K-8 Resources
K-12 Student Resources from the BLS – This resource from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly helpful for elementary age students. You can explore careers that relate to your interests and learn fun facts about the economy and jobs while browsing occupational info sheets and videos from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – or learn about careers playing their games and quizzes.
Health Careers Jeopardy – A presentation, based on the popular TV show, that we developed at Illinois AHEC and provide to high school students; students can win prizes by answering health career-themed questions correctly.
Health Care Careers (videos) – This site contains some brief videos aimed at teens that highlight in a bright, friendly way what a typical workday is like in some health professions. Part of the KidsHealth initiative of the Nemours Foundation.
Academic Programs
Illinois has a wealth of academic programs in the health care fields at institutions of higher learning across the state. At last count, there were 34 health career training programs offered at our state’s 49 community colleges, and 31 degree programs and minors at Illinois’ 51 four-year colleges and universities, running the gamut from art therapy to biostatistics and from nursing to nuclear medicine. These health career matrix listings are updated on a regular basis by the Northwest Illinois AHEC team:
Career Exploration
AHEC Health Careers Handbook – This 80-page handbook, maintained by the Chicago AHEC team, provides career profiles of over 60 different health professions as well as information about education, financial aid, job descriptions, and salary information.
Health Career Info Sheets – In choosing a health care career, it is useful to have a mental picture of its day-to-day activities, including typical duties and responsibilities, patient interaction opportunities, paperwork requirements and opportunities to work on a healthcare team. These information sheets, updated annually by the Northwest Illinois AHEC team, are essentially profiles of almost every health care-related type of job, from athletic trainer to veterinary technician. Sheets are also available for the health professions that require graduate or professional degrees. The information sheets list the educational requirements for the career, where training is available, employment and salary outlook in Illinois and associated professional organizations. Browse the sheets.
CareerOneStop – This is the main U. S. Department of Labor site for career exploration, training and jobs. It helps you conduct self-assessments and learn about different careers to determine what career will fit you best; research career settings; and set career goals. Health career-specific information is available, including employment trends, educational requirements and certification/licensure requirements. The site also has a tailored job search engine.
ExploreHealthCareers.org – This site provides information about a wide variety of health professions. It includes job descriptions, salary information, educational requirements, and job outlook, as well as links to health-related education/training programs, financial aid resources, specialized learning opportunities, and current issues in health care. The website includes a searchable scholarship database and a health career exploration activity.
Health Care Pathway – Health care is one of the fastest growing industries today, creating an abundance of jobs and careers. This website organizes career information into five broad categories: direct patient care, imaging and diagnosis, health care facility support, informatics and business and research, and development. Career information is also presented by the educational level required for entry and advancement. State-specific information on major employers and the fastest-growing health careers is also included.
My Next Move – This interactive tool helps job seekers and students learn more about their career options. The site has tasks, skills, salary information and other details for over 900 different careers. Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, you can find careers through keyword searches or through the O*NET Interest Profiler – a tool that offers personalized career suggestions based on a person’s interests and level of work experience. You can browse careers by industry; and if you’re not sure what career you is best for you, start by answering a few short questions about the type of work you might enjoy.
College Prep
ACT.org – ACT is the nonprofit organization that administers the American College Test (ACT), a standardized test to determine a student’s preparation for college-level work. It covers four areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. The website features full-length practice tests, tips and strategies to prepare for the test including practice materials and a study guide, and what to expect on the test day.
Con Destino a la Universidad – Un recurso desarrollado por el Hispanic Scholarship Fund para guiar a los estudiantes y padres de familia en el proceso educativo, desde la escuela secundaria a la universidad. [On the Way to College – This is a resource for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to guide students and their parents in the educational process from high school to college.] PDF: Hispanic Scholarship Fund College Guide Spanish Spanish
KnowHow2GO – KnowHow2GO is a campaign designed to encourage students and veterans to prepare for college. The website offers information for low-income and first-generation students preparing for college. It also has information for parents, mentors and military families.
Financial Aid
Many types of grants, loans and scholarships can help you finance you education, and a variety of online resources can help you find and compare them. But keep in mind that scam sites look similar to legitimate ones, and always use caution when searching online for financial aid. Never register at a site that makes wild promises or asks for your credit card number. We have assembled a few good starting points below, but be sure to also contact the financial aid office at your college or university to explore the options available to you.
College Board – While the organization specializes in helping you with financial aid, you can save all your college planning activities by setting up a College Board account. The site includes career exploration activities, information about specific colleges and majors, and advice on how to get started in the going to college process.
Edvisors.com – This website focuses on private loans available for undergraduate and graduate education. It also lists private scholarships and graduate level fellowships. Information regarding loan repayment strategies can be found on this site also. NOTE: Edvisors is not focused on health careers and the information it provides applies to a wide range of disciplines.
FAFSA – The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required by most colleges and universities. It serves as the common application for most of the financial aid available from federal and state programs and from colleges and universities. Many on-campus jobs require a completed FAFSA. Federal Student Aid, a part of the U. S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. The website includes information on a wide variety of topics including general eligibility, eligibility for non-U. S. citizens, aid for military families and current repayment policies.
Fastweb – Fastweb is an online resource for finding scholarships. If you create a profile, you will have access to a database of more than 1.5 million scholarships. The site also allows users to search for part time jobs by zip code.
Scholarship America – This nonprofit private scholarship organization works directly with students, parents, colleges, businesses and communities to help students connect with and apply for scholarships. The site lists links to organizations offering scholarships, including opportunities for the current school year.
Top 10 Things They Don’t Tell You About Financing Your College Education – This fact sheet from Chicago AHEC, prepared in collaboration with Keeayla Jones at Illinois Student Assistance Commission, provides helpful information about FAFSA, MAP grants, and the other systems college applicants need to navigate to fund their education.
Unigo – Unigo provides students with information and a variety of tools for students planning their college experience. In addition to its scholarship database, which lists requirements and application information, Unigo offers its own $10,000 scholarship. Most site features require you to be a registered user.
A final word of advice: Look for educational funding in a variety of places. Try your local chambers of commerce, employers, community groups, high schools, private educational foundations, religious affiliations, civic organizations and other groups that you or your family may belong to, or that may be active in your health care field of interest.
Illinois Area Health Education Centers