Healthcare Technician Certificate

Program Overview:

If you are seeking a career in the health care field, like working with people, and possess good interpersonal skills, a career as a Healthcare Technician may be for you. Healthcare Technicians perform EKGs (electrocardiograms) on patients to record and monitor their heart rate and rhythm. They also draw blood from patients and prepare specimens for testing or storage. Most Healthcare Technicians work in hospitals, but some also work in doctors’ offices and medical and diagnostic labs.

The iHealth@NECC’s Healthcare Technician certificate will prepare you for employment as an entry level EKG technician and phlebotomist. The program includes classroom theory and laboratory practices, anatomy and physiology of the heart, legal aspects of patient care, and electrocardiography and the proper use and functions of the EKG machine. Phlebotomy content includes classroom theory and laboratory practices, anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system, and the use of patient simulators to enhance the development of competency before your clinical externship. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to take the National Healthcare Association certification exam for EKG Technicians and Phlebotomists. Graduates are also eligible to take the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) examination under the Phlebotomy Technician (PBT) category, Route 2.

Career Opportunities

Graduates will be able to pursue many career paths. Healthcare Technicians work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, clinics, and more.

Program Requirements

Students who attend the Healthcare Technician program through iHealth@NECC will complete most of their course work in online courses and come to the iHealth@NECC facility at our Lawrence campus one day each week (Friday) for in-class meetings and laboratory sessions. Students should be aware that the Phlebotomy externship will require additional time commitment in a health care facility.

Program science courses must be completed within (5) years prior to the anticipated start date of the program to count towards completing the certificate.  Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” in all career and science courses in order to graduate.  A minimum of 24 credits hours are required for graduation.

CORI/SORI/CHRI:

Students interested in participating in this program may be required to undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, a Criminal Records Central Repository (CHRI) check, and a Sex Offender Record Information (SORI) check. For more information, visit www.necc.mass.edu/cori-sori.

Healthcare Technician Certificate Course Requirements

Course #	Course Name	Credits
HES115	Medical Terminology	3
CIS110	Computer Applications	3
HES120	Phlebotomy	3
CVT101	Electrocardiography	3
ENG101	English Composition I	3
CVT111	Electrocardiography II	3
HES201	Healthcare Law & Ethics	3
HES121	Phlebotomy Externship	2
HES103	RICCS: Preparing for Success in a Healthcare Career	1