What do Duke University, Syracuse University and the University of Texas all have in common?
- A main quad shaped like a giant bunny
- Cafeteria salad bars offering Endless Shrimp
- The tallest clock tower in their state, sponsored by TikTok
- Virtual healthcare courses developed with an eLearning partner
If you answered 'D,' you're correct. These and dozens of other U.S. universities and colleges are enrolling students with the appeal of fast-tracked, affordable healthcare career certifications. These flexible programs, offered through partnerships with eLearning providers, help colleges attract diverse students, including recent high school graduates, adults seeking a career change and current healthcare employees aiming to reskill or upskill to advance their careers.
Colleges, healthcare employers and eLearning providers are collaborating more as an innovative solution to several challenges, positioning virtual education as a vital new catalyst in building the future healthcare workforce.
Filling a Staffing Crisis
The American Hospital Association predicts that, by 2026, there could be a shortage of nearly 3.2 million qualified healthcare workers across the U.S. This deficiency is mirrored by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which projects about 1.9 million openings in the sector each year, with the need for healthcare workers growing 16% by 2030.
Behind this phenomenon are numerous factors exacerbated by the recent pandemic—a decline in undergraduate college enrollment and rising tuition costs that price out would-be medical students. A wave of experienced staff entering retirement, younger employees leaving due to burnout and an aging population requiring more frequent and intense healthcare services. This shortage strains facilities and compromises patient care, underscoring the urgent need for innovative solutions.
Bridging the gap are virtual education programs that develop in-demand skills and provide certifications and college credits. With accessible and effective digital tools such as AI-powered simulations, game-based modules, instructor-led videos and scenario-based learning, coupled with externships and on-the-job training, eLearning programs are gaining momentum.
Benefits for Colleges and Universities
The many advantages of eLearning programs, including those in healthcare, explain their rising popularity for traditional institutions of higher learning:
- Boost enrollment: Virtual programs help colleges reverse declining enrollments by offering flexible, career-focused, affordable education that appeals to a breadth of students. These include untapped markets of working adults looking for short-term, study-when-you-can education. Colleges can enroll new online students without overcrowding physical classrooms and on-campus dormitories.
- Expand curriculums: Colleges can easily augment their course catalogs with classes and tracks that resonate with diverse students everywhere and require no additional teaching personnel. These ready-to-implement, market-relevant courses come without the financial strain of developing new programs in-house, offering a cost-effective way to boost enrollment and stay competitive.
- Leverage Credit for Prior Learning (CPL): Offering students credits for certifications earned through eLearning programs, institutions create a seamless path to further education. Colleges gain access to thousands of eLearning graduates who might be interested in extending their certifications into two- and four-year degrees. In healthcare, this might include a certified nursing assistant graduate seeking to pursue a college degree as an RN or LPN.
Students See A New Future
A diaspora of students is charting a new viable path toward healthcare careers through partnerships between colleges and eLearning providers. Small colleges in rural communities especially have few or no medical training programs. Institutions embracing virtual education offer new opportunities to high school graduates, military members and others.
With the promise of fast-tracking their careers, students can complete certifications typically within three to six months. This is an efficient way to enter the workforce quickly, especially in fields with a pressing need for qualified professionals, ensuring post-graduation job security. The hybrid nature of many programs ensures that students are equipped with the practical skills required for success.
Online learning helps democratize education, providing greater access to affordable certification programs that allow students to enter the workforce with less financial burden. It also appeals to those balancing work, family and other commitments, making education possible through flexible study that is molded around a student's other responsibilities.
A Path Toward Healthier Healthcare
Addressing critical staffing gaps, hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities benefit from these partnerships most significantly by filling allied healthcare positions in a matter of months rather than years, ensuring a pipeline of trained professionals ready for employment.
Collaboration between colleges and local healthcare systems ensures that students are being trained for the specific needs of their community, creating a direct pathway from education to employment. Marrying virtual education with hands-on training and externships is the best way to prepare students to be job-ready and meet the immediate needs of healthcare employers. This is equally evident for colleges working with facilities to bring in new employees while also upskilling current workers to create new career advancement opportunities.
Online, On Campus and On Trend
The recent pandemic led nearly all colleges and universities to move classes online. In the last few years, the eLearning trend has stayed strong even while students returned to campus. With the power of technology to continue driving a transformation in the education sector, the commitment of colleges and universities to collaborate with healthcare providers and expand virtual programs creates a healthier future for everyone.
