Kristine from Saginaw, Michigan writes: "I am almost finished with a BA in Health Care Services and Administration (summer of 2009). What is the outlook for this degree in Michigan, and how else may one apply this degree? Please Help! Thank you!"

Thanks for your question, Kristine! It's a good one. As you know, Michigan's economy is truly in terrible shape right now. The good news is that you've selected a field that is growing quickly, and is projected to grow in Michigan through the year 2030! The current shortage of healthcare professionals, coupled with the Baby Boomer generation reaching their older years, provides a fertile bed for upcoming healthcare workers of all varieties.

Some advice I can offer you in terms of bettering your chances of finding a job: Volunteer! Find a local hospital or other care facility where you can donate your time. This not only gives you valuable experience in your chosen field, but also gets you networking with some of the local professionals. Volunteering also looks great on a resume, which brings me to my next piece of advice: Make a portfolio. Take a seminar on how to create a professional portfolio and find a way to make yours shine. Microsoft Publisher is a great program to whip together a portfolio, but PowerPoint, Word and other programs will work, too. Select a visually-impacting (but tasteful and professional) design scheme to make sure you get noticed first.

Without knowing the specific details of your program, it's hard for me to gauge what other fields to which you could apply your degree; however, it sounds like you'd fit right into any medical office setting in a hospital, private practice, community outreach program or educational environment. You could also use that degree as a starting point for getting into a nursing, medical assistant, physician's assistant or medical degree, as well.

Getting out into the environment and exposing yourself to different areas of health care is a wonderful way to begin figuring out what you're most drawn to. For me, it's trauma - 100%. As you find areas you really like, find out what specific positions are available within those fields. Make a written list about what you like and don't like, about what's really important to you and what's not very important. As you accumulate more data, you'll start forming a picture of where you want to be.

Thanks again for writing!

Do you have a question for any of us healthcare bloggers? Please feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment. We're more than happy to answer any questions.