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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Hospital Association will host its annual virtual career expo on Oct. 23, offering students across the state a live, behind-the-scenes look at modern health care jobs and a chance to ask professionals questions in real time. The event is designed to broaden career ideas and connect young people to training and funding pathways at a moment when many hospitals are seeking new staff.
A window into day-to-day health care work
The expo brings video profiles and live interaction straight into classrooms and home computers, allowing students to see how different roles operate in hospitals and clinics. Organizers say the virtual format lowers barriers for rural or busy schools that cannot send students to in-person fairs.
Emily Coppock, vice president of clinical excellence at the Oklahoma Hospital Association, says the goal is to demystify what happens behind the scenes and make career options tangible for teenagers and career-changers alike.
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Careers beyond the bedside
Many young people picture nursing or becoming a physician first. Event coordinators emphasize there are dozens of other paths—some patient-facing, many not—that keep health systems running.
- Clinical roles: nursing, respiratory therapy, laboratory technologists, surgical techs — direct patient care careers that require varying levels of certification.
- Allied health and specialties: radiology techs, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and pharmacists.
- Non-clinical careers: health information management, medical coding, supply chain, and administration — positions essential to care delivery that do not involve patient contact.
- Education and research: training programs, technician apprenticeships, and advanced-degree tracks up to PhD and doctoral levels.
- Support for students: employer tuition programs and scholarships from the Health Care Workforce Training Commission make many pathways more accessible.
Live Q&A: why it matters
Lara Morris, state program manager for health science education, highlights the expo’s interactive segment as one of its strongest features. After short career videos play, students submit questions that are routed to the professionals on screen, creating a live dialogue rather than a passive presentation.
This format lets students probe practical concerns — work schedules, training requirements, what the day looks like — and get concrete answers from current employees. Organizers stress the opportunity helps students picture themselves in a role, which research shows increases follow-through on training and job applications.
For classrooms that cannot join the live broadcast, the association will archive the sessions and make videos and the full schedule available on its website so teachers can show segments later.
Who should consider attending
- High school and college students exploring career options
- Counselors and teachers planning classroom career-building activities
- Adult learners and career-changers evaluating entry points into health care
The virtual expo is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students and educators can find registration details and archived materials on the Oklahoma Hospital Association website.
