The BOCES New Visions: Health Professions program gives high school seniors the opportunity to get a head start on college and their professional careers.
Many complete 24 credits through the College Connections program at SUNY Jamestown Community College. Some even earn a Healthcare Studies certificate from JCC before stepping foot on a college campus.
Students who graduate from the New Visions program at Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES centers in Olean and Belmont, are also instantly admitted to JCC.
New Visions alumnus Desirae Minns, for one, continued her education at JCC and graduated in just a year with an associate’s degree in Math & Science. Many New Visions students who attend JCC complete their degree work in three semesters or less.
New Visions “was worthwhile in the sense that it was very rigorous and definitely prepared me a lot for college and transferring to JCC,” said Minns, a 2021 Cuba-Rushford Central School graduate. “My first semester there seemed like a walk in the park.”
Minns is one of 16 New Visions students to earn the Healthcare Studies certificate from JCC since it began being offered in 2021, with more to come from 2022’s class of graduates, said college Registrar Tracy Kelly.
To receive the JCC certificate, New Visions graduates must only complete two courses beyond the eight College Connections courses they take as part of the New Visions program. Many complete the certificate requirements in high school, while others take the remaining classes over the summer.
Completion of the certificate can lead to entry level jobs in personal care aid, medical assistant, dental assistant, medical scribe, emergency medical technician, phlebotomist, and more. Jennifer Militello, who leads the New Visions program in Olean, said some students who earned the certificate have started jobs at Olean General Hospital while also going to college.
Before graduating high school and starting college, New Visions students are exposed to real-world medical experiences. Militello said students rotate through Olean General and Wellsville’s Jones Memorial Hospital, as well as doctor’s offices in the region.
They learn how to take vital signs; earn certifications in first aid, CPR, and AED; and complete overdose prevention and Stop the Bleed trainings.
“Students can gain over 100 clinical hours throughout the school year,” Militello said. “This program allows our students to get exposed to many medical fields and allows them to make an informed decision on what career path they want to follow before spending time and money on college.”
Makayla Whitesell, a 2020 Andover Central School graduate, said the New Visions program was “probably one of the best experiences of my life just because going into it I had no idea what I wanted to do.”
Whitesell graduated from JCC in May with an associate's degree in Health Information Technology. Her goal is to land a position as a medical coder at Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital.
“I figured since I took so many classes through JCC, I felt most comfortable going to JCC,” she said. “Price-wise they were the best. I felt like JCC had a strong program compared to the other colleges I looked at.”
JCC offers many future opportunities for students interested in healthcare as a career. The college has programs in occupational therapy assistant and nursing. Additionally, students wishing to pursue careers in pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, and medical technology, may start out in JCC’s Math & Sciences program.
Gabrielle Schulze earned her degree in nursing from JCC in May after graduating from Olean High School in 2020. Following in the footsteps of her mother and sister, both JCC nursing alumni, Schulze is working on the second floor at Olean General. She plans to start on a bachelor’s degree at Daemen College in the fall and perhaps pursue an advanced degree thereafter.
Of her New Visions experience, Schulze said: “We just didn’t follow around nurses. We followed around physical (therapists) and a bunch of different jobs. We got a good view of the medical field.”
Fifteen students are selected each year for each of the Olean and Belmont centers. Students apply for the program their junior year by submitting a resume, recommendations from two teachers, copies of transcripts, a guidance counselor evaluation, and an essay on why they want to participate in the program.
“We look for mature, motivated students who have good grades, good attendance and hold leadership positions in various organizations,” Militello said.
A year ahead of schedule and with an associate’s degree and certificate already in tow, Minns is now ready to pursue a bachelor’s in animal biology from SUNY Oswego.
“I want to work with animals but I’m still figuring out how I’m going to do that and how to get there,” she said. “JCC helped me decide that I definitely do want to pursue science and biology.”
Enrollment is open for the fall semester at JCC. Learn how you can get started at sunyjcc.edu/fall.