Published: June 18, 2006 11:11 pm      

MCC to initiate two new Allied Health programs

Dental Assisting Technology and Pharmacy Technician Technology will be added to the curriculum at Meridian Community College beginning in August according to MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott.

Elliott noted that MCC recently gained approvals from its own Board of Trustees and the State Board of Community and Junior Colleges to initiate the programs. The two new additions will bring to 37 the number of occupational education programs available to MCC students.

Sharon Wade (Pharmacy Tech) and Robin Johnson (Dental Assisting) were hired last week to serve as program coordinators. Instructional suites for the programs are now being established on campus, and initial classes will be selected this summer.

“We are truly excited about these new additions to our curriculum,” Elliott said. “Any job in health occupations is a good job, and our feasibility studies on these programs indicated there is a need in the East Mississippi market for well-trained professionals in these particular fields. Also, we feel that we’ve hired two solid professionals to spearhead the programs in Ms. Wade and Ms. Johnson.”

Both programs are one-year certificate curriculums, meaning graduates will be prepared for entry-level positions in their field after 12 months of study. Each program will admit 15 students per year.

MCC has operated a Dental Hygiene program for many years, and Elliott said the Dental Assisting program will be a logical complement. He added that some students will no doubt seek certifications in both Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting to increase their marketability and value to prospective employer dentists.

“Pharmacy Tech also seemed a very logical addition for MCC,” Elliott said. “People are living longer than ever before. Therefore, the need for prescription drugs is also escalating. The industry needs well-trained technicians to work under pharmacists in meeting that increasing demand for services.”

Any individual interested in applying for admission into either program should contact Heather Williams, MCC Health Occupations counselor, at (601) 484-8629.

“As often as possible, MCC has made a concerted effort to expand its occupational education offerings,” Elliott said. “It’s one way that the college contributes to the economic development of our region. We have tried to maintain existing programs and start new programs that offer our graduates the opportunity to become employed in the region at a competitive wage with advancement potential. A well-trained workforce is the backbone of economic development, and, obviously, MCC is a big part of that equation for our community.”

Elliott commended the college’s Board of Trustees, headed by Tommy Dulaney, for approving the programs, especially since no special funding has been available from the state for new program start-ups in several years.

“In recent years, our Board has approved such new programs as Surgical Technology, Cosmetology, Nail Technology, and Commercial Truck Driving, even though such additions to the curriculum had to be funded entirely on a local basis without help from the state,” Elliott said. “It’s been expensive, and it’s been a leap of faith during difficult economic times. However, our Board just feels very strongly that it’s the mission of a public community college to offer a breadth of programming to its constituents.”