All programs in the Department of Health Sciences (DHS) have a clinical component during which students spend time in health care facilities giving direct care to patients. It is the expectation of health care facilities that students’ practice will not be impaired by physical limitations, drugs, or alcohol. In addition, because of patient vulnerability, facilities may not allow students with positive criminal background checks to practice on their premises. The program specific Policy and Standard for Drug Screening and Background Checks, as well as the Immunizations, CPR requirements, Texas Success Initiative (TSI) and Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI Admission Assessment Exam A2) pre-entrance exam are required for all students applying for admission to the Associate Degree Nursing Program (ADN), Associate Degree Nursing Option for Articulating Student, Vocational Nursing (VN), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic Programs; except for the Licensed Massage Therapy (LMT) Program, which does not require the TSIA.
Applicants for the DHS programs must follow the regular procedures for admission to Central Texas College and complete all Department of Health Sciences program specific admission requirements prior to registration.
Certification Notice: By participating in a Department of Health Sciences (DHS) program student understands and agrees that admission into Central Texas College Department of Health Sciences programs is not a guarantee of successful completion of the program. Likewise, student understands and agrees that Central Texas College does not guarantee that upon completion of a DHS program and award of a degree or certificate, that the student will become certified or licensed by any local, state or federal regulatory agency. Such certification is governed by the rules and laws of the locality, state or federal regulatory agency.
Clinical Placements
Clinical experiences are completed only at sites with which Central Texas College, Department of Health Sciences (DHS) has contracted for clinical rotations. Clinical placements are provisional and dependent upon each affiliated clinical facility’s approval/acceptance of each student. Citizenship status, presence of blood-borne pathogens, vaccination status, and/or prior work history within a facility or its affiliates may result in the facility denying a student access to a facility for clinical experiences. Note that the decisions are made by the facility based on the facility rules and regulations and are not controlled by Central Texas College. Each incident will be addressed on an individual basis and withdrawal from the course or the DHS program may be necessary if clinical experiences cannot be met. Admission into any DHS program does not guarantee acceptance by any clinical facility, or completion of the clinical course or the program. Students must successfully complete all clinical rotation assignments to fulfill degree and/or certificate requirements. Central Texas College will not locate or provide alternative sites for clinical rotations for students ineligible to attend clinical rotations at the specified sites.
All Community Non-Native Speakers, International Students and/or ESOL students must follow the requirements listed in the current Central Texas College catalog.
All DHS courses recognized as a co-requisite course are required to be taken at the same time.
Failure of any DHS co-requisite courses would result in withdrawal of all Department of Health Sciences core courses that are in the respective semester.
Final course grade, status and decisions will be determined by each DHS programs Admissions and Standards Committees on a case-by-case basis.
Final Decisions Notice: Decisions regarding student circumstances not covered by current DHS policies will be referred to an Ad hoc Policy Committee for final decision.