Recently, the Iowa Hospital Association hosted the sixth annual Swinging for Scholars fundraiser golf tournament at The Harvester Golf Club north of Des Moines.

A record number of participants turned out to support the only fundraiser held for the Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship Fund (IHERF).  More than $100,000 in scholarship funds were contributed by a number of Iowa hospitals and other businesses and individuals who are committed to helping educate health care professionals and keep those professionals practicing in Iowa.

This year, 31 scholarships were awarded totaling $93,000 with more than $500,000 having been awarded since the inception of the program.  Eight of the 31 scholarship recipients were present at the event to formally accept their award as well as to express their gratitude for what the scholarship will enable for their careers.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSayT4hJmDc

In recognition of National Nurses Week, IHA is taking an in-depth look at one of the many career tracks possible within the field of nursing.

Julie Larson is a nurse practitioner at Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt.  Julie was kind enough to take a few moments out of her very busy schedule to sit down with us and answer a few questions about her career and what advice she can provide to those who may be interested in pursuing this as his or her own nursing career.

YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmYBxOVo4oc

The demand for health care has seen little change in recent years. Even when faced with the worst economic downturn since the early 20^th century, the industry has continued to thrive. However, for those who may just be entering the health care industry or are looking for new opportunities, a little extra help never hurt – right?

That’s why it’s nice to keep up with online resources such as CareerBuilder.com to receive accurate career information relative to any career industry. 

Recently, CareerBuilder.com released a list of the fastest growing jobs in the health care industry. The list is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is a forecast of which health care careers will see the most growth in the next eight years. 

These aren’t small numbers we’re dealing with here. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that from 2008-2018, approximately 26 percent of all new jobs created in the U.S. economy will be in the health care and social assistance industry. It’s expected that upwards of four million jobs will be created in this time, the next closest service-oriented industry being professional, scientific and technical services with an expected 2.7 million jobs. 

Topping off the list of fastest growing jobs in health care are physician assistants with a predicted 41.3 percent increase from 2008-2018. Other top careers include medical secretaries, physicians/surgeons, registered nurses and counselors. 

Overall, health care careers have continued to yield a number of benefits. In addition to being well-paying jobs, hospitals and clinics are great environments in which to grow a career and seek leadership roles. The need for these positions is prevalent across Iowa, which gives many young people and families the option to choose where they want to live and work. From their community’s perspective, individuals in health care careers are especially beneficial to helping sustain the local economy. 

Click the link below to read the full article courtesy of MSN: 

Fastest Growing Jobs in Health Care