West Windsor,
N.J. - Despite current economic woes, the healthcare industry
remains a good destination for job seekers. This winter, Mercer
County Community College's Center for Continuing Studies offers
numerous options for training in the health fields. Classes
are held on Mercer's West
Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. Most classes are
offered in the evenings and on weekends to provide flexible
scheduling for adult students. Community members are invited
to an information session on January 5 at 6 p.m. to learn
more about the center's career programs.
The center's Drug Development and Clinical Research Certificate
Program enables students who already have bachelor's degrees
in the sciences to prepare for employment in the field of
pharmaceutical research. Students must complete three courses
to earn their certificate. The program starts with "Foundations
of Clinical Research and Study Design," which includes
nine classes from Jan. 26-Mar. 9, to be followed later in
the spring with "Data Management" and "Regulatory
and Legal Issues in Drug Development." An information
session about this unique program takes place Wednesday, Jan.
12 at 5:30 p.m. in the MCCC Conference Center.
According to Carol Clark, director of continuing studies,
pharmacy industry professionals are enthused about the program
and serve on a task force that oversees and suggests course
content. "As a leader in the pharmaceutical field, New
Jersey is well positioned, both in terms of the expert instructors
we are able to access and the prospects for jobs for those
who complete the program," Clark said.
Elective
courses may be taken on an individual basis. "Clinical
Research Coordinator/Clinical Research Associate"
(CRC/CRA) will be offered Mar. 16-Apr. 16. A new course, "Privacy
and Data Protection for Healthcare and Pharma," on
Mar. 12 and 19, will provide an overview of privacy concepts,
the global privacy landscape, U.S. privacy laws, and their
impact on business, compliance and risks, data protection
principles and enforcement.
Now, through a new articulation agreement, students who complete
the program may earn up to nine credits in the Clinical Research
Organization and Management master's degree program at Drexel
University's College of Medicine. An additional three credits
will be awarded to those who complete the CRC/CRA program.
Among the center's other options in the health care field
is "Certified Nurse Aide" (CNA) from Apr.
30-Aug. 13. (Students may download information and an application
here.)
For those who have their CNA, a certification program to become
a "Home Health Aide" (HHA) is offered Apr.
2-9. Also for CNAs and HHAs is the new "Certified
Medication Aide for CNA's and HHA's" from Mar. 4-
May 13.
In a field where job prospects continue to be good, the center's
Pharmacy Technician Certificate program (Jan. 12- May
7) provides training for employment in retail pharmacies,
hospitals, assisted living facilities and pharmaceutical companies.
It includes a broad spectrum of critical topics including
pharmacy law and ethics, billing and insurance practices,
terminology, drug dosages and calculations, and therapeutic
response to medication. Current pharmacy technicians and qualified
students are eligible to take Pharmacy Technician Certification
Board Exam Prep from Mar. 17-31 to review material for
the national exam that will soon be required.
Offered as part of the Medical Billing/Coding Specialist
Certificate program is a new elective, "Medical
Billing: Fraud and Audits" from April 8-29. Medical
billing professionals will learn about state and federal laws
pertaining to record retention, fraud, and documentation standards
to help protect themselves and their employers.
Other popular health-related programs include Certificate
in Gerontology (Feb. 21-Apr. 16); Preparation for Dental
Radiologic Technologists (Mar. 9 - June 15); Introduction
to Phlebotomy (Feb. 24 - May 12); and EKG Technician
Certification (Feb 28-Apr 25).
Many courses may be taken on an individual basis. For more
information, contact the MCCC Center for Continuing Studies
at (609) 570-3311, by email at ComEd@mccc.edu,
or by visiting the website here.
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