ELKO — Great Basin College has introduced a new certificate that combines three important medical skills into one program.
The Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist/EKG Technician Certificate (MAPE) is the first of its kind in Nevada and, with the help of more than $167,000 in grant funding from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation & Technology (OSIT), the program is preparing for a fall 2023 launch.
Great Basin College Health Science and Human Services Dean Amber Donnelli, PhD, said the partnership between GBC and OSIT is designed to create a new postsecondary STEM workforce development program that meets employers’ needs.
“Nevada OSIT not only recognized employers’ need for this program,” said Dr. Donnelli, “but OSIT also recognized GBC’s unique position as a rural education leader to offer it.”
Dr. Donnelli said demand for preventative medical services is increasing. In response, healthcare providers are seeking to expand their abilities by hiring more staff who can perform routine administrative and clinical duties.
“And that makes the MAPE program very relevant,” said Dr. Donnelli. “It will allow one staff member to perform three important functions, rather than three individual staff members each performing one function, so it really is a win-win for both students and employers.”
In order to earn the certificate, students will complete two semesters of didactic, lab and clinical coursework, which will prepare them to nationally certify in all three disciplines. The certifications MAPE graduates earn also will act as stackable credentials for students who wish to pursue associate or bachelor degrees in healthcare.
Dr. Donnelli said medical assisting, phlebotomy and EKG technician all rank among Nevada’s in-demand occupations; however, acquiring the skills can be challenging for rural students since the lion’s share of programs are located in the Las Vegas area.
“Offering a MAPE program through GBC will allow students to continue to live and work in rural Nevada while increasing their skills and employability,” said Dr. Donnelli.
Dr. Donnelli said the Nevada OSIT funding will outfit the new MAPE lab at the GBC Elko campus as well as provide for upgrades like laminate flooring and additional cabinetry to simulate a clinical environment. The grant also will pay for GBC Health Sciences staff to develop the curriculum.
“We are thrilled to be in a position to tell students we are getting ready,” said Dr. Donnelli. “We know our graduates will be well prepared to help fill these important hospital and clinic vacancies throughout Nevada.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment to further discuss the new Great Basin College MAPE program, please call the GBC Health Science and Human Services Department at 775-327-2317.