Creating a healthy tomorrow starts today
Providers of medical care and organizations that create and manufacture drugs and other therapies for human and animal health have a huge impact on North Carolina's economy. Not only is health care more recession proof than other industries, but demand for it–and therefore for workers with the right skills and training--will continue to grow with the aging of our population and advances in medical treatment.
Consider these facts:
- Employment in health care and the social assistance sectors increased 17 percent between 2005-2010. Over 550,000 North Carolinians now work in these fields.
- All seven of the state's economic development regions are experiencing significant growth in health care support occupations, including health care practitioners and technical occupations.
- More new jobs are projected to be created in the STEM-dependent health care industry than any other sector of the U.S. economy over the next decade. Nearly one in four jobs created over this time will be in health care, 35 percent of them in hospitals.
- North Carolina's health care industries produced a total statewide economic impact of $87.8 billion in 2008.
Why North Carolina?
As the birthplace of Vicks Vapo-Rub and headache remedies Goody's, BC Powders and Stanback's, along with famed tuberculosis sanitariums, North Carolina has a long legacy in the health and life sciences. It is now home to 130 hospitals, four medical schools associated with four academic medical centers, and a wealth of nonprofit organizations and top companies dedicated to research, development and production in the areas of human and animal health and wellness.
In addition:
- North Carolina ranks No. 1 in contract research organizations (CROs) in the US, plus
- No. 2 in agricultural biotechnology research, No. 3 in biomanufacturing, and No. 3 in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
- Two Research Triangle-based clinical research organizations were among the top health-related companies on Inc. magazine's list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies for 2011.
- North Carolina life science companies attracted more than $1.1 billion worth of investments and grant money in 2010.
Other key benefits include North Carolina's claim to several unique research and translational medicine assets representing public and private investments, such as:
- The UNC Cancer Research Fund. Established in August 2007 by the NC General Assembly, UNCRF is one of three synergistic investments in cancer research and treatment, including the NC Cancer Hospital and the Imaging Research Building at UNC, Chapel Hill.
- The Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine. The Institute is an international leader in translating scientific discoveries into regenerative therapies to benefit patients. Its physicians and scientists were the first in the world to engineer laboratory-grown organs that were successfully implanted into humans.
- North Carolina Research Campus. The NCRC is a $1 billion research campus in Kannapolis designed to support a broad array of life science research and development activities. Participating institutions include North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Appalachian State University, Duke University and North Carolina Central University. Currently, state–supported research at the NCRC focuses on food, nutrition and diet.
A win-win for students and employers
Health and life sciences companies need workers with strong STEM backgrounds. While some positions in the industry require advanced degrees such as doctors of medicine and Ph.D.s, most require two-year or four-year college degrees; very few jobs are available for those with just a high school diploma. All require proficiency in the language of science and technology and a caring attitude.
Such jobs continue to be in high demand: According to the NC Hospital Association, even at the height of the recent recession approximately 6,500 hospital jobs remained unfilled. STEM Affinity Network schools with a focus on health care and life sciences are dedicated to preparing young North Carolinians for successful lives that may include careers in these industries.
Career opportunities in Health and Life Sciences
Students who love biology, enjoy lab experiments, gravitate toward helping people and animals, are adept at problem solving and good in emergencies might be a good fit for jobs in health and the life sciences. Job categories in these industries include physician, physician assistant, nurse, dentist/dental hygienist, physical therapist, respiratory therapist, statistician, radiology technician, research scientist, lab technician, maintenance and instrumentation technician, dietician, industrial designer and pharmaceutical process technician.
The training and education required for most if not all of these jobs can be obtained through the North Carolina Community College System or at a public or private university in the state.
Student resources for health care and life sciences careers:
- Explore Health Careers: Advice and information on health care careers provided by the American Dental Education Association.
- Health Care Jobs: Information and guide to resources offered by a publisher of business and career books, Bookhaven Press.
- Health Care Pathways: A career guide that looks into the top 10 fields of study and five categories of health care: direct patient care, imaging and diagnosis, health care facility support, informatics and business, and research and development.
- Office of Science Education: Information and opportunities related to life sciences careers courtesy of the National Institutes of Health.
- NC State University: Summer and pre-college opportunities for high school students interested in the many diverse programs offered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State.
Opportunities and resources for companies in these industries
STEM schools in the health and life sciences affinity network need input from companies in these industries in order to design cutting-edge curricula and create engaging and relevant learning opportunities.
In addition to serving on one of the Industry Innovation Councils , company executives can contribute to the success of STEM schools by offering student internships and teacher externships; providing job shadowing opportunities; and contributing real-world problems for students to tackle in class.
Considering locating in North Carolina or new to the state? Here are some helpful resources related to health and life sciences:
- NCAHCR: The website of the North Carolina Association of Health Care recruiters, a nonprofit trade association serving companies that recruit skilled health care professionals.
- NC State University: The BioSciences Management Initiative at the Poole College of Management, NC State University, serves as a resource for bioscience/life science companies, including access to teams of MBA students adept at using big data analytics for competitive intelligence.
- NC Central University: The Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) at NC Central University supports the workforce by training students in biotechnology and biomanufacturing. BRITE has a strong research focus, particularly in the areas of drug discovery and manufacturing technology.
- NCBIO: The North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO) is the trade association for North Carolina's life science community. As a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization, NCBIO works with federal, state and local officials to improve North Carolina's attractiveness as a location for life science discovery, innovation and commercialization.
- Thrive in North Carolina: Statistics about the biotechnology and life sciences industries in the state, as well as resources, assets and services available from the NC Department of Commerce.
- NC Biotechnology Center: The NC Biotechnology Center, the first state-supported initiative dedicated to advancing the biotech industry in the country, provides services, resources, partnerships and funding.
Resources and opportunities for teachers
As the best teachers know–and as the North Carolina New Schools puts into practice–students learn best when they can apply classroom knowledge. For teachers looking to inject more relevance into their science and math curricula or pursue professional development options, the health and life sciences fields are ripe with opportunity:
- NCABR: Curriculum manuals and professional development opportunities sponsored by the NC Association for Biomedical Research.
- APS Education Online: Teaching tools and professional development opportunities courtesy of the American Physiological Society.
- Rx for Survival: A comprehensive compendium of text and multimedia modules related to the PBS documentary on global health challenges.
- Museum of Life + Science: A guide to projects, museum visits, and outreach by museum educators offered by Durham's North Carolina Museum of Life and Science.
- NC Biotechnology Center: Training and continuing education opportunities for science teachers from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.
- The Science House and NC Museum of Natural Sciences: Both of these sites offer modules and curriculum support for instruction in the natural/life sciences.
Health and Life Sciences Affinity Network Schools
Current and soon-to-open STEM high schools in North Carolina with a health and life sciences focus:
- City of Medicine Academy
- Howard Health and Life Sciences High School
- J.F. Webb High School of Health and Life Sciences
- Middle College at UNC-Greensboro
- Newton-Conover Health Science High School (The Newton School)
- School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville (SILSA)
- Scotland Academy of Health and Life Sciences
- South Granville High School of Health and Life Sciences
