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, or veterinarian, you should choose the STEM pathway.
As with all the pathways, you may choose to move to a different pathway at any time. If you so choose, and advisor can help you.
Areas of Interest
Yakima Valley College offers a unique approach to obtain a variety of health profession certificates or degrees. Students complete classes delivered in a modular format, providing a distinctive learning environment which fits a variety of learning styles and individualized student schedules.
We offer various shorter term certificate offerings, which range from 5 credits to 69 credits in length or look into our Associate of Applied Science Degree offerings, which range from 94 credits to 106 credits in length.
Some of our programs:
- Medical Assisting
- Medical Billing & Coding
- Medical Interpretation
- Pharmacy Technician
- Phlebotomy
- Sterile Processing Technician
- Surgical Technology
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).
