Anyone interested in learning more about health careers might want to attend the Health Science College, Program and Career Fair in Midwest City in November.
The event, hosted by the Governor’s Healthcare Workforce Committee, will be from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City.
It will include interactive stations and booths for HOSA-Future Health Professionals, the CareerTech student organization aligned with health science education; OK Career Guide; the Oklahoma Hospital Association; the Oklahoma Center for Nursing; and the Office of Rural Health/Area Health Education Centers.
Invitations have also been sent to Oklahoma technology centers, colleges and universities and hospitals and ambulatory clinics in central and western Oklahoma, said Lara Morris, health science education program manager at Oklahoma CareerTech and chair of the Governor’s Healthcare Workforce Committee.
“My goal is to have 50 booths and 500 student participants,” Morris said.
The goal of the event is to help fill a growing skills gap in medical professionals, especially in rural Oklahoma. Approximately 1/3 of Oklahomans live in non-metro areas, Morris said. Rural hospitals provide health care for nearly 2 million people, and access to that care can mean the difference between life and death, she added.
According to the Oklahoma Hospital Association, 90 rural hospitals, including 39 critical access hospitals, work with rural health clinics, community health centers, private practice doctors and emergency medical services to provide health care to residents in 66 Oklahoma counties.
Organizers hope to encourage health science students to stay in Oklahoma and continue in the health care field, which is growing, Morris said.
“The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that health care occupations will account for 45% of all new professions by 2032, accounting for about 1.9 million job openings a year,” she said.
The event isn’t just for students, though; adults are also welcome to attend to find out about potential health science education opportunities and careers.
“It is free and open to anyone who walks by,” Morris said.
Participants are encouraged to bring their resumes for hospital recruiters, she added.
The event is part of an effort to fill a growing gap in health care professionals, particularly in rural Oklahoma. A second event will be held Jan. 28, 2026, at the Arvest Convention Center in Tulsa for opportunities in eastern Oklahoma.
For more information about the career fair in Midwest City or to register for a booth or to attend as a student or adult seeking career and educational information, visit the Oklahoma CareerTech website at https://oklahoma.gov/careertech/educators/health-science-education/conferences-training-workshops/healthcare-career-program-and-college-fairs.html.
Oklahoma CareerTech: Oklahoma’s Workforce Leader
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 63 campuses, 395 PK-12 school districts, 16 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy providers.
The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.
