By Kaitlyn Ngo, Staff Writer
Orange Coast College (OCC) and Golden West College (GWC) are currently offering a new Health Career Academy for students to enroll in during the summer.
The courses offered at the colleges are accelerated curriculum that qualify as prerequisites for the Allied Health or Kinesiology programs at OCC and the Nursing Program at GWC. Students taking the Health Academy courses this summer are eligible to work towards certification in the future as well.
The program entails instruction of skills and techniques pertaining to the field of nursing. The course will allow students to engage in real-life scenarios and experience situations for preparation in their careers. The curriculum in the course also includes a multitude of material that will supplement learning of medication, illnesses and treatment.
To be eligible for Allied Health or Nursing programs at these colleges, students must meet qualifications and prerequisites. The prerequisites are three General Education classes: Biology, Composition, Lifespan development, Psychology, Human anatomy, Human Physiology or Microbiology.
As of now, the Health Academy course is only available for high school students to enroll in. Students that harbor a passion in pursuing a career in nursing or the medical health are encouraged to apply for the Health Academy as they will get the opportunity to be exposed to the field. Enrollment in the program may also give students a head start in the future as the Nursing programs can be highly competitive.
Students taking the course will receive many benefits such as preparation in the medical field as certified nurses or health providers. The course will allow for experience and hands-on learning giving students more knowledge on the field.
“I think that the Golden West School of Nursing will help me to become a successful nurse and give me opportunities to better many lives. I think that I will learn lots of life lessons and will give me a chance to go beyond my comfort zone to try something new,” said senior Sarah Kwok.
The Health Academy is an opportunity for high school students to get involved and work toward their careers as it’ll allow for real-life application and instruction entailing clinical hours as well as patient care that will prepare students for the future.
Students interested in enrolling in the Health Academy Programs this summer can get more information by meeting with guidance counselors in the administration office or going online.
