Iowa Central Community College has many program opportunities throughout the college that allow students to get the training they need to become dedicated employees. The students have the opportunity to learn in the classrooms, lab and various hands-on experiences throughout the college and community. The Health Science Department holds extremely high standards for their students allowing them to pursue their career with confidence. The following paragraphs include information about the opportunities within our Health Science department.

EMT/paramedic

Iowa Central currently offers Emergency Medical Responder and Advanced EMT on an as needed basis when local services, industries, or a group of individuals requests the course. Emergency Medical Technician initial education training is offered each semester on the Fort Dodge campus. Occasionally EMT courses are offered at local EMS services or other Iowa Central campuses if there is a demand. Paramedic initial training is offered on the Fort Dodge campus with a new program starting at the beginning of the fall term each year. At the conclusion of each initial training program students that have met program requirements are eligible to take the National Registry of EMTs cognitive exam and the state of Iowa psychomotor exam which is based on NREMT standards. The Iowa Central paramedic program is externally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Currently, many local EMS agencies are experiencing a shortage of qualified individuals to assist their local EMS agency.

Dental hygiene

The Iowa Central Dental Hygiene program does not have a waiting list. The DH program accepts applications for consideration to start the DH program each fall. The application process is based on points from Grade Point Averages, of co-requisite and pre-requisite courses, job shadowing, work experiences, essay and interviews. The application will be available online and also by contacting the DH program. The program accepts 15 students each year.

The Dental Hygiene program has been extremely successful in both the students’ success in the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, a written examination and the Central Regional Dental Testing Services clinical examination. In 2017 the pass rates are 100 percent and 93 percent respectfully.

The Iowa Central’s DH program is also proud of the DH students’ community outreach efforts and the inter-professional collaboration alongside oncologists, dermatologists, physicians, PAs, nurses, dentists, and oral surgeons with the Annual Iowa Central Dental Hygiene, American Cancer Society and UnityPoint Cancer Center’s Head and Neck Cancer Screenings that are performed for free in the Iowa Central Dental Hygiene Clinic in April.

The DH clinic performs dental hygiene services, including but not limited to the following: dental examinations, X-rays, cleanings/non-surgical periodontal therapy, whitening trays, and athletic mouth guards, at a reduced fee. The clinic is always looking for clients as the DH students have patient requirements of all ages, children, adolescents, adults and older adults. Call 574-1327 to schedule an appointment for DH services.

Medical assistant

The Medical Assistant program at Iowa Central prepares students to work as medical assistants alongside physicians, primarily in medical offices and clinics.

sThe program begins in the fall and concludes in the summer, so in less than one year students are able to enter the healthcare field.

Medical assistants function as members of the healthcare delivery team, performing both clinical and administrative duties. Clinical responsibilities may include: taking medical histories, preparing patients for examination, assisting physicians during examination, drawing blood, performing basic laboratory tests, administering medications as directed by a physician, performing ECG, removing sutures, and changing dressings. In addition, administrative responsibilities may include: updating medical records, coding, completing insurance forms, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admissions, billing, and bookkeeping.

With their unique versatility, medical assistants are proving to be valuable members of the healthcare team. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting continues to be projected as one of the fastest growing occupations.

Medical laboratory

technician

The Medical Laboratory Technician program at Iowa Central is a two-year program which offers exciting and rewarding possibilities for our graduates. Our program has a 24-year history and our graduates can boast a 100 percent pass rate on their National Board of Certification Exam for the last three years.Graduates of the MLT program learn how to perform complex tests which help doctors diagnose diseases such as leukemia, mono, and meningitis. They also learn how to determine what type of blood a patient has (think O negative and A positive), and every year they help organize a blood drive which boosts our regions blood supply. Our graduates easily find employment at the many hospital and clinic labs in our region and beyond, but also find employment opportunities at vet labs, ethanol plants, and other industries in our region as well.

Nursing

Iowa Central Community College offers the Licensed Practical Nurse and Associate Degree Nursing programs at Fort Dodge, Storm Lake and Webster City centers.

The Fort Dodge campus accepts 84 students each fall and 28 students each spring into their program. Both Storm Lake and Webster City centers accepts 28 students each fall only. The nursing program also accepts LPN students to return to the program to earn their ADN degree in one year. In addition to theory and lab classes held on the campuses, students gain experience at area facilities within 50 miles of their center as well as the William G. Smith Simulation Center at UnityPoint – Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge.

The nursing students are required to do community service so that we are giving back to our community. Some of the community service they are involved in are Warm Hearts Warm Homes, Throw a Little Love and Share What You Wear.

The nursing program at Iowa Central Community College is rigorous and strives to provide quality education producing competent nurses. The job outlook for graduating nurses is positive and many of our students are offered jobs during their preceptorships and clinical experiences. The nursing programs are accredited by the Iowa Board of Nursing.

The LPN board scores the last quarter were 100 percent and the RN at 96.4 percent, which is the tied for the fourth highest percentage in the state of Iowa.

Radiology

The Radiologic Technology Program had a pass rate of 100 percent for our students who graduated in the 2016-2017 school year. Our students work extremely hard through our radiology technology program in both the academic and clinical setting; putting in rigorous hours of training and, challenging themselves to become some of the leading students in the field. The program offers beautiful lab facilities making the student’s transition to their clinical sites more streamlined for an increased learning experience, and for this school year, 2017-2018, the program has added new staff who are excited to implement their personal clinical and academic experiences into our already thorough learning environment.

If you are interested in any of the Health Science programs at Iowa Central Community College, please contact 574-1309.

Emily Holtapp is associate of Health Sciences at Iowa Central Community College.