Photo courtesy of Shelby County Schools.
Students in the health sciences class at Chelsea High School have earned their first set of health care credentials.
Twenty-five students in Chelsea High School’s Healthcare Academy surgical tech program passed the National Healthcareer Association Certified Patient Care Technician exam in December, exceeding the national exam pass rate and earning their first set of health care credentials.
The students are now certified PCTs and are prepared to start hands-on patient care clinical internship rotations at Shelby Baptist Medical Center and Heart South Cardiovascular Group this semester.
The students include Carter Abrams, Mollie Bailey, Vivian Barrett, Jaydah Bearden, Jon'nelle Blue, Savannah Clayton, Rylee DeBord, Abby Guy, Kolbe Hess, Jamie Holsombeck, Shelby Horton, Brant Joffrion, Baylor McCluney, Alana McCulla, Daisy Mitchell, Elizabeth Moreland, Theresa Nguyen, Campbell Parker, Luis Pineda Ventura, Carsyn Polk, Cassidy Reynolds, Cameron Roberts, Isabella Robertson, Melah Vail, Isabelle Willis and Juliana Zatta.
Their health care interests include labor and delivery nursing, hospital human resources and administration, nurse anesthesia, physical therapy, radiology, veterinary science, forensic pathology, cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery and pediatric transplant surgery.
Healthcare Academy instructor Andrea Maddox said she could not be prouder of this year’s internship class.
“Together, they exceeded the national exam pass rate and earned the privilege to attend hands-on patient care clinicals and observe surgical procedures while still in high school,” Maddox said. “This real-world exposure will give them a head start on becoming workforce ready and help lay the groundwork for success in their future educational endeavors. They have set big life goals for themselves, and receiving their CPCT credential is just one of the first steps.”
Health science internship student Jamie Holsombeck said that studying for and passing the CPCT was very important to her, not only so she could move forward into clinicals, but also because it's the first step in everything she wants to do in her life.
“Passing the CPCT has given me more confidence knowing that the health care field is the right path for me,” Holsombeck said. “I'm looking forward to using the knowledge I've learned from studying for the CPCT to help people and also getting to learn more from the professionals I'll meet through internship clinicals. This program has not only grown my passion for working in the healthcare field, but it has also solidified what I want to do with the rest of my life and has made me certain what my future will look like.”
