Ten-year-old Aissatou once dreamed of Michelin stars. She imagined her future behind a kitchen counter as a high-end chef, until she stepped into the emergency department of a New York City hospital and saw something else entirely: maternity floors humming with new life, nurses moving with quiet precision, and the thrum of an ambulance engine below her feet.
“Now I dream of sterile gloves and surgical lights,” she told me. “This experience rewired my passion and showed me exactly where I’m meant to be, beside the heroes who save lives every day.”
Then there’s Adam, a high school junior who’d never heard of respiratory therapy before. “Now it’s one of my top career considerations,” he said. “This program opened my eyes.”
Over the past 3 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of students like these: curious, driven, and full of promise, but lacking exposure to what’s possible beyond the walls of their school.
That exposure is often the difference between a vague interest in “medicine” and a student setting their sights on becoming a physician assistant, a lab technician, or a respiratory therapist. Sometimes, it’s the first time they see themselves in the field at all.
That moment of connection, between passion and profession, is powerful. And far too rare. But it’s key to our well-being, because with an aging population, we are going to need to cultivate the next generation of healthcare leaders and providers. In New York alone, we expect a 22% increase in healthcare jobs between 2020 and 2030. And a nationwide estimate suggests the U.S. will be short 100,000 healthcare workers by 2028. These are staggering numbers, and to fill these positions, we will need to connect with students.
I didn’t start my career in education. I’m an employment attorney by trade, and I spent years navigating workforce issues, in the private and public sectors, before shifting into the workforce and community education space. My focus now is on designing programs that connect students directly to meaningful careers, starting as early as ninth grade. What drew me to this work wasn’t just the long-term strategy. It was the spark I saw when a student truly got it.
What surprised me most was how quickly these moments of clarity happened, once we invited young people into our world of healthcare and medicine. One student told me, “After visiting real labs and learning more, I discovered a strong interest in laboratory science. Now I’m excited to explore it further.”
Another: “This opportunity is like no other. After hands-on experience, I now want to become an EMT.”
I met Maya, Sofia, and Destiny, all students who didn’t come from legacy healthcare families, and many who hadn’t previously considered the industry at all. What they lacked in experience, they made up for with questions, determination, and curiosity. Their excitement is contagious. Their questions are sharp. Their commitment is serious.
We often talk about the future of healthcare in abstract terms, about pipelines and shortages, and strategy. But what I’ve seen over the last 3 years is that the future isn’t theoretical. It’s walking our hospital halls, sitting in simulation labs, asking nurses about their rounds, and observing EMTs in real-time. The next generation of healthcare workers is already here. They’re watching. And they’re ready. This isn’t about guaranteeing a career in medicine. It’s about widening the lens for young people across the country. When a student looks at their future, they should see options and support, not closed doors.
We have a responsibility to meet that moment.
Programs that expose students to healthcare careers don’t solve every issue, but they chip away at some of the biggest: Access. Exposure. Mentorship. They connect students to professionals who not only reflect their interests, but sometimes, their lived experience. For me, this work is no longer just about talent pipelines or strategy. It’s personal. Because I know that when a student is seen, supported, and challenged, they rise to meet the moment. Every time.
And when that happens, we all win. Because education is health. And in helping students discover their purpose, we’re building a more compassionate, prepared, and responsive healthcare system, one future leader at a time.
Brian Aquart is vice president of Workforce & Community Education at Northwell Health’s Center for Learning & Innovation, leading initiatives like the Northwell School of Health Sciences, FutureReadyNYC, and MedVoyage.
