A medical degree offers excellent career prospects, but training to become a physician is extremely expensive and can require up to a decade to complete.
Fortunately, if you’re interested in a medical career, you have many good alternatives. From occupational therapy to sonography to specialized nursing, you’ll find there are many professions that offer excellent salaries but are relatively affordable to study, and some offer accelerated tracks.
Thousands of scholarships for medical students are available—you just need to find them and apply. (More on that below.)
Medical Careers in Demand in 2020
Of the 20 fastest-growing occupations in America today, eight are in the healthcare industry.
As you give thought to your healthcare career options, consider which program and specialization you’d enjoy the most. By approaching your medical career deliberately, you can ensure the maximum return on your investment of time and money.
How to Find Scholarship Opportunities
If you’re willing to do your homework, you’ll discover countless healthcare scholarships online, many of which will fit your circumstances perfectly. Medical scholarships, medical assistant scholarships, technology scholarships … just take a look at what’s out there, and start applying!
Fastweb is an excellent resource. When you join for free, you get access to a database of more than 1.5 million scholarships.
CareerOneStop, sponsored by the US Department of Labor, lets you search “more than 8,000 scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other financial aid award opportunities.”
The US Department of Education hosts a Federal Student Aid website where you can find helpful information and links to scholarship resources.
How to Find Scholarships in Michigan
Using the abovementioned databases, you can simply type “Michigan” into the search bar, along with any other criteria you’re looking for.
Baker College, with multiple Michigan campuses, offers a number of generous scholarships, including:
- Deans Scholarship: $1,500/semester ($4,500/yr. max.), up to four years
- Graduate Studies Accelerated Scholarship: $1,680/semester ($5,040/yr. max.), until graduation
- Graduate Studies AdviseMI Scholarship: $3,000/semester ($9,000/yr. max.), until graduation
- Graduate Studies Alumni Scholarship: $3,000/semester ($9,000/yr. max.), until graduation
- Graduate Studies Scholarship: $840/semester ($2,520/yr. max.), until graduation
- Regents Scholarship: $3,000/semester ($9,000/yr. max.), up to four years
- Transfer Scholarship: $1,500/semester ($4,500/yr. max.), up to three years
- Trustees Transfer Scholarship: $3,000/semester ($9,000/yr. max.), up to three years
Affordable Medical Assistant Programs and Other Medical Programs
As you contemplate your medical career track and the scholarships that can help you pay for it, think about which programs work best with your goals.
As a nonprofit institution, Baker College prioritizes making all of our programs affordable. Our tuition is one of the lowest in Michigan. Our healthcare programs include:
- Nursing
- Cardiac Sonography
- Diagnostic Sonography
- Radiologic Technology
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Surgical Technology
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Occupational Therapy
- Veterinary Technology
Because many of these programs are in high demand, it’s good to know that Baker College offers a direct admission option. This guarantees that, as a qualifying freshman, you’ll be granted acceptance into the professional program of your choice, beginning in your sophomore year—without any worry of being waitlisted.
With direct admission, students also earn a $6,000-per-year Board of Regents scholarship. Just one more scholarship you can add to the list.
References
Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections. (2020, April 10). Occupational Outlook Handbook. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections. (2020, September 1). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Fastest Growing Occupations. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm
