PHOENIX — Arizona is fighting an uphill battle when filling dozens of medical position shortages. By 2030, the older population is set to expand so that one in every five Americans will be retirement age, increasing the workforce stress even more. Now, medical groups around our state are preparing for this shift.
The healthcare workforce shortages are across the board in Arizona. It's more than doctors and nurses, there’s also a big need for different types of medical assistants, surgical techs and more.
Major healthcare companies reporting medical assisting shortages can result in nurses picking up their job duties. And that can lead to more burnout and turnover for nurses, who are already short-staffed. Patients can also feel the strain not having their needs met, even canceled procedures and a less than desirable care experience.
Pima Medical Institute is teaming with Arizona healthcare employers to train and fill these positions as soon as possible. Their healthcare programs are in the middle of a mock clinic, resembling working in their fields like they would in the real world.
Stacey Nottingham, the Phoenix Campus director, said their Arizona healthcare employers are voicing their concerns for many local position shortages.
“We partner with all of the medical facilities throughout the Valley," Nottingham said. "We come together twice a year and we do advisory board meetings to talk about what’s coming down the pipe, what are we looking at. We’re not looking at the need next month. We’re looking sometimes years into the future.”
Pima Medical Institute offers hands on training for faster tracked healthcare careers in positions like medical assistants, ultrasound techs and dental assistants. It's a faster career track for student recruits.
"For these students, they’re taking on a reasonable amount of debt," Nottingham said. "They’re certainly not at a four-year university level. And then the beautiful part, at the end, they’ve got that clinical rotation, they’ve been in front of an employer for 30 weeks. So often times you’ll see a student go from extern to hire.”
Socorro Navarrete is a dental assistant student. "Nine months goes by pretty quick," Navarrete said. "You learn a lot in nine months. You really have to pay attention. It’s hands on.”
The University of Arizona is also making changes to fill gaps in Arizona healthcare careers. The university is launching a new college of health sciences. Degrees include physician assistant and physical therapists. The University of Arizona said more than 3 million Arizonans, nearly 40 percent of the state, live in an area with a healthcare shortage.
And recent research shows one in five people who live in Maricopa County are worried about accessing health care. The concern is worse for people who live in rural areas.
An open house lasts through Thursday to learn about starting a healthcare career through Pima Medical Institute.
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