Allied Health Programs

Our Allied Health Programs prepare you for immediate employment in a variety of healthcare fields and are designed to meet current industry demands while providing skills that will set you apart.

Yakima Valley College Allied Health Technology programs provide career and enrichment coursework and clinical experiences in order to build the knowledge, skills, and competencies for providing care for people of all ages in a variety of medical professions. Each program has different admission criteria, coursework, and degree options, ranging from introductory classes and certificates to associate of applied science degrees focused on a specific area of study. The majority of courses are offered in an online format. Clinical laboratory practice and clinical externship are required in some program courses.

Certificate and Degree Options

Community Health worker tends to a senior citizen.

Community Health Worker

Courses to complete the Community Health Worker Certificates are offered in a highly interactive, fully online environment.  The curriculum introduces concepts of patient navigation and care coordination and helps develop practical skills to provide these services.  These courses provide knowledge and skills to help frontline healthcare staff members to serve as bridges between patients and providers.  These courses also prepare students to work as Community Health Workers.

Community Health Worker

medical assisting student

Medical Assisting

Combining convenient online instruction, laboratory simulations, and supervised clinical practice, this degree prepares students for a career as Medical Assistants. Instruction includes core courses essential to health care professionals as well as specialty courses in medical assisting. Simulations, patient examination rooms, a laboratory, and a front office reception and business area allow for hands-on practice of essential psychomotor skills.

Medical Assisting

Instruction working with students

Medical Billing & Coding

Combining convenient online instruction and practical experience, this certificate prepares students for a career performing medical billing, coding, and administrative procedures. Instruction includes core courses essential to health care professionals and specialty courses to prepare students for entry-level positions as billing and coding specialists.

Medical Billing & Coding

Medical Interpretation students

Spanish/English Medical Interpreter

The Spanish/English Medical Interpreter program is a 10-credit short-term certificate, that prepares students to work as an interpreter in a health care setting. Designed for the bilingual student, this program provides an understanding of the role of a medical interpreter, teaches how to respond to a variety of interpreting situations, and gives students concrete skills to provide effective interpretation and cultural advocacy.

Medical Interpreter

YVC Pharmacy Students measure Pharmacy Drugs during a hands on excercise.

Pharmacy Technician

Combining convenient online instruction, laboratory simulations, and supervised clinical practice, this certificate prepares students for a career as Pharmacy Technician. Instruction includes core courses essential to health care professionals as well as specialty courses in pharmacy technology. A simulation of a pharmacy drug preparation area in the allied health laboratory allows for hands-on practice of essential psychomotor skills. Clinical practice in hospitals and retail pharmacies provides actual experiences to prepare students for entry-level positions in a variety of pharmacy settings.

Pharmacy Technician

YVC Student practices taking blood on a test device during class.

Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy is an exciting entry or advanced level position healthcare career that provides ample employment opportunities and excellent exposure to the many areas of the healthcare industry. Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. Some explain their work to patients and provide assistance when patients have adverse reactions after their blood is drawn. Our program takes two quarters to complete.  We hold the Lab instruction on both the Yakima and Grandview campuses. Beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year, the phlebotomy program will be offered as a Winter/Spring cohort. The program will accept the first 35 qualified students.

Phlebotomy

Surgical tools lay out on a table during surgery.

Sterile Processing Technician

Students in the Sterile Processing Technician (SPT) Program prepare for an exciting career as an integral member of the healthcare team in sterile processing or materials management departments of hospitals and surgery centers. Main duties include care and processing of all types of medical devices, surgical equipment and instrumentation, and patient care items. Graduates sit for the National Certified Registered Central Service Technician Examination. This is the only SPT program available to students in the Yakima Valley and takes only two quarters to complete.

Sterile Processing Technician

Group of surgical techs works with doctor during a surger.

Surgical Technology

Combining convenient online instruction, laboratory simulations, and supervised clinical practice, this degree prepares students for a career as a Surgical Technologist. Instruction includes core courses essential to health care professionals as well as specialty courses in Surgical Technology. Simulation of surgical suites allows for hands-on practice of essential psychomotor skills to become an integral part of the surgical team. Clinical practice in hospital operating rooms, surgery center operating rooms, surgical processing services, and labor and delivery centers.

Surgical Technology

 

More Information

YVC offers a unique approach to obtaining a variety of health professional certificates or degrees.

  • Our shorter-term certificate offerings range from 5 to 69 credits in length.
  • Our Associate of Applied Science Degree, we offer several options which range from 90 to 106 credits in length.

Our Allied Health Technology programs provide career and enrichment coursework and clinical experiences in order to build the knowledge, skills, and competencies for providing care for people of all ages in a variety of medical professions. Each program has different admission criteria, coursework, and degree options, ranging from introductory classes and certificates to associate of applied science degrees focused on a specific area of study. The majority of courses are offered in an online format. Clinical laboratory practice and clinical externship are required in some program courses.

YVC’s recently opened West Campus features expanded classrooms and labs for five of the college’s Allied Health programs: Medical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy, Sterile Processing Technician, and Surgical Technology. The new facility is designed to prepare students to excel as healthcare professionals by providing spaces that mimic real-life healthcare settings. Learn more about West Campus and the Allied Health Building.