the necessary skills to perform their roles adequately. Despite excelling academically, too many individuals cannot put their theoretical knowledge into practice.

Healthcare education has always been demanding given the considerable stakes. Equipping tomorrow’s healthcare leaders with the knowledge and tools to make well-informed, split-second decisions is a tall task. In today’s climate, even Herculean.

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.

Imagine a world where finding a qualified healthcare professional feels like searching for a unicorn. That's the stark reality we face if we don't address the looming healthcare workforce shortage. By 2026, the U.S. healthcare workforce faces a gap of 3.2 milliondirect care professionals.

Solving this problem will require creativity and partnership as we’ve never seen before. But amidst this challenge, there's always hope. It shines in the classrooms of dedicated educators, in the innovative programs bridging the gapbetween education and careers, and in the unwavering commitment of trusted certification and learning solution providers like us, NHA.

Here are three ways that partnering with NHA will help you, your students and the healthcare industry as a whole.

The healthcare industry is facing a shortage of qualified professionals, and employers are increasingly looking to CTE health science students to gain the certification needed to fill the employment pipeline. However, not all certifications are created equal.

As a health sciences educator, you know how important it is to align your program with the latest industry trends and developments. By keeping up with industry advancements, you can provide the most relevant and up-to-date information to best prepare your students for their future as medical assistants. 

Today’s medical assistant (CCMA) is challenged with an onslaught of information and more regularly challenged to solve increasingly complex issues than ever before.

At its core, Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares students to enter the workforce job-ready in growing fields such as healthcare. The reality is that CTE goes far beyond this one goal, providing pathways for upward mobility into many professions that do not require a four-year college degree. Today, CTE health science programs exist across the U.S. in urban, rural and suburban settings, providing both high school students and adult learners with access to specialized technical training.