Columbia Career Center

4203 South Providence Road, Columbia, MO, 65203

(573) 214-3800

Columbia Area Career Center is a part of the Columbia Public School District and serves the community by providing CTE programs and courses to a variety of ages.

https://career-center.org/

Degree Programs Offered

  • Clinical Laboratory Services
  • Dental
  • Health Information Management
  • Nursing
  • Technical Instrumentation

Careers

Clinical Laboratory Services
Dental
Health Information Technology
Nursing
Technical Instrumentation

Blood Bank Technologists

Blood bank technicians collect, label and prepare blood, plasma and other components for transfusions. Blood bank technicians properly store blood draws and maintain documentation and records. Technicians work with patients, making them comfortable during the procedure and monitoring vital signs.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

10.93%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Cytogenetic Technologists

Cytogenetic technologists analyze the structure of chromosomes found in various biological specimens and their relationship to a variety of diseases.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

15.93%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Cytotechnologists

Cytotechnologists examine cells from other sites, including lymph nodes, bladder and lungs. Cytotechnology professionals often work with a pathologist to determine whether cells show signs of precancerous lesions, infections and other malignancies.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

15.93%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Histotechnologists and Histologic Technicians

Histotechnologists and histologic technicians prepare body tissues to be examined by a pathologists. To prepare tissues for analysis, histotechnologists might section and stain tissues, embed them in paraffin or plastic and prepare frozen sections received from the operating room.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

22.00%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Medical laboratory technicians, also known as clinical laboratory technicians, analyze tissue, cells and bodily fluids in order to carry out tasks such as diagnosing disease and measuring medical drug levels.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

10.42%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

Medical laboratory technologists prepare samples for analysis, monitoring testing procedures and analyzing results for infection or chemical composition.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

11.41%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Pathologists

Pathologists are physicians who diagnose presence and stage of diseases using laboratory techniques and patient specimens. They study the nature, cause, and development of diseases. They may also perform autopsies.

Salary

$100K

Job Growth

16.15%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Phlebotomists

A phlebotomist is a health care professional who is trained to draw blood from a patient in a safe and sanitary manner. Phlebotomists may draw blood samples for tests or collect blood donations.

Salary

$25—41K

Job Growth

14.69%

Education Required

Postsecondary non-degree or equivalent

Dental Assistants

Dental assistants assist the dentist and keep patient records. They also set up the patient and dental equipment. They assist the dentist in times of emergency and instruct patients in proper teeth cleaning, monitor supplies and inventory and may clean and polish hand-held dental instruments.

Salary

$25—41K

Job Growth

14.34%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Dental Hygienists

Dental hygienists clean teeth and remove stains and deposits from teeth. They look at teeth and gums for signs of disease. They educate patients on brushing and flossing, take and develop X-rays, and apply fluoride or sealants on teeth and help keep the dental equipment in good working order and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

14.29%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Dentists, General

Dentists care not only for teeth and gums, but also for the muscles and bones within or supporting the mouth. They do routine procedures such as filling cavities, cleaning teeth and repairing broken ones. They may also perform surgeries within or around the mouth to promote dental health, improve appearance and prevent disease.

Salary

$100K

Job Growth

15.05%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Oral surgeons, also referred to oral and maxillofacial surgeons, diagnose and treat diseases, injuries and defects in the mouth, jaws, neck, face and skull regions. Common treatments include the removal of impacted teeth, reconstructive surgery, lip reconstruction and insertion of dental implants.

Salary

$100K

Job Growth

19.00%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Prosthodontists

Prosthodontist specialize in crowns, bridges and dentures and other methods to replace missing teeth.  They construct oral prostheses to correct natural and acquired deformation of mouth and jaws to restore and maintain oral function, such as chewing and speaking, and to improve appearance.

Salary

$100K

Job Growth

19.80%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Health Information Managers

Health information managers handle patient records, a very important and confidential job. They play a part in the quality of a patient’s health care by organizing the medical data. They are also skilled in health care databases and database systems, as well as medical classification systems. HIMs have great knowledge of how financial information relates to clinical data, medical legal issues and security systems.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

18.36%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Medical Librarians

Medical librarians are information specialists who provide assistance in finding medical documents. Clinical trials, medical treatments or procedures, as well as other pertinent information that applies to the medical industry are common documents sought after by these librarians. Medical librarians are specialized in using databases and reference materials to conduct research for medical information. They can work in medical school libraries, corporations, non-profit organizations or government agencies. Medical librarians commonly have training in the sciences, health or medicine.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

2.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Medical Records Coders

Coders are administrative workers in the health care industry who review patient medical care files and assign codes to each procedure for insurance billing purposes. Coders may earn professional certification from an accredited medical coding organization.

Salary

$25—41K

Job Growth

11.51%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians

Medical records technicians and health information technicians compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system. They process, maintain, compile, and report patient information for health requirements and standards in a manner consistent with the health care industry’s numerical coding system.

Salary

$25—41K

Job Growth

11.51%

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Medical Transcriptionists

Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings that physicians and other health care professionals make and convert them into written reports. They may also review and edit medical documents created using speech recognition technology. Transcriptionists interpret medical terminology and abbreviations in preparing patients’ medical histories, discharge summaries, and other documents.

Salary

$25—40K

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Clinical Nurse Specialists

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) plan, direct and coordinate the daily patient care activities in a clinical practice. CNSs ensure adherence to clinical policies, protocols, regulations and standards.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

18.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Informatics Nurse Specialists

Informatics nurse specialists explore how technology, computers and research influence the practice of nursing.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

24.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Licensed Practical Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) provide care to sick, injured, recovering or disabled patients and may be supervised by a registered nurse. LPNs administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients’ charts. They also observe patients, note changes in a patients conditions and take basic vital signs like blood pressure and temperature . Providing care also may include dressing wounds, treating bedsores, sterilizing equipment and supplies.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

7.81%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Nurse Administrator/Nurse Executive

A nurse administrator creates work schedules, gives performance reviews and develops work policies. Other job duties include keeping up established ethical and legal standards for job performance, attending administrative personnel meetings and developing new employee training. Most of the work of a nurse administrator is done in an office and not on the care floor, so an administrator has little or no direct contact with patients. A nurse administrator may work in a hospital, nursing home, private doctor’s office, home health care organization or urgent care facility. Nurse executives are the top leaders responsible for leading overall nursing operations.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

20.00%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Nurse Anesthetists or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

Nurse anesthetists prepare and administer anesthesia, monitor patient’s vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. CRNAs may assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, physicians or dentists.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

7.44%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Nurse Midwives

Nurse midwives diagnose and coordinate all aspects of the birthing process. Midwives may work independently or as part of a health care team. Nurse midwives may provide preventive care to women.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

19.30%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioners diagnose and treat both sudden and long-term conditions. They may do physical exams, physical therapy or order tests and therapies for patients. NPs order, perform or interpret results of blood tests, EKGs and X-rays. They use these tools, along with patient symptoms and medical history to develop the right diagnosis.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

27.93%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Nursing Assistants

Nursing assistants provide basic care to patients under the direction of a nurse. Nursing assistants help patients eat and bathe. Nursing assistants may dress, groom or move patients. They give medications or treatments and answer patient calls, apply clean dressings or bandages under the direction of a nurse or physician.

Salary

$25K

Job Growth

9.60%

Education Required

Postsecondary non-degree or equivalent

Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary

Instructors teach about nursing in classrooms and clinical settings. Nursing instructors lead, develop and organize teaching programs. They keep informed about developments in the field of nursing and may collaborate with other faculty to address teaching and research issues.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

32.90%

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses

Psychiatric mental health nursing is a specialty within nursing. Psychiatric mental health registered nurses work with individuals, families, groups, and communities, assessing their mental health needs. The PMHN develops a nursing diagnosis and plan of care, implements the nursing process, and evaluates it for effectiveness.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

26.00%

Education Required

Master's Degree

Registered Nurses

Registered nurses (R.N.s) care for sick and injured patients. Registered nurses will assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Registered nurses monitor and record patients’ conditions and report any changes to physicians. They maintain detailed reports, record vital signs, and order, interpret and evaluate tests to identify and assess patients’ conditions and work closely with patients and their families.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

15.81%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

A cardiovascular technologist assists with the diagnosis and treatment of heart issues. They conduct tests on pulmonary or cardiovascular systems of patients for diagnostic purposes. They may conduct or assist in electrocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations, pulmonary functions, lung capacity, and similar tests.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

11.13%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Dosimetrists

Medical dosimetrists use training in anatomy, physics and radiobiology to calculate effective radiologic treatment doses for cancer patients, while minimizing side effects.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

19.00%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Electroencephalogram (EEG) or Neurodiagnostic Technologists

Electroencephalogram (EEG) technicians, also known as electroneurodiagnostic (END) or neurodiagnostic technicians, are individuals who use specialized machines to monitor the electrical activity of a patient’s brain in order to observe and diagnose irregularities such as strokes, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

26.00%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

Perfusionists

Perfusionists assemble, operate and monitor equipment that keeps oxygen-rich blood pumping through the circulatory system. When cardiac surgeons perform open-heart surgery, they rely on a perfusionist to operate machinery that continues to pump oxygenated blood through the patient.

Salary

$60—100K

Job Growth

19.00%

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree

Sterile Processing Technician

A sterile processing technician operates and maintains steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads and maintenance procedures performed. They clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization, record sterilizer test results, organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filing special requests as needed. They also examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts or other indications of disrepair.

Salary

$25—40K

Job Growth

12.75%

Education Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Surgical Technicians/Technologists

Surgical technologists assist surgeons, anesthesiologists, registered nurses (R.N.s) and other surgical personnel with surgical procedures. They help ensure patient and operating room safety, as well as the functionality and sanitation of surgical equipment.

Salary

$40—60K

Job Growth

12.18%

Education Required

Post secondary non-degree award or Associate's degree

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