text: There are several areas you could persue:\n\n1. CNA   (certified nurses assistant) - This would require only about 3 months of training and you take a certification exam.  There is a great need for these people not only in the hospital setting, but also at extended care facilities and nursing homes.  Basically the training prepares you for direct patient care, such as taking vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, pulse), assisting patients with ambulation, assisting with meals and perhaps feeding them, assisting with personal hygiene, etc.  The CNA works under a registered nurse and helps with whatever tasks are necessary.\n2. LPN - Nursing in many states is restricted to nursing homes and extended care facilities, however some hospitals I'm sure still employ LPN nurses.\n3. RN - registered nurses go to school for a minimum of 2 years, but many are baccalaureate programs.\n4. Medical transcription - I'm not sure how long the program lasts, but I would guess around 6 months.  This teaches you all the medical terminology and you would listen to physician dictation and type it into a computer for record keeping.\n5. Pharmacy assistant - again about 6 months to learn this skill\n6.  Surgical technician - These programs generally take a year to complete and after finishing the course you  work inside of the operating room assisting the surgeon by preparing the instruments that are needed, handing instruments to the surgeon, assisting with holding retractors, etc.\nThere are also positions inside the hospital that you could work while attending school, such as....dietary aide, housekeeping, central supply, etc.   and these positions may help you get a foot in the door.\n\nGood luck - We need health care providers in many different areas.