Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health-Care Career Interests Among High School Students

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on high school students' interest in health-care careers.

Methods: A voluntary web-based survey, approved by the Medical College of Wisconsin's Institutional Review Board, was administered across eight high schools in Milwaukee and its suburbs in Wisconsin. The survey collected students' demographic details, opinions on the health-care system's pandemic response, and their interest in health-care careers before and after the pandemic.

Results: Out of 2,949 respondents, 29.9% were already contemplating a health-care career before the pandemic, with 27.7% indicating increased interest thereafter. Students not previously interested in health-care careers registered an 11.5% increase in interest due to the pandemic. Notably, the pandemic significantly boosted health-care career interest among females and freshmen.

Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic has distinctly influenced high school students' interest in health-care careers, notably among females and freshmen. This finding has implications for addressing projected health-care professional shortages.

Keywords: COVID-19; Career choice; Education; Health-care worker; High school students; Pandemic.