Northeast Texas Community College recently hosted its first Health STAR (Student Training and Access to Resources) program. Over a three-day period, 35 area high school students with an interest in healthcare professions spent time at NTCC and Titus Regional Medical Center (pictured). Students had the opportunity to learn more about the educational†requirements†for various healthcare fields, shadow working†practitioners and participate in real-world scenarios using simulators. Schools represented included Chapel Hill High School,†Daingerfield High School,†Mount Vernon High School,†Pewitt High School,†Pittsburg High School†and†Rivercrest High School. The event was made possible through a partnership between NTCC Health Sciences, Titus Regional Medical Center (TRMC) and the East/Northeast Region of Texas AHEC (Area Health Education Center). This was the pilot event for the program, which Dr. Shannon Cox-Kelley, NTCC Dean of Health Sciences, called "a tremendous success." Plans are currently in place to host a second STAR event in spring 2016.†Other community partners and supporters included NTCC Health Sciences staff; Beverly Price and staff (TRMC); Morris County Judge Lynda Munkresl; school counselors Allison Duke (Chapel Hill), Cindy Yocum (Pittsburg), Lou Colvin (Mount Vernon), Ginger Foster (Rivercrest), Kathy Stringfellow (Pewitt), Shamerca Tillis (Daingerfield), Pittsburg High School Career and Technology Program Director Jean Carrel; Pittsburg ISD Superintendent†Judy Pollan; and Kerri Bowles of Region 8 ESC. To†learn more about healthcare training opportunities at NTCC, call†903-434-8124.
