According to the Indiana Area Health Education Centers Network, 76% of students enrolled in the Pathway Program plan to pursue a medical career. Adobe Stock photo provided by INNS.

By Terri Dee
Indiana News Service

LAFAYETTE — Indiana’s health care employee pool is shrinking.

As the medical profession faces increased demand for mental health management, chronic illness management and an aging population, Indiana is ramping up opportunities for high school students to pursue medical careers. Competition is tight between health care organizations needing accredited and skilled talent.

Jennifer Kolb, vice president of workforce development for the online educational provider MedCerts, asked how providers can generate interest among students and get them trained.

“How do we build a pipeline of talent that is certified; a new generation of people interested in health care to go into these roles?” Kolb explained. “And where do we get the talent from?”

The Greater Lafayette Career Academy, through a partnership with Indiana University Health, offers programs for Tippecanoe County high school students, with instruction as a springboard to future health care jobs. Upon completion, the students receive certification as medical assistants, nursing assistants or emergency medical technicians.

Kolb noted since 2019, the hospital industry has spent or lost about $24 billion, or about $7,000 to $9,000 a day for the average facility, due to a 106% workforce turnover. She added human resource and talent acquisition departments acknowledge the urgency of filling health care jobs and can forecast what roles will be open in the future.

“They know they don’t just have a problem now, but they have a problem 2, 3, 4, 5 years from now,” Kolb emphasized. “And if they want to solve their long-term issue, they have to think about what plans are in place now so they can prevent those gaps down the road.”

Indiana’s Treasury Department offers the Career Scholarship Account program. The $5,000 scholarship helps remove barriers to participation in a career preparation program, including health care. MedCerts has also secured 20 state-funded scholarships for medical assisting, phlebotomy, medical coding and surgical technologist apprenticeships for Indiana high school seniors.