COURSES OFFERED: Allied Health Sciences (AHS).

The course, Introduction to Allied Health Sciences, is a requirement for all students except those in medical laboratory technology. All clinical experience in the affiliating hospitals is carefully supervised by professional personnel. Clinical experience is correlated with classroom and laboratory duties.

Departmental Requirements and Guidelines:

1. A minimum grade of "C" is required in all Allied Health Science courses.

2. The Department of Allied Health Sciences recognizes the professional codes of ethics, sensitivity to patient and community needs, ability to work with and relate to peers and other members of the health care team, attitude, attendance, punctuality and appearance. Program directors may, upon the recommendation of clinical and academic faculty, recommend that the Department terminate any student who fails to correct deficiencies in any of these areas. These standards have been established in order to protect the rights of the patients and communities that we are committed to serve and to foster the team concept of health care delivery.

3. Allied Health Sciences students are required to carry malpractice insurance.

4. Allied Health Sciences students are annually required to submit completed health forms prior to enrollment.

5. Allied Health Sciences students are required to supply their own transportation to clinical settings.

6. Allied Health Sciences students must supply their own required uniforms.

7. Allied Health Sciences students shall submit to the College a copy of their current certification of competency in Basic Life Support according to American Heart Association standards, prior to graduation.

8. No courses in the Department of Allied Health Sciences may be audited, with the exception of AHS 131-132 if approved by the Chairperson.

The following curricula are offered by this Department:

Medical Laboratory Technology (A.A.S.)  - The Medical Laboratory Technology program is a two-year (plus two summer sessions) course of study leading to an Associate in Applied Science degree. The program provides educational course requirements and clinical training for a career as a medical laboratory technician. Students learn the theory and principles of routine laboratory procedures and their role in detection, diagnosis and treatment of disease. They perform tests using contemporary, automated and computerized instrumentation in all sections of the laboratory. The curriculum includes courses in liberal arts and the basic sciences as well as specialized course offerings in the major areas of clinical laboratory science. Students complete a clinical internship in the fourth semester and final summer session at one of nine affiliated hospital laboratories. Students who wish to pursue Bachelor Degree programs may do so but should seek advisement. The program is currently being reviewed for accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS). Graduating students are eligible to take all examinations offered for certification and licensure.

Physical Therapist Assistant (A.A.S.) - The physical therapist assistant (PTA) works under the supervision of a physical therapist in sports medicine facilities, outpatient clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, hospitals, home care, athletic teams and other health service agencies. Employing the knowledge of the patient’s condition, the physical therapist assistant performs hands-on treatments for people who have temporary or more permanent physical difficulties such as inability to walk, inability to move a body part or are in pain. The PTA uses therapeutic exercises, manual therapy, and pain relieving electrical and other modalities. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Upon successful completion, the student will receive the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S) degree, and will be eligible to take the licensing exam for certification by the State of New York as a Physical Therapist Assistant. The program is affiliated with more than eighty clinical education sites in Nassau and Suffolk, the five boroughs, and upstate New York. The campus has two laboratories fully equipped with machinery and accessories found in a variety of physical therapy settings. The PTA courses are offered during the day only and may be completed in 5 semesters. Students are admitted in the fall only and must be available for full-time study in the last semester. The PTA Program has been designed as a career program leading to employment at the end of two years of study. However, after completing additional credits and a bachelor’s degree, students will be eligible to apply for transfer into a doctoral level physical therapy program.

Radiation Therapy Technology (A.A.S.)

- The Radiation Therapy program is a two-year (four semesters and three summer sessions) program leading to the Associate in Applied Science degree. Graduates are eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists examination to become Registered Radiation Therapists and to obtain New York State Licensure. Radiation therapists primarily treat cancer patients by applying ionizing radiation according to a radiation oncologist's prescription, using a variety of complex techniques and equipment. The Radiation Therapy program combines technical and liberal arts courses given at Nassau Community College with off-campus clinical education at various affiliated hospitals. This program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology and by the New York State Department of Health.

Respiratory Care (A.A.S.)Respiratory Care is an allied health specialty concerned with the treatment, management, control, and diagnostic evaluation of patients with abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system. The Respiratory Care program is designed to train the student for a career as a respiratory therapist. It is a two-year course of study leading to the Associate in Applied Science degree. In addition, graduates are eligible for certification and registration through the National Board for Respiratory Care and licensure by the New York State Department of Education. These credentials are recognized nationwide. The curriculum is a balance of courses in the liberal arts and basic sciences as well as more specialized technical and clinical courses. Clinical, laboratory, and classroom training is structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of modern respiratory care techniques. Graduates are trained in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for adult, pediatric and neonatal patients, and upon graduation are prepared to work in all areas of the field including intensive-critical-emergency care, general respiratory care, and rehabilitation and home care for cardiopulmonary patients. This program is accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association.

Surgical Technology (A.A.S.)  - The Surgical Technology student is prepared to assume the role of surgical technologist in any surgical setting. In this program, the student is prepared to function in the areas of scrub, circulating assistant, and second assistant during surgical and obstetrical procedures. The graduate surgical technologist may elect to specialize in a particular area of surgery such as open heart, neuro, eye, orthopedics, and many others. Graduates are also employed in the emergency rooms, delivery rooms, ambulatory surgery centers, central supply units, organ retrieval units, and surgical equipment sales. This two-year program leads to the Associate in Applied Science degree and is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation from the Accreditation Review Committee on Education for Surgical Technologists.