Penn State has seen a significant increase in the number students interested in majoring in health care-related fields, following the trend of many campuses across the United States.

"There has been a growth in the interest in the health care profession over the years," said Dennis Shea, department head for health policy and administration at Penn State. "Little things such as the economy and jobs have led to a steady growth since the mid-1960s."

Although Shea said there were not numbers to demonstrate the increase, he said in the last five or six years, the graduation rate has grown.

According to a Feb. 5 article in The New York Times, health care is becoming a dominant course of study among campuses nationwide.

Experts agree that it has grown in popularity among students because it allows students to help people, and the advancements in scientific technology are making it easier to treat disease and diagnose patients.

Shea said along with the growing popularity among students, there are more job opportunities available at a local, state and federal levels of the government.

"In most cases, 95 percent either have a job or are in graduate school right after they finish," Shea said. "Job opportunities are all over the place, because it is such a huge field. Health care has both profit and missionary companies, which appeals to lots of students."

John Beard, a professor in the department of nutritional sciences, said he noticed a greater interest in incoming students who are looking for a mission-oriented field and want to do something to help others.

Shea said there has also been a spark in interest among students because of the increase in government funding for health services.

He added that as Americans become wealthier, more income goes toward their quality of life, including health care.

Shruti Chandra (freshman-premedicine) said she credits the increase to the high salaries in medical fields and the demand for quality health care.

"People can never have enough doctors," Chandra said.

Volunteer programs at Penn State have been successful in preparing students for experience in various fields relating to health care, said Ellen Nagy, marketing manager for University Health Services.

After students have shadowed and observed clinicians who deal with patients on a daily basis at Penn State, many of those students go on to major in those particular fields of interest, Nagy said.

Katie Beiter (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) is one student who is a part of the growing trend in health care fields.

She said she is interested in majoring in a field related to children's health and development.

"I am interested in volunteering [at the] Ritenour Building in the near future," she said.