Robert Morris College, in association with The University of Chicago Hospitals and Northwestern Memorial Hospital has added a new program, the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Surgical Technology. At the request of these hospitals, Robert Morris College developed the program to prepare students for professional careers as Surgical Technologists. Both hospitals expressed their need for more certified surgical technologists to staff the growing number of operating rooms. The program is the only Surgical Technology program in the Chicago area and in Illinois that is offered by a private institution and leads to an associate degree. The Illinois Board of Higher Education has approved the program and classes are expected to start at the RMC Chicago campus in February, 2005.

Certified Surgical Technologists work primarily in operating rooms under the supervision of nurses, surgeons or other surgical personnel, preparing the set up of instruments, equipment and draping for surgical procedures. They prepare and transport patients, observe vital signs, and provide general assistance to surgeons during operations.

The curriculum of the Surgical Technology Program at RMC has been designed to meet the standards and guidelines for an accredited program through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). "It is a rigorous program," said Dr. Deborah Dahlen Zelechowski, vice president for Institutional Advancement at RMC. "Each student will undertake 750 hours of on-site clinical surgical rotation that will prepare students for the demands of today’s high-tech operating rooms. This represents a major commitment of two days a week from the hospitals involved, a key element in creating the program." Additional sites include the University of Illinois at Chicago Hospital, Rush University Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital and Children’s Memorial Hospitals. "Each hospital is represented on the program’s Advisory Board," she said. "Their input has been invaluable, providing the parameters and perspectives to develop a curriculum that would fit the evolving needs of the modern operating room."

The program has been designed to meet or exceed all accreditation requirements. In addition to the College’s general studies requirements, students will take coursework that includes anatomy, physiology, microbiology and developmental psychology. Advanced professional courses will cover fundamentals of pharmacology, patient care, surgical instrumentation and procedures.

The demand for Surgical Technologists is expected to grow over the next several years. According the to Bureau of Labor Statistics for the US Department of Labor, the median annual earnings for surgical technologists in 2002 were $31,210. Opportunities for advancement occur when technologists learn to specialize, for example, becoming part of a surgical team for heart transplants. Additionally, students enrolled at Robert Morris College in the Surgical Technology Program may continue their education toward a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree with a concentration in Health Care Management.

Advances in medical technology have created a greater demand for surgical procedures. "With baby boomers getting older, the need for such medical care has increased. Hospitals are adding more operating rooms and we need to staff them appropriately," said Dr. Janet Davis, dean of the School of Health Studies. She is pleased that RMC is adding another course of study for students interested in the medical field. "Enrollment at RMC in the Medical Assisting and Fitness Specialist programs has dramatically increased over the last few years," she said. "Having viable employment opportunities is essential for students to stay interested and graduate. To provide externships and successful placement for our students, we maintain professional relationships with doctors’ offices, medical centers, health centers and health care facilities throughout the state of Illinois. We’re excited to be able to provide another option in health care for both students and employers."

Do you want to have a secure future and help others? A career in the health professions will provide not only a secure job but also a rich life because you will be improving the quality of living across the lifespan for your community. This working environment provides you much more than a job.

The nursing shortage is very evident. There is much in the media revealing this fact and encouraging individuals to pursue a career in nursing. The well-documented projected shortfall of over 800,000 nurses by the year 2020 has brought attention and real concern to the void of care that too few health professionals will create. This void in the nursing profession is dramatic but pales in comparison to similarly driven shortfalls in other health professional groups. We have a looming crisis in the allied health professions.

NIU College of Health and Human Sciences faculty member demonstrates the use of a knee height caliper to measure height in order to calculate body mass index.

There are over 200 allied health professions that together represent another core of the health care workforce that not only runs the machines of our high-tech health care system but also provides much of the face-to-face care and specialized services that make the health system work. These health professionals range from entry-level positions, which require short training periods and relatively modest wage rates, to some doctorally prepared professionals who can generate substantial private practice incomes. Examples of these professions are the clinical laboratory scientist who works behind the scenes in patient laboratory testing that assists in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The cytotechnologist prepares and screens the specimen preparation for cancerous cells. The physical therapist works with patients of all ages to maintain mobility and assist patients through rehabilitation events after accidents, strokes, etc. The speech language pathologists and audiologists also work with individuals of all ages to identify speech and hearing problems and develop plans of treatment to improve their productivity and quality of life.

There is a growing shortage of workers in most of these 200 allied health areas. This shortage of workers in these critical areas represents much if not most of the employment opportunity for entry-level workers over the next few years. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics listing in 2004, of the 30 fastest growing occupations in the entire labor market, about half are jobs in the allied health fields. As the population ages and demands more care, while more allied health workers retire, the level of the opportunity will rise, as will salaries.

Forensics stands at the intersection of law, technology, medicine, and science, and its impact on those fields is both intellectually stimulating and personally satisfying for students. But it is the element of a dramatic who-done-it that gives forensics, whether in real life or in the classroom, that rush of pure adrenaline.

The Forensic Certificate program is in its 5th year at Northwestern University’s School of Continuing Studies. The program provides an overview of forensic medicine, law, science and ethics. The classes cover the principal activities and procedures that occur in the courtroom, the forensics science laboratory, and the medical examiner's facility.

In the field of medicine, forensic nurses now make up one of the fastest-growing specialties in nursing care. Their hands-on skills can help enhance law enforcement’s ability to solve crimes, particularly in cases of abuse and sexual assault. Nurses may treat and interview victims and offenders, gather and preserve physical evidence, file police reports, and testify in court. Evidence is not only on a human but in a medical record, and nurses can help detectives and attorneys interpret a person’s physical condition.

Aided by the success of television dramas like CSI, the field is gaining new significance and recognition in hospitals, police precincts, and courtrooms around the country. Though real forensics is not as easy – or as swift – as it appears in the CSI lab, students are finding it to be as rewarding. Whether they are looking at bodies or at fabrics, they have become dogged investigators and meticulous evidence collectors.

Jack Clegg, Assistant Dean of Special Programs at the School of Continuing Studies, notes that with high profile national and local cases "the investigation of heinous crimes has captured the imagination of the public. With this program, we begin to provide the student with the tools to translate this interest into a potential new career." Students in Northwestern’s Forensic program benefit from wide exposure to industry experts. With guest speakers complementing regular instructors, students have the unique opportunity to interact with up to 15 professionals throughout their coursework.

The Forensic certificate is earned by taking one class per quarter for three 10-week quarters; all courses are offered in the evening. Upon successful completion of all three courses students earn a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies. Students usually move through the program as a cohort; however, classes also may be taken individually and out of sequence.