The Lee College Center for Workforce and Community Development is now accepting students into fast-track healthcare programs that can lead to rewarding and in-demand careers in the medical field in as little as 6-10 weeks.
Three of the workforce center’s healthcare programs will begin in the next two months: Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA), which starts Tuesday, Sept. 29; Certified Nurse Aid (CNA), which starts Monday, Oct. 12; and Dental Assistant (DA), which starts Tuesday, Oct. 13. Classes are filling quickly, so prospective students are advised to register as soon as possible.
Clinical medical assistants perform routine tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors and optometrists running smoothly. Students in the CMA program complete 140 hours of classroom learning and 160 hours of clinical externship, getting hands-on training with administering medications, assisting with minor surgery, obtaining laboratory specimens and other duties.
Certified nurse aids provide basic care to residents of long-term care facilities, helping to ensure their comfort and safety. CNA program students complete 60 hours of lectures and labs, and 40 hours of clinical experience with direct patient and client care.
Dental assistants prepare patients for treatments and teeth cleanings, sterilize instruments, process oral X-rays and assist dentists during procedures. The 155-hour DA program includes classroom instruction and practical training; students complete a 48-hour clinical rotation in a dental office in the Baytown area.
The demand for quality healthcare continues to grow in the Houston-Sugarland-Baytown area, with more than 9,500 new jobs in the medical field expected to open this year alone. The healthcare field accounts for one in every 10 jobs in the region, according to the Greater Houston Partnership.
In addition to the CMA, CNA and DA programs, the Center for Workforce and Community Development offers several other fast-track healthcare options.