Education Levels in Healthcare

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Course Name: Exploration of Health Occupations and Career Planning

  Program Name: Health Science

  Course Number: 8400210

  Course Type: Orientation/Exploratory

  CIP Number: 03179999CE

  CTE-HLTH.68.8400210.1.3 Identify types of education and training levels (OJT, HSTE, AA, BS/BA, MS, and Doctoral) as related to health careers.

  Course Name: Exploration of Health Science Professions

  Program Name: Health Science

  Course Number: 8400310

  Course Type: Orientation/Exploratory

  CIP Number: 03179999EX

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson should be used with the Case Study "Preparing for a Career in Healthcare" (See CPALMS Resource ID 220806).

• Career Connection

  
  

  Students will identify different levels of education and training that apply to the healthcare field. Students will discuss how education level impacts career options.

  Students will collaborate to research and sort careers by education level. Students will develop metacognition skills as they reflect upon their own career aspirations and plan a potential career path.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Describe different levels of education and training.
  • Compare length/amount of education needed for different degrees.
  • Research education levels of various careers and sort careers into groups by educational level.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Every career has a specific requirement for education and training.
  • Not all medical careers require a college education.
  • There are different levels of education available at colleges and universities.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • How are post-secondary degrees (ex. associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D., & M.D.) different?
  • How does the amount of education a person has affect what job opportunities are available to them?
  • How can a high school (or even a middle school) student begin to prepare for a career in healthcare?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. Pose the following bellwork/warm-up question: “What degrees or levels of education have you heard of before? Do all careers require college education?”
     • Then, have students discuss their answers with a partner.
     • Call on students to share with the class.
       
       
  2. Pass out the “Preparing for a Career in Healthcare,” case study (See CPALMS Resource ID 220806). Give students time to read the case study. Then, discuss these questions, as a class:
     • What has Brielle done to prepare herself for a career in healthcare? (ex. enrolled in a medical program at her high school, taking medical courses)
     • What classes did the school counselor recommend that she take to prepare for college? (science, foreign language, math)
     • What does Brielle want to discuss with her school counselor? (classes for 12th grade, college and career options)
     • Brielle is interested in a career in healthcare. Identify at least one factor that will influence her decision about future career options. (length of education/training)
       
       
  3. Introduction to Education and Training Levels:
     • The teacher will pass out the “Education & Training Background for Medical Careers” handout to each student (see attachments).
     • The teacher will review the levels of education, training, and certification/licensure with students.
       
       
  4. Quick Check: “Comparing Education Levels”
     • The teacher will display the “Comparing Education Levels” attachment.
       • Pick a few pairs of education/training levels to discuss with the class, as time allows. (Answer key provided.)
     • Students will identify which requires more education.
       • Make it interactive: Have students give a thumbs-up if the first option requires more education and a thumbs-down if the first option requires less education.
         
         
  5. Activity: Students research various careers and sort them into groups based on similar levels of education required.
     • Pass out the “Researching Education Levels” handout (one per student, see attachments).
     • Students will work in groups of 4 to research the education levels of 16 careers. The handouts includes space for taking notes.
     • Then students will work in their group to classify/sort the careers by education level.
     • The teacher should circulate to check student answers (teacher's guide provided).
       
       
  6. Closure: Follow-Up discussion
     • Identify which levels/forms of training do not require a college degree. (high school diploma, O.J.T., vocational programs)
     • How do education and training levels relate to health careers? In other words, how does the amount of education a person has affect what careers are available to them?
     • Which levels of education would Brielle NOT be interested in pursuing? (Anything near 10 years, so no doctoral degrees.)
       
       
  7. Education and Training Exit Ticket:
     • Give each student a copy of the “Education and Training Exit Ticket.”
     • Exit Ticket questions include:
       • What medical career are you most interested in?
       • What training/education does it require? (Research if you don’t know.)
       • How can you start to prepare for a career in healthcare? (join a medical academy, take science/anatomy classes, etc.)
       • Career Planning/Pathway: What steps will you need to take to pursue this career?

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • Lesson pacing: 5 minutes for the warm-up; 10 minutes for the case study and discussion questions; 15 minutes for direct instruction; 5 minutes for the quick check activity; 15 minutes for career/education research & sorting activity; 10 minutes for follow up discussion and/or the exit ticket
  • The research and sorting activity is designed for students to work in groups of 4. The teacher can set up groups in advance or let students select their group members.
    • Note: Please review guidelines for group work, such as remaining on-task, positive/encouraging team talk, flexibility, equal participation, etc.
  • The teacher should remind students how to find reliable resources (ex. .gov, .org, .edu). Note: One good resource for career research is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • The teacher can informally assess learning through group discussion and the Comparing Education Levels activity. The teacher can formally assess students through their answers on the research activity and the exit ticket.

• Optional

  
  

  Extension:

  • This lesson can be extended to two days by making the Education & Training Background handout a research activity instead of direct instruction (using optional: “Student Worksheet: Education and Training Background for Medical Careers”).
    • Modified lesson pacing for two days:
      • Day 1: 5 minutes for the warm-up; 10 minutes for the case study and discussion questions; 25 minutes for researching education levels, 5-10 minutes to go over the correct answers (using the “Education & Training Background for Medical Careers” handout), and 5-10 minutes for the Comparing Education Levels activity (all questions).
      • Day 2: 5-10 minutes to review education levels, 20-25 minutes for career education level research and sorting activity, 5 minutes for follow-up discussion; and 15 minutes for the exit ticket.
  • Invite a guidance/school counselor as a guest speaker to discuss how to prepare for high school and college.
  • Students could research Florida colleges and vocational programs for the 4 careers they researched, including whether any local high schools offer CTE programs in those fields.