Speakers:

Jim Shea

Higher Education Consultant
University-industry partnerships

At the same time when health informatics is increasing in importance to the U.S. medical system as a whole, educators teaching the next generation of health information professionals are facing the same demographic changes and challenges as the rest of American higher education. Students and potential students are increasingly moving away from a traditional four- to six-year track to a bachelor's degree, spending time in early careers following an Associates or even skipping college in the short term. Other former students have been forced into the workplace before finishing their degree, leaving them at a permanent disadvantage. The career opportunities for these students increasingly require knowledge and skills that are the hallmarks of higher education, but they need new models and accommodations that can help them achieve academic success and greater career opportunity. We'll talk about some innovative ways that's being achieved, along with the need for a greater national response to meet this challenge.