Severe Shortage Careers

Nursing has always been the largest severe shortage career in healthcare. With the COVID-19 outbreak, that shortage has grown exponentially. CTHP is working with both industry and education to address this shortage. Learn more about CTHP’s nursing initiatives.

Medical Assistants (MA) are a profession in the Austin area in high demand and that number is only increasing. MAs are expected to see a 3.4% growth in the coming years and are critical to help alleviate healthcare shortages specifically in the clinic setting. CTHP is developing training programs to ensure talent is available for these hard-to-fill roles.

There is a growing need for Surgical Technologists in the Austin region. To address the shortage, CTHP: 1) combined efforts to increase clinical opportunities so that education partners can increase enrollment, 2) created the Surgical Tech Workgroup, and 3) is conducting outreach efforts to increase awareness about career opportunities in Surgical Technology.

Austin has seen an increase in demand for Radiology Technologists (rad techs) in the past three years. With outpatient surgery centers, stand-alone emergency rooms, and local clinics hiring rad techs the demand is growing at a rapid rate. CTHP has created a Rad Tech Workgroup to address the shortages and develop career pathway opportunities for this occupation. Hospital partners are currently working to increase opportunities to grow capacity. CTHP is also working to provide apprenticeship opportunities in Specialty Imaging Pathways.

During the pandemic, the need for Respiratory Therapists (RTs) became apparent to the Austin community. Since the discovery of COVID-19, the need for RTs has grown at an increased rate with the need for additional trained RTs in the region. CTHP is working with local education partners to increase acceptance numbers to meet industry need and provide quality care to the Austin region.