Healthcare Pathway
If you are interested in working in medical careers, you can choose the Healthcare Pathway.
This pathway offers training in direct patient care such as nursing, dental hygiene, and veterinary work. It also offers career training in related fields such as medical billing, pharmacy, and radiology. Experts in the many degrees and certificates can help you choose which degree or certificate will best lead to your ultimate goal.
Allied health professionals include medical assistants, medical billers, medical coders, medical interpreters, pharmacy technicians, phlebotomists, care navigators, and surgical technologists. If you are interested in becoming a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or veterinarian, you should choose the STEM pathway. If you are interested in becoming a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or veterinarian, you should choose the STEM pathway.
Students have the option to switch to pathways at any time. Should you decide to do so, an advisor is available to assist you.
Areas of Interest
Dental Assisting is a collaborative program with Yakima Valley College and the Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center.
Students completing this one-year certificate program will train for a wide variety of dental office functions. Upon completion, dental assisting students are prepared to pass the Dental Assisting National Board’s Infection Control Exam and the Radiation Health Safety Exam.
Dental Assisting students are admitted fall quarter, subject to the number of qualified students and space available.
The dental hygienist is a preventive oral care professional licensed to provide educational, clinical, and therapeutic dental hygiene services to the public.
The Yakima Valley College Dental Hygiene Program will provide a curriculum which reflects the core values of the profession, instills life-long learning appreciation, and promotes student development as caring, clinically proficient and ethical entry-level dental hygienists prepared to serve a diverse community in both private and public settings.
This program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312.440.4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
The nursing profession is part of a centuries-old tradition of providing quality care for patients. Though the fundamental principles remain the same today, technology and a rapidly changing demographic require nursing professionals to broaden their skills and experience and apply them in a variety of settings.
Yakima Valley College offers a six-quarter program (two academic years) that leads to an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). Most students complete a year of pre/co-requisite and supporting courses prior to entry. Nursing courses proceed consecutively with objectives for each course accomplished before the student proceeds to the next course. The ADN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission. Graduates of this ADN program are eligible to take the licensure examination for Registered Nursing.
The nursing profession is part of a centuries-old tradition of providing quality care for patients. Though the fundamental principles remain the same today, technology and a rapidly changing demographic require nursing professionals to broaden their skills and experience and apply them in a variety of settings.
YVC offers a four-quarter program (one academic year) that leads to a Practical Nurse Certificate (PN). Students complete three-quarters of pre-requisite courses prior to applying to the Practical Nurse Program. Nursing courses proceed consecutively with objectives for each course accomplished before the student proceeds to the next course. Students who complete the certificate program and successfully pass the PN licensure exam (NCLEX-PN) will be considered as having met the minimum requirement for transfer into a Washington State LPN to RN Nursing (ADN) program.
This is a sequenced program of courses that fulfill the educational objectives established by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists and competencies outlined by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. The program commences in June of each year. After successful completion of the 8 quarter course, students are granted an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree in Radiologic Technology (AAS) and are eligible to apply and to take the national exam for American Registry of Radiologic Technology, a nationally recognized examination.
- Radiologic Technology
- Computed Tomography (CT)
The Veterinary Technology Program is a two-year course of study leading to an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology. Successful completion of the program should provide the graduate with the credentials and basic information for successful completion of the national and state board examinations leading to licensing as a Veterinary Technician.
YVC’s Veterinary Technology Program is staffed by clinically-experienced, licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Facilities include small animal wards, and horses housed at an off-campus facility.
The program is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Courses to complete the Care Navigation Certificates are offered in a highly interactive, fully online environment. The curriculum introduces concepts of patient navigation and care coordination and helps develop practical skills to provide these services. These courses provide knowledge and skills to help frontline healthcare staff members to serve as bridges between patients and providers. Students gain skills and knowledge to help them succeed in today’s emerging healthcare models such as health homes, patient-centered medical homes, and accountable care organizations. These courses also prepare students to work as Community Health Workers
Medical assistants work alongside physicians, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as medical offices and clinics. Medical assistants are instrumental in helping patients feel at ease in the physician’s office and often explain the physician’s instructions. Our Medical Assisting graduates are recognized for their training and are likely to find employment.
Combining convenient online instruction and practical experience, this certificate prepares students for a career performing medical billing, coding, and administrative procedures. Instruction includes core courses essential to health care professionals and specialty courses to prepare students for entry-level positions as billing and coding specialists.
Spanish/English Medical Interpreter program is a 10 credit short-term certificate, preparing students to work as an interpreter in a health care setting. Designed for the bilingual student, this program provides an understanding of the role of medical interpreter, teaches how to respond to a variety of interpreting situations, and gives students concrete skills to provide effective interpretation and cultural advocacy. Also included is instruction in the special linguistic skill required to build effective patient interpreter- clinician relationships while reinforcing the patient-clinician bond.
Combining convenient online instruction, laboratory simulations, and supervised clinical practice, this certificate prepares students for a career as a pharmacy technician. Instruction includes core courses essential to health care professionals as well as specialty courses in pharmacy technology. A simulation of a pharmacy drug preparation area in the allied health laboratory allows for hands-on practice of essential psychomotor skills. Clinical practice in hospitals and retail pharmacies provides actual experiences to prepare students for entry and advanced level positions in a variety of pharmacy settings.
Phlebotomy is an exciting entry-level healthcare career that provides ample employment opportunities and excellent exposure to the many areas of the healthcare industry. Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research or blood donations.
Combining convenient online instruction, laboratory simulations, and supervised clinical practice, this degree prepares students for a career as a Surgical Technologist. Instruction includes core courses essential to health care professionals as well as specialty courses in Surgical Technology.
Students in the Sterile Processing Technician (SPT) Program prepare for an exciting career as an integral member of the healthcare team in sterile processing or materials management departments of hospitals and surgery centers. Main duties include care and processing of all types of medical devices, surgical equipment and instrumentation, and patient care items.