What if, like... we didn't suck?

Personally, and I admit I am weird, but personally, I think if someone wants to learn how to save my life, instead of being charged outrageous amounts to learn how to do so they should be paid. At least, every obstacle in their way that can be removed should be. The more people who know how to save my life in the event of an accident the better. While yes, that is absolutely selfish on my part, I would say reasonably so. But it would also provide the benefit of there being more people around who could help anyone in the event of an accident.

I would extend that all the way down the line of medical professionals. Want to learn how to keep me free from diseases? Amazing. I think society should share a bit of its resources and help you to that end. Want to learn the technology to look inside my body and make sure everything is cool? I also would like you to be able to do that! It's really dumb that you should have to go into debt to know those things. Would you like to assist doctors in a variety of often overlooked and under appreciated ways, and instances be the primary hands on caregiver to society's most vulnerable? What ridiculous person would ask you to pay so much of your own money to do so? 

All knowledge is good. Learning is very important. But there are some things that are so critically important to maintaining a healthy society, not only should no roadblocks exist to gaining that knowledge, even the act of acquiring it should be encouraged and rewarded. Even if a person has no intention of becoming a nurse but is brave enough to put themselves through the rigorous journey of nursing school, pay them for it. Because that's one more person better equipped to help others in their community.

It is strange to me the the United States is so willing to burden its youth with debt just so they can increase their odds of maybe having less debt if they live to retirement. But even stranger to do so when it comes to studying fields that are vital. Want to help kids in bad living situations? Yeah, gonna need you to agree to a large financial burden while taking very difficult stressful courses first. Pay to play. And also pay to... try and help make the world better for children... Because if wealthy people can't profit off your good intentions then all the eagles will die, and Stalin will rise from the grave enslave us all. Or something. I guess. I don't get it.

Imagine the benefit to our poorest communities if there were no longer obstacles to a career path in a field those communities desperately need. Less impoverished people and more healthcare workers. What a win for everyone. And there's a shortage of healthcare workers globally. So once the shortage is addressed in the US, we could help send healthcare workers to assist the rest of the world with a vital need. Bedpans not bombs.

Learning critical knowledge is a lot of work. The benefit to society of finding ways to compensate those willing to put in the work would be immeasurable. Healthcare is just one field. But there are many others this should really be applied to. There should be no barriers to people who want to improve themselves, especially if doing so adds to society's overall well being. Which it always does to some degree. But those areas that exist primarily to serve society... why are we handicapping people we need in fields we rely on? Why are we not only removing the obstacles but putting our resources towards encouraging and rewarding those willing to give the time, energy, and sleepless nights trying to learn the necessary tools to help us?