Capitol Hill meeting calls for better science education

Capitol Hill meeting calls for better science education

Proper educational policy that promotes and supports science and healthcare education is crucial to the future of medical innovation in the U.S., experts have said.

Policy experts, who gathered on Capitol Hill earlier this month, said the American education system is facing a math and science crisis. Among the recommendations they put forward was improving the quality of pre-K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching to ensure that American children are prepared to enter college programs in life sciences, healthcare and medicine.

"Education [is] among the most fundamental policy areas related to maintaining U.S. leadership in science and discovery," says Debra Lappin, president of the Council for American Medical Innovation.

"Training the next generation of scientists is an important part of our economic recovery, as is attracting and retaining talented innovators from around the world," she adds.

For those who would like to pursue high-paying careers in the medical field there are many online degree programs in nursing and pre-medical studies, offered at institutions around the country.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for nurses is expected to grow by a dynamic 23 percent over the next seven years. The top salaries in the field already exceed $83,000 per year.

Labor Department analysts predict that by 2012, a total of 1 million nurses will be needed to care for the aging population, and some 587,000 new nursing jobs will be created nationwide.