Purpose

The program is designed to prepare students to serve in a dynamic and growing health profession as members of the dental health team. After successful completion of the program, the student will be eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and professional licensure examinations. Upon successful completion of the licensing process, the title ÒRegistered Dental HygienistÓ (R.D.H.) is awarded.

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Special Accreditation Status

The Dental Hygiene Program is accredited by the American Dental AssociationÕs Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of approval without reporting requirements. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678. The CommissionÕs web address is https://coda.ada.org.

Bloodborne Pathogens and Infectious Diseases Statement

By nature of the profession, students accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program may be exposed to blood and body fluids while practicing dental hygiene skills or providing services during clinical, preclinical, and laboratory sessions. Policies and procedures have been established to ensure the working environment is safe in order to minimize disease transmission. Prospective students may request a copy of the policy on bloodborne infectious diseases by calling 703-822-6627.

Purpose: The curriculum is designed to develop the competencies needed to prepare the student to achieve National Registry Paramedic Certification (NRP).

Credit for Prior Learning: Students in this program who hold current EMS certification may be eligible for credit for prior learning. See an academic advisor or counselor for further information.

Purpose

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to perform essential laboratory testing on blood and body fluids that is critical to the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. In a medical laboratory, the medical laboratory technician (MLT) is part of a team of highly skilled pathologists, technologists, and phlebotomists working together to determine the presence, extent or absence of disease, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. This program emphasizes Òhands-onÓ practice of laboratory methods in a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Medical Education Campus in Springfield, followed by clinical experience at various affiliating healthcare organizations.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification examination and other national certification examinations offered at the technician level.

Credit for Prior Learning

Students in this program who have completed a military laboratory training program and hold Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) are eligible for credit for prior learning in the major coursework. See an academic advisor for further information.

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but transfer may be an option for certified MLTs. Students interested in transfer should contact an academic advisor early in their program.

Career Opportunities

Employment for medical laboratory technicians is available in hospital laboratories, private laboratories, physiciansÕ office laboratories, health department laboratories, and industrial medical laboratories.

Special Accreditation Status

The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS); 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois 60018; Phone: 773-714-8880; Fax: 773-714-8886; www.naacls.org.

Purpose

The program is designed to provide students with the philosophical, theoretical, and clinical knowledge necessary to provide quality occupational therapy. This curriculum is designed to prepare students to assist and collaborate with occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. Students will participate in classroom and fieldwork experiences in this program. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates must take and pass a national board exam and complete the licensing process in order to begin a career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. Graduates may, in accordance with state laws, assist in development of treatment plans; carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments.

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Transfer Placement

OTA credits earned at other institutions will be reviewed by the program director of the OTA program to determine if any course substitutions may be warranted within the curriculum. Students wishing to transfer into the NOVA OTA program will be required to satisfactorily complete a skill competency assessment before being accepted into the OTA program. Transfer students must additionally be in good academic standing and must provide a written reference from the program director of the previous institution as well as from a clinical educator as applicable. All transfer students must meet all of the OTA program application and admission requirements before being considered in the competitive admissions process.

Special Accreditation Status

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Northern Virginia Community College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE¨) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTEÕs telephone number c/o AOTA is 301-652-6611. ACOTE can be found online at www.acoteonline.org. Upon graduation, students will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice and one component of licensure generally includes the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction could affect a graduateÕs ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Purpose

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to produce diagnostic images of the human body through safe application of x-radiation. The radiographer is a central member of the healthcare team and assists the radiologist, a physician specialized in body image interpretation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, the student will be eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) examination leading to certification as a Registered Technologist in Radiography: A.S., R.T.(R).

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Purpose

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to be effective members of the healthcare team in assisting with diagnosis, treatment, management, and preventive care of patients with cardiopulmonary problems. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the entry-level and advanced practitioner examinations leading to certification as a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and registration as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Special Accreditation Status

The Northern Virginia Community College Respiratory Therapy (RTH) Program, CoARC number 200206, offers an Associate Degree in Applied Science (AAS), located at Medical Education Campus, 6699 Springfield Center Dr, Springfield, VA 22150, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an Ôoutcomes basedÕ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

Continuation Requirement

All courses (including General Education courses) must be completed with a grade of ÒCÓ or better before taking the next course in the sequence and to satisfy graduation requirements (note: some prerequisite requirements may require a higher grade).

Special Program Continuation Requirements

If general education courses are not completed before acceptance into the Respiratory Therapy Program, then they are to be taken in the corresponding semester as indicated in the curriculum plan. Students may not proceed to the next sequential respiratory therapy course without having completed the appropriate general education coursework.

Reenrollment

• Students in good standing may be permitted to reenroll in the RTH curriculum on a space-available basis, with permission of the program director.
• Students who leave the program for any period up to two years for either personal or academic reasons are required to demonstrate proficiency in all previously enrolled skills courses prior to reentering the program. ÒPractical examsÓ are administered and scheduled by the program faculty. A written exam will be required.
• Students who leave the program for any period of time for medical reasons are required to submit evidence of good physical and mental health, as substantiated by a newly completed Pre-Admission Health History and Physical for Allied Health and Nursing Form (125-007) signed by the primary physician responsible for their care.

Licensure Requirements

The Virginia Board of Medicine reserves the right to deny licensure to any candidate who has been convicted of a crime or any offense relating to the abuse of alcohol and/or use or sale of controlled substances in Virginia or any other state. Any applicant to the Respiratory Therapy Program who has been found guilty of a misdemeanor or felony must consult with the program director of Respiratory Therapy prior to acceptance into the program.

Purpose

This career studies certificate is a non-transferable program designed to provide an advanced-modality module to deliver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) education to those who are eligible or registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). The curriculum will prepare a registered Radiography Technologist R.T. (R), Radiation Therapist R.T. (T), Computed Tomography R.T. (CT), or Nuclear Medicine Technologist R.T. (N)-NMTCB with the didactic requirements to seek employment as an MRI technologist in hospitals and imaging centers while also completing clinical hours on the job. Structured education includes CE credits or equivalents in each content category required by the ARRT.

Special Accreditation Status

The NOVA Radiography program is Joint Review Commission on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) accredited.

Admission Requirements

All students must be graduates of an ARRT-approved radiologic technology program and be registered or registry eligible according to the standards provided by ARRT. Current matriculating students must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA to be considered for admission.

Recent graduates must be ARRT registered or registry eligible and must have graduated with a cumulative 3.0 GPA.

Purpose

To prepare competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The program combines the use of surgical instruments, skills, and techniques with the theoretical knowledge required to perform as a Surgical Technologist in the operating room.

Admission Requirements

 Admission to the Surgical Technology program is competitive. Applicants must do the following:

• Comply with all general admission requirements for Health Sciences Programs.
• Review an online Surgical Technology information session.
• Complete BIO 141 Human Anatomy And Physiology I  with a ÒCÓ or higher and completed within 10 years of application.
• Complete SUR 100 Introduction to Surgical Technology with a grade of ÒCÓ or higher.
• Complete ENG 111 College Composition I with a grade of ÒCÓ or higher.
• Complete SDV 101 Orientation to: Healthcare with a ÒCÓ or higher.
• Complete HLT 141 Introduction to Medical Terminology with a ÒCÓ or higher.
• Complete or self-place into MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning or higher: https://www.nvcc.edu/academics/placement/index.html. (MTH 155 may be substituted for MTH 154. Please contact a faculty or academic advisor to request a course substitution.).
• Have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Completion Requirements: All SUR program courses must be completed with a grade of a ÒCÓ or better before taking the next semester course sequence and to satisfy graduation requirements. A program placed student not achieving a ÒCÓ or higher will be automatically academically dismissed from the SUR program. Prerequisite and General Education courses require a "C" or higher grade and may be completed prior to admission to the SUR program.

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Purpose

This curriculum is designed to prepare students to perform chairside assisting, minor laboratory, and basic office procedures. Students learn the theory and skills to assist in the dental operatory through course work in the areas of chairside assisting, radiology, dental materials, dental and biomedical sciences, as well as clinical practice. Graduates can perform certain additional tasks allowing them to become productive and valued members of the dental health team. Upon successful completion of this program, students are eligible to sit for the Dental Assisting National Board Examination (DANB). After successful completion of this examination, the credential Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) is awarded.

Special Accreditation Status

The Dental Assisting program maintains their status of accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Students who successfully complete the program are considered to be graduates of an accredited program for purposes of certification and regulations as set forth by state licensing boards. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678 The CommissionÕs web address is: https://coda.ada.org.

Bloodborne Pathogens and Infectious Diseases Statement

By nature of the profession, students accepted into the Dental Assisting program may be exposed to blood and body fluids while practicing dental skills or providing services during clinical, preclinical, and laboratory sessions. Policies and procedures have been established to ensure the working environment is safe in order to minimize disease transmission. Prospective students may request a copy of the policy on bloodborne infectious diseases by calling 703-822-6627.

Purpose

The program is designed to prepare personnel who collect, process, and perform selected tests on samples for medical laboratory analysis. Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) work in hospitals, medical clinics, and reference laboratories. The curriculum includes learning experiences: on-campus, online, and, in partnership, with affiliated clinical laboratories. Graduates are eligible to sit for the American Medical Technologists certification to become certified as a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA).

Credit for Prior Learning

Students in this program who have been certified as a phlebotomy technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) are eligible for credit for prior learning in MDL 105 and MDL 106

Purpose

The program is designed to prepare personnel who collect and process blood and other samples for medical laboratory analysis. Phlebotomists work in hospitals, medical clinics, commercial laboratories, and in other settings where blood is collected from patients. The curriculum includes learning experiences in both on-campus laboratories and affiliated clinical laboratories. Graduates are eligible to sit for the national examination to become certified as a phlebotomy technician.

Credit for Prior Learning

Students in this program who have been certified as a phlebotomy technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) and/or who have documented extensive experience in phlebotomy are eligible for credit for prior learning in the major clinical course. See an academic advisor for further information.

Purpose This curriculum is designed to fulfill the Virginia state educational requirements for the certification of substance abuse counselors. To meet substance abuse counselor certification requirements, the applicant is expected to meet specific education requirements including didactic and experiential learning with a supervised internship required.

Individuals seeking skills and knowledge in this career field, but not seeking state certification may also enroll.

Cooperative Education: Students in this curriculum will participate in at least 3 semester hours of Cooperative Education unless they already have equivalent experience.

PurposeThis curriculum is designed for students seeking to pursue an Associates of Sciences degree in Public Health, designed for transfer. Students will be introduced to public health principles, practices, and policies. Students will be provided with an overview of public health systems globally to better understand the trends within public health and the public health effects on individuals and populations. They will learn about social determinants of health, the influence of culture on health, learn about health disparities, and will learn about the impact of effective health education and health promotion. After completing this major, students will be prepared to continue their education at a partnering four-year university.