Health care is one of the country’s fastest growing industries with a variety of exciting occupations for a variety of majors, according to Career Advancement Center Assistant Director Colleen Monks. In fact, by the year 2024, health care jobs are expected to represent one in three of all new jobs, she said.

To help students understand and prepare for careers in these two top-growth industries, the Health Care and Science Career Pathway presented the “Careers in Health Care and Medical Science” networking event on February 23.

Students were matched with three different health care professionals for small-group “networking circles,” followed by open networking with all the participating professionals.

“This event introduced students to the broader umbrella of professionals within health care and medical science and how they work together as a whole,” Monks said. “The students walked away with knowledge about pathways into these industries beyond just the one or two they had envisioned before and with opportunities to explore these fields further through volunteering, shadowing, internships, and jobs.”

More than 40 students attended, as well as several alumni and representatives of local organizations. Participating professionals included: 

• Jane Dus, D.N.P.,  Vice President, Nursing Practice, Advocate Health Care
• Brigit Isaacson ’88, M.B.A, Clinical Program Management, Astellas Pharma
• Alexander Trevor, D.P.T., Physical Therapist, Athletico 
• Adam Palmasani, M.S., University Relations Recruiter, Autism Home Support Services
• Joyce Young-Stewart, B.S.N, Associate Director, Medical Affairs, Baxter Healthcare
• Leah Swanson, M.S., Principle Engineer-Human Factors, Baxter Healthcare
• Debbie Cotton, Research Associate, Baxter Healthcare
• Sangeetha R. Nair, Senior Scientist, Baxter Healthcare 
• Diane Tiffany, Manager of Volunteer Services, Lake Forest Hospital
• Lisa Azu-Popow ’92, M.H.A., Program Director, Northwestern Medicine
• Henish Bhansali, Internal Medicine Physician, NorthShore University HealthSystem 
• Lenny Wahlberg ’02, M.B.A., Practice Manger, NorthShore University HealthSystem  
• Lokesh Kukreja ’08, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Protocol Link, Inc.
• Robert Joseph, D.P.M, Ph.D, Podiatric Medicine and Radiology, Rosalind Franklin University 
• Abby Brownell ’15, Chief Scribe, Scribe America
• Lauren Kraemer ’15, Supported Employment Specialist, Thresholds
• Mallory Tucker, Public Health Advocate, Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center 
• Health Care and Science Career Pathway