AfTEr high sChOOL
Images
of
Your
Future
POSTSECONDARY STUDY makes
your health science career a reality.
L
ike many people in “Specific degrees are really what we are
health science careers, looking for,” says Mickey Donnelly, director
Hillary McLeod is of employee development at the University
building her postsecondary of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
education one piece at in Houston.
a time. The 22-year-old Donnelly says the list of high-demand
started by attending the degrees at M.D. Anderson includes medical
one-year licensed vocational nursing (LVN) technology, lab technology, radiation
program at Hill College’s Cleburne campus. technology, respiratory technology,
She worked with premature babies as dosimetry, cytotechnology, and nursing
part of her clinical studies. That’s when degrees, both bachelor’s and master’s.
she realized she wanted to be a pediatric To help meet the demand, M.D. Anderson
nurse. “When they said you needed to and many other medical centers offer
be a registered nurse [RN] to work in the tuition assistance to employees. “We hire
neonatal intensive care unit, I knew that’s employees, then help them with college,”
what I wanted.” says Donnelly.
Today, McLeod works part-time as a
substitute school nurse while she earns the Changing a Life in One Year
two-year associate’s degree that will prepare Great jobs in health science exist at all levels
her to take the RN licensing exam. Online of education after high school, from a few
classes from Excelsior College in New York months of school to earn a certificate to
help her balance school and work. After 16 years of school and training for some
graduation, her goal is to get her bachelor of specialist doctors. “There’s something for
science in nursing (BSN) degree. “I want to everyone,” says Brenda Jackson, an RN and
get that further education so I have more the associate dean for the undergraduate
career opportunities.” program in the School of Nursing at the
University of Texas Health Science Center in
In 2007, THere were
San Antonio.
56,877 lIcensed pHYsIcIans
Many technical and community colleges

across Texas offer certificate programs that
In Texas.
require one year or less of training. More
than 10 health science certificates are offered
Degrees in Demand in Texas, including medical assistant, dental
Building a career piece by piece is just one assistant, emergency medical technician, and
approach to success in health science. pharmacy technician certificates.
Before students begin their career training, Earning an industry certification
it is wise for them to find out what degrees right out of high school can “drastically”
are in high demand in health science. increase students’ income, says Kimberly
Page 16
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24