Online healthcare program expands to community college

Online healthcare program expands to community college

The healthcare industry is expected to generate 3.2 million new jobs over the next eight years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. Adults who are looking to start a career, switch careers or continue education in healthcare, may find an education from an online university to be the most convenient.


Many community colleges are expanding their healthcare education programs to meet the growing demands of the industry. For example, Bristol Community College in Massachusetts has partnered with The Princeton Review to build the eHealthCareers center. eHealthCareers is a distance education program Bristol Community College launched in March, South Coast Today reports.


Some of the course offerings of the new program include therapeutic massage and medical coding certification, as well as home health aide training.


The tuition costs ranges from $7,700 to $8,300 per year. Healthcare programs at private institutions can cost $15,000 or more.


By offering courses online, the school is making it possible for students who have day jobs or children to earn a degree.


The Sloan Consortium reports that over 3.9 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2007 term, which is a 12 percent increase from the year before.

By Mark Danson