Health fair can launch career

For those interested in careers in health care, their future can start today.\nThe Health Fields Fair runs from 1 to 4 p.m. today. The fair will be in the Frangipani room in the Indiana Memorial Union. The event will have representation from a combination of professions and majors related to health careers.\nStudents will have the opportunity to sample some of the possibilities and talk with program representatives in fields ranging from athletic training to public health. Representatives will be at tables to answer any questions about educational programs related to the field of health. Some of the fields represented include: dentistry, exercise science, nursing and social work. Representatives from Indiana University, IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis and Midwestern University in Chicago will attend. \nLast year, 260 students graduated from the IU medical school, according to the school's Web site.\nThose students were all accepted into residency programs. \nIn the past, this fair was only advertised to freshmen. This year the Freshmen Advising Office teamed up with the Health Professions and Pre-law Information Center to make the event available to all students. \n"My goal is to give all Bloomington students the opportunity to learn about and make contact with representatives from a broad array of health professions," said John Simpson, director of the Health Professions and Pre-law Information Center.\nSimpson said as the population grows older, the national shortage in many of the health careers will continue to increase. \n"There are so many opportunities for someone interested in a career in health," he said. "The fair hopes to represent the majority of those opportunities." \nSophomore Stephanie Hallett plans to go into medicine. She will not be able to attend the Health Fields Fair but would like to know what the IU Medical School looks for in an applicant. \n"I wish I could go, but I have bio-lab," said Hallett. \nFor Hallett and other students unable to attend, there will be a reference to many of the health programs represented at http://www.iub.edu/~udivhpp/.