Watch the RecordingListen to the Podcast

When students hear biomedical studies, they tend to focus on the word “medical,” leading them to think about becoming a doctor or nurse. But the field is much broader than that, including EMTs, phlebotomists, EKG techs, researchers, and more. These are in-demand, fruitful careers, and schools with a strong biomedical program can lead their students on to success.

Experts during the edLeader Panel “Broadening Biomedical Career Pathways for Students: More Than Medicine” offered strategies for starting or enhancing a biomedical pathway to spark increased student interest and commitment and provide value to the community.

Start Small

Whether the program is new or a school is trying to ramp it up, it’s not going to go from an idea and a few students to a full-service career area with semester-long internships, certifications, and community lecturers. It takes time to understand how the program will fit into the school, gather connections, increase enrollment, etc. All of the panelists said that program coordinators should start with small, achievable goals and then broaden the scope of the program each year, building on success.

Build Community Connections

The success of a career program often depends on the support from the surrounding community, whether it’s in the form of internships and career opportunities, or promoting the program to their network. When starting a biomedical pathway, research your community first and see what the needs are, what the opportunities are, and who already has a connection to the school, such as a parent or spouse of a staff member. Invite community leaders to be a part of the development of the program as well as ongoing planning. Have them as invested in the success as you are.

Distinguish the Career Classes from the Mainstream Ones

While the biomedical classes connect to the regular curriculum, especially biology, from day one, the instructors need to make it clear that this is not just another science class. Every lesson should focus on real-world applications and explore the depth of the biomedical field. Most importantly, the course should be built around hands-on experiences in and out of the classroom. This is a training ground where they work on the exact skills they can take out into the community.

Bring in the Experts

Just as kids might not listen to their parents but will take the advice of an outside adult, students often need to hear insights from someone who is not their teacher. While students might not believe or grasp concepts from their teachers, they’re often eager to listen to people working in the field. Engaging guest lecturers can give students up-to-date information on their current fields and have the added benefit of making a strong community connection.

Get Students Out of the Classroom

One early step for every coordinator should be arranging field trips. Take the students to labs, air ambulance services, fire stations—anywhere that uses biomedical services. Let them see the actual workplaces and get an idea of what a day would be like in that field. Once those relationships are established, you can move on to job shadowing, which lets students immerse themselves in different jobs to see what they like, and then move on to internships. As the reputation of your program and students grows, so will the number of opportunities.

Provide Opportunities to Showcase and Get Recognition for Their Education

Give students the opportunities to be the teachers by researching their own questions and presenting their projects to the class and their community. The panelists also suggested establishing a chapter of HOSA, an organization for future healthcare workers recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. Through this organization, students have more access to learning opportunities, certifications, etc. Finally, offer pathways to certification. By the end of high school, students can take exams and become certified EKG technicians, phlebotomists, and more. They can use these certifications as stepping stones for their next steps while also using them to secure employment.

Promote Your Program

Again, having community support is key. One of the panelists had their program create a logo and slogan they could share. Others have the students speak to middle schoolers about the program and potential opportunities. And of course, take the opportunity to share successes with school and district leaders as often as possible.

All of the panelists said that a well-built program reaps great rewards for their students. The key is not just that the students have the technical skills, though. It’s that they have the ability to learn. Employers want workers who can work on their own and in small groups, who won’t just show up, but show a curious mindset and ability to learn new procedures and skill sets, and can communicate effectively. Graduates of an effective biomedical program exemplify these qualities because they already know what they need to do to be successful in the workplace.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, Broadening Biomedical Career Pathways for Students: More Than Medicine, sponsored by Project Lead The Way.

Watch the RecordingListen to the Podcast

Join the Community

Career, Technical, and Adult Education is a free professional learning community where educators, community leaders, and other stakeholders can share information about helping students and adults acquire the academic and technical skills needed for high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand occupations in the 21st century economy.

Article by Stacey Pusey, based on this edLeader Panel