Category: Academics

SC4 adds summer EMT course as demand for paramedics increases across the country 

As EMS providers across Michigan and throughout the country work to address a widespread shortage of paramedics, St. Clair County Community College has added a summer emergency medical technician course to help students enter the field.

SC4’s state-certified, 274-hour basic emergency medical technician course runs from May 6 to Aug. 14, combining classroom instruction and clinical experience in an ambulance and emergency room to train students for careers as emergency medical technicians.

After completing the class, graduates are eligible to earn their EMT license and enter a paramedic certificate program. SC4’s accredited paramedic program prepares students to take the national registry paramedic certification exam and apply for a Michigan paramedic license in as little as three semesters. Because of the high demand nationwide, licensed paramedics have immediate access to career opportunities.

“If there is a paramedic out there with a state license who wants to work in EMS, they have a job right now,” Tri-Hospital EMS CEO Ken Cummings recently told the Times Herald.

SC4’s EMT course, ZPFT 850-01, begins with a mandatory orientation Monday, April 29, or Friday, May 3, at 10 a.m. in the college’s Applied Technology Center, room 134.

“It’s a very fulfilling career,” said SC4 program director Roger McClelland. “It’s in your blood and very fulfilling to help others, and that’s what the career is all about — the service to the community.”

Those interested can find detailed information and register online at sc4.edu/emt.

SC4 hosting free health sciences information sessions this month

This month, St. Clair County Community College will hold a number of free information sessions on main campus for three of its health sciences programs.

Attending an info session is the first step for anyone interested in earning a health sciences degree from SC4.

Schedule:

Health Information Technology — Associate Degree Program

The health information technology program prepares students for a variety of careers in the health care field. Students learn the process of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information, which is vital to providing quality patient care, supporting medical education and research, and more. Graduates are eligible to take the nationally recognized Registered Health Information Technician Exam.

  • Noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 18
    Acheson Technology Center, Room 206

Evening appointments are available by contacting Program Director Karen Wilson at klwilson@sc4.edu.

Radiologic Technology — Associate Degree Program

The radiologic technology program prepares students to become radiologic technologists by combining imaging technology with patient care skills to create quality radiography images. It has a five-year, 100 percent first-time passage rate on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Exam, a national registry exam that grants certification in radiologic technology.

  • 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18
  • 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 24

All radiologic technology info sessions take place in the Welcome Center, Room 206.

Medical Assisting — Certificate Program

The medical assisting program is a 12-month certificate program that prepares students to perform various clinical and administrative duties in a variety of health care settings. Graduates gain the knowledge and skills necessary for further health sciences education and are eligible to take the national credentialing exam.

  • Noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 18
    Acheson Technology Center, Room 119

Those interested in attending an info session can find detailed information about all of SC4’s health sciences programs at sc4.edu/health.

TRIO Student of the Month: Tonya Taormino

I chose to attend SC4 because it was close to home and offered a great criminal justice program with a strong reputation.

As an older, nontraditional college student, I had a hard time developing the skills needed to handle the heavy load of schoolwork and a demanding home life. I applied for the TRIO program to take advantage of the more personal tutoring help they offer. The program has helped me keep on track by monitoring my grades and offering early registration to help me get into classes I need that usually fill up fast. After juggling some responsibilities and getting help from TRIO, I have excelled and even received Presidential Honors in three different semesters.

I can’t recommend the TRIO program enough. The staff takes a personal interest in your success, and I would not have made it to graduation without their help. Advisor Shawne Jowett has spent countless hours helping me get into the courses I need to graduate and laying out a detailed plan for the years I’d be at SC4. I’m a planner, and I needed to know what I was going take every semester. Shawne was invested in me and helped me reach my goals.

In the fall, I plan to return to the SC4 campus as a Ferris State student, taking classes at the University Center to earn my bachelor’s in criminal justice. I hope to find a rewarding career at a drug treatment center.

SC4 adds respiratory therapy program to growing list of health sciences offerings

St. Clair County Community College is offering a new Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences degree program in respiratory therapy, with courses beginning in the fall 2019 semester. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in respiratory therapy are projected to grow 23 percent through 2026, much faster than the average for other occupations.

SC4’s 24-month program combines classroom and practicum experiences in hospitals, outpatient testing facilities and physician offices to give graduates the knowledge and skills they need to enter the field as licensed respiratory therapists.

“Respiratory therapists are in demand across the country, so we’re very excited to begin offering this program to our community,” said Christine Robinson, director of respiratory therapy at SC4. “Earning an associate degree is an essential step to become a respiratory therapist. Our hands-on curriculum in a personalized learning environment will give SC4 graduates and those students transferring on to attain a four-year degree a real advantage.”

St. Clair County Community College is currently in the process of seeking the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) provisional accreditation for the respiratory therapy program. However, St. Clair County Community College can provide no assurance that accreditation will be granted by CoARC.

SC4’s respiratory therapy program is now accepting applications for the fall 2019 semester, which begins Monday, Aug. 19. Students interested in the program must submit required application materials by Sunday, June 30. Detailed information, including how to apply, is available online.