Teacher Spotlight- Mrs. Border
What is the most significant new or different aspect to your program this year?
"The Anatomize table which is a virtual dissection table. Students can look a different body systems and body processes as if they were looking at a real human, but even in greater detail”.
What are some of the more common career pathways your students take when they leave CPACTC?
“Students typically go on to college or University after this program. Most students go for Nursing, Nurse Practitioner, Physician, Physician assistant, Pharmacist, Imaging, PT, OT”.
What training/unit do employers seek that helps students get their foot in the door?
“In this program students earn 11 college credits in one year. For the typical student who is moving on to Post secondary education these credits are helpful to set them far apart from other students”.
What are some of the recent technologies and/or trends in the profession with which students become familiar?
“AI is something that I think we are all learning about. There are some AI programs that you can use for diagnosis by symptoms”.
What unit/topic do students struggle with the most in your program? Why do you think that is?
“Anatomy and Physiology, because it is at a very high level, and it is fast paced. They take this at either HACC or Messiah University, and they are held to the same expectations as ant other college student”.
Explain a typical day in your program.
“There is no typical day. These students must travel between CPACTC, their college, and many shadowing sites including Harrisburg hospital, West Shore hospital, and Osteopathic hospital”.
What advice would you give students who have completed your program?
“Do all the things! You are capable of great things and will have an impact. Its ok to change careers, its ok to not do want you wanted to do when you are a senior in high school”.
How many years have you been at CPACTC?
“6 years”.
What was your experience before coming to CPACTC?
“I worked in healthcare since graduating high school. I have been a nurse for almost 20 years”.
Program Spotlight- Emerging Health Professionals Students (Grace Kunkle and Marissa Fulton)
Summarize what you learn in your program in ONE SENTENCE (if you can).
“I learn how to discipline myself and study to earn good grades as well as career skills”.
“In EHP we learn firsthand what different healthcare careers do when we shadow, get insight into careers through guest speakers, learn medical terminology and anatomy and physiology I and II at a college level, and practice the typical healthcare skills in preparation for NOCTI”.
What is the hardest part of your program?
“The best part of my program is being able to spend time with likeminded people who are there to support and encourage one another”.
“The hardest part of the program is time management. The Anatomy and Physiology portion of the program is by no means a breeze, so you must study a tremendous amount. Therefore, it can be hard to find time between shadowing and Med Term lecture and projects to study”.
What is the most fun part of your program?
“The most fun part of this program is shadowing”.
“To my surprise, I liked the dissections in Anatomy and Physiology the best. I also really enjoyed the Neurosurgeon guest speaker”.
What is some recent technology you are learning to use in your program that is specific to your profession?
“I am learning to use certain anatomy websites to help me learn and review material”.
“The Anatomage table is very new technology that our program has access to”.
What is your plan for after high school? BE SPECIFIC!
“I plan to attend Toccoa Falls College and majoring in nursing to hopefully become a pediatric nurse and/or a school nurse in the future”.
“I plan on attending HACC Harrisburg for basic radiology tech classes, then going to HACC Lancaster to specialize to become an MRI Tech”.
What is going to be the highlight of the year?
“I think the highlight is going to be going to HOSA SLC this spring”.
“If we can go to surgery live, I think that would be the highlight of the year. And of course, going to SLC will be as fun as always”.
What are you proud of learning how to do in your program?
“I am proud of learning how to not give up and keep pushing even when it is challenging”.
“I am proud to learn how to study to get an A on the tests in Anatomy and Physiology. I feel much more prepared for college in the future knowing how to study for difficult college classes”.
Explain a typical day in the shop.
“On Fridays, we come in to study a little bit, then either have a MedTerm lecture or a MedTerm quiz and then work on projects of study”.
“EHP’s schedule is nothing but typical. On Mondays we go to HACC for Anatomy and Physiology and take a test, a pretest, and then have a lecture. On Tuesdays we are either shadowing or studying at Vo-Tech. On Wednesdays we go to HACC for Anatomy and Physiology and finish up lecture, do a lab, will possibly have a lab test, and will get assigned a discussion post and case study for homework. On Thursdays we are either showing or at Vo-Tech studying. On Fridays we either have Med Term lecture, taking a Med Term test, have a HOSA meeting, studying, presenting a project, or practicing NOCTI skills”.
How is your program at CPACTC different from other classes you have had in the past? Can you give some examples?
“It is different because I have instructors that care about me and show me that they care. All the other courses I have taken throughout high school have mattered, but the ones I am taking this year are beneficial toward my future in the medical field”.
“This is the only class that’s given me the opportunity to shadow so many different healthcare careers. In this class we are taking multiple different college classes; Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, and Medical Terminology. We’ve had more guest speakers than I have had in other classes, which have given meaningful insight into their career fields”.
What advice would you give to a beginning Level 1 student who is just starting the program or to a student who is considering enrolling in your program at CPACTC?
“Do it, you will not regret it. You will learn very valuable lessons and skills that will only benefit you and make some very meaningful friendships. Do not hesitate! It is so worth it”.
“Whenever you think you studied enough, study some more. Also, use your class time wisely — if you’re given time to study in class, study! Don’t be afraid to ask questions — if you don’t understand the material, you won’t get a good grade”.