Georgia's Healthcare Science pathway prepares students for careers in one of the state's fastest-growing employment sectors. With major medical centers in Atlanta, Augusta, and Savannah, along with extensive healthcare facilities throughout the state, Georgia's healthcare industry provides abundant career opportunities across therapeutic, diagnostic, support, and informatics services.
The pathway offers multiple specialized tracks allowing students to focus on areas like patient care, diagnostic imaging, pharmacy, or health informatics. Students gain foundational knowledge in anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, and patient care while developing specific skills aligned with their career interests. Georgia's emphasis on industry certifications enables students to earn credentials like CNA before graduation.
Georgia CTAE connects students with the state's healthcare ecosystem through clinical rotations, internships, and partnerships with healthcare facilities. With the CDC headquartered in Atlanta and major research hospitals throughout the state, students access unique opportunities in public health and medical research.
Healthcare Science at a Glance
3
Courses
8
Credentials
4
Career Paths
State Standards & Framework
Georgia's Healthcare Science pathway standards are developed through collaboration with healthcare industry professionals and align with national health science education standards. The state reviews curriculum regularly to ensure alignment with current medical practices, technology, and workforce needs.
Programs must address patient safety, infection control, HIPAA privacy, and ethical considerations throughout the curriculum. Georgia requires integration of both academic standards and technical competencies to prepare students for postsecondary healthcare education and immediate employment.
Typical Course Sequence
| Course |
|---|
| Introduction to Healthcare Science |
| Essentials of Healthcare |
| Allied Health and Medicine |
Industry Certifications & Credentials
- ✓Pharmacy Technician (PTCB)
- ✓NOCTI Emergency and Medical Services
- ✓NOCTI Health Assistant
- ✓Medical Terminology Certification
- ✓Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- ✓CPR/AED for Healthcare Providers (BLS)
- ✓First Aid
- ✓Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Career Opportunities
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Growth projections from BLS Employment Projections (2023-2033). Cost-of-living adjustment uses BEA Regional Price Parities (2023). Entry-level salaries reflect the 25th percentile; experienced salaries reflect the median.
Registered Nurse
ExperiencedSalary range: $76,600 - $104,790
Medical Assistant
Entry LevelSalary range: $36,280 - $46,200
Pharmacy Technician
Entry LevelSalary range: $35,750 - $45,970
Radiologic Technologist
ExperiencedSalary range: $58,460 - $83,320
Recent News
Why 98.45% of Georgia's CTE Pathway Completers Walk Across the Stage -- and What It Means for Health Science Students
Georgia CTAE pathway completers posted a 98.45% graduation rate in 2025, beating the statewide average by more than 11 points. For students in high-demand fields like healthcare science, this track record strengthens the case that structured career pathways keep learners engaged through diploma day and beyond.
Read more →Georgia's Looming 34,800-Nurse Shortage Is a Crisis for Hospitals -- and an Opportunity for Health Science CTE Students
Federal projections estimate Georgia will face a 29% shortfall in registered nurses by 2036, with roughly 34,800 vacancies. For students in the Healthcare Science pathway, the shortage translates into strong job security, competitive wages, and multiple entry points from CNA through RN.
Read more →Work-Based Learning Opportunities
Clinical rotations at hospitals, nursing homes, medical offices, and specialty clinics provide supervised patient care experience. Partnerships with major health systems including Emory Healthcare, Grady Health, and Piedmont Healthcare provide structured learning opportunities across Georgia.
Career & Technical Student Organization
Students in this pathway can participate in HOSA-Future Health Professionals, gaining leadership experience and competing in career-related events.
How Sage Helps Georgia CTE Programs
AI-Powered Curriculum
Generate standards-aligned lesson plans in minutes, not months
Georgia Standards Built In
Pre-loaded with Georgia's CTE standards and frameworks
Teacher Customization
Teachers personalize content while maintaining standards alignment
Ongoing Updates
Curriculum stays current as Georgia standards and industry needs evolve
Related Pathways in Georgia
Related Glossary Terms
Work-Based Learning
Work-Based Learning (WBL) encompasses a range of educational strategies that connect classroom instruction with real workplace experiences. Activities include internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, clinical rotations, and cooperative education, all designed to help CTE students apply technical skills in authentic industry settings.
ProgrammaticProgram of Study
A Program of Study (POS) is a coordinated, non-duplicative sequence of academic and CTE courses that spans secondary through postsecondary education. Required under Perkins V, a POS integrates academic content with CTE instruction, includes work-based learning, and leads to an industry-recognized credential or postsecondary degree.
ProgrammaticIndustry Certifications in CTE
Industry certifications in CTE are credentials issued by industry organizations or third-party bodies that validate a student's mastery of specific technical skills and knowledge. Examples include CompTIA A+, AWS Certified Welder, and ServSafe, which demonstrate career readiness to employers in ways that transcend state and district boundaries.
AssessmentCTE Curriculum Frameworks
CTE curriculum frameworks are structured documents that outline the essential content, competencies, and learning outcomes for CTE programs within specific career areas. Developed at the state or national level, these frameworks guide local curriculum development by defining what students should know and be able to do upon completing a CTE program.
ProgrammaticReady to Build Healthcare Science Programs at Scale?
See how Sage can help you create standards-aligned curriculum for Healthcare Science in Georgia.