Colleges in Florida

Finding a Healthcare Job in Sunny Florida

With a Growing Shortage in Nursing, Healthcare Professionals in Greater Demand Everywhere in the country, including the top Florida metro areas of Tampa, Orlando, and Miami, healthcare professionals are in drastically short supply. If you've been thinking about a career in healthcare, whether in administration and operations, or as a nurse or technician, now could hardly be a better time. In a recent issue of Health Affairs Dr. David Auerbach predicted that the growing shortage of registered nurses will increase to 340,000 by 2020. If you like working with people and making a difference in the community, a job in healthcare could be ideal!

Training is Required if You Want to Work in Healthcare The hospitals and medical offices of Florida are looking for qualified applicants who have the skills and training to get started right away. While there are many who get their start in the profession with only a high school diploma, the best jobs and higher wages go to those who've been through a degree program or similar training. Most colleges and universities offer programs in healthcare and it's possible to get an associate's degree in just two years. Some jobs, particularly on the operations and management side, will require a bachelor's degree, and senior-level positions may demand a graduate degree.

Think Online for Your Education One of the easiest paths to take to get your start in healthcare is through online training. Many colleges and universities are taking their curriculum online, and students are taking advantage of online courses in growing numbers every year. There are also educational institutions that specialize in providing distance learning programs in healthcare and nursing. If you're working already, an online class is much easier to balance with your daily schedule than traditional classes. You can arrange classes according to your needs and set the pace that makes the most sense for you.

Florida at a Glance:

FL Schools: Satisfying Your Every Desire

Florida is known as the Sunshine State, averaging 300 days of full sunshine a year. Florida experiences warm, relatively dry winters and autumns (the dry season) and hot, wet springs and summers (the wet season). Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida has a 1,200 mile coastline boasting some of the best beaches in the world.

The gross state product of Florida in 2003 was $550 billion. The per capita personal income was $30,098, ranking 26th in the nation. Florida's economy is heavily based on tourism. Warm weather most of the year and hundreds of miles of beach provide a thriving vacation spot for travelers from around the world. The great amount of sales tax revenue is what allows the state to be one of the few to not levy a personal income tax.

Other major industries include citrus fruit and juice production, banking, and phosphate mining. With the arrival of the space program at Kennedy Space Center in the 1960s, Florida has attracted a large number of aerospace and military industries to the state. Florida also offers an environment conducive to the entrepreneurial spirit. Numerous venture capital firms, angel investors, technology incubators, research parks and strong university research programs help fuel business development and expansion.

Florida Colleges and Universities