Maisie Hirschman
25:09 - 25:52
“not all healthcare careers require this extensive of schooling. They don't require 7-8 years of schooling like I had to go through. Um, so phlebotomist, respiratory therapist, medical assistants, certified nursing assistants are just a few that don't require your traditional 4-year degree, and some are just certifications that can, can be completed in as little as about 6 to 12 weeks.”
- Speaker
- Maisie Hirschman
- Timestamp
- 25:09 – 25:52
- Community
- Alaska News
- Location
- Alaska
- Captured at
- October 5, 2026
From the transcript
Um, so I think that just, uh, hearing how many different aspects there are to the team, um, it's also important to know that not all healthcare careers require this extensive of schooling. They don't require 7-8 years of schooling like I had to go through. Um, so phlebotomist, respiratory therapist, medical assistants, certified nursing assistants are just a few that don't require your traditional 4-year degree, and some are just certifications that can, can be completed in as little as about 6 to 12 weeks. Um, I also think, uh, social workers and case managers, um, they're very hands-on in the aspect of they are dealing with a lot of the patients' families, their personal lives, a lot of their social determinants of health, we call it. So any factors at home, transportation, money issues, anything revolving around that.
Related Coverage
Health care workers tell Alaska high school students many jobs don't need a four-year degree
Some health care jobs take 6 to 12 weeks of training, and Alaska teens can get a pharmacy tech license at 16, students heard at a state career session.
