Lake Superior College News Releases

(Duluth, Minn.) — For the second year in a row, the Lake Superior College (LSC) Surgical Technology program has earned a “Top 20″ designation from the Accreditation Review Committee on Surgical Technology. The honor is bestowed on programs with the highest student scores in the annual Program Assessment Examination (PAE). The results of the class of 2007 indicate that the LSC students are among the nation’s best-trained new surgical technologists.

The PAE is a 150-question test that is given to all program students as close as possible to graduation. It is intended to determine how well the program met the curriculum guidelines set by the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) and its Accreditation Review Committee on Surgical Technology.

The LSC Surgical Technology program was also on the “Top 20″ list in 2004. There are more than 400 AST member programs that participate in the PAE.

“It’s rewarding to know that LSC students compete favorably with other students from across the country,” said Candace Barnack, LSC’s vice president of academic affairs. “It validates our quality curriculum and instruction and is evidence that our students are ready to contribute to the health care system.”

LSC is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. With more than 4,300 students enrolled this fall semester, LSC is Northeastern Minnesota’s largest two-year college. LSC provides a wide range of programs and services, including liberal arts and science courses for transfer, technical programs intended to provide occupational skills, continuing education, and customized training for business and industry. LSC is also the leader in Internet-delivered courses and programs in Minnesota.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography, a new program through Lake Superior College, will be offered Fall Semester 2007.

“We’re pleased to now offer a comprehensive program in this vital field,” said Pam Elstad, Dean of LSC’s Allied Health and Nursing Division. “The work of ultrasound professionals in the medical field is critical for proper diagnosis and treatment of patients.”

The job market for ultrasound technicians is experiencing strong demand. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), five-year employment for ultrasound technicians in the state is projected to grow at approximately 25 percent.

Sonography, commonly called ultrasound, is a diagnostic medical procedure which uses high-frequency sound waves to produce dynamic visual images of the human body. The technology can be used to examine many parts of the body such as the abdomen, breasts, female reproductive system, prostrate, and heart and blood vessels.

LSC’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program will provide the student with educational experiences in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical facilities. Program graduates will be able to record, analyze, and integrate diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the medical ultrasound or other non-invasive diagnostic procedures for presentation to an interpreting physician. The ultrasound technician will also provide patient education related to medical ultrasound and other non-invasive diagnostic services.

Upon completion of the program and twelve months of full-time clinical ultrasound work experience, graduates will be eligible to take national registry exams in Ultrasound Physics, Abdominal Ultrasound, and Obstetrical and Gynecological Ultrasound following the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) prerequisite guidelines. Lake Superior College plans to seek accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs for this program. Students completing the program will receive an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. The program, including all required courses and clinical experience is 72 credits in length.

LSC is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. With more than 4,500 students enrolled this spring semester, LSC is Northeastern Minnesota’s largest two-year college. LSC provides a wide range of programs and services, including liberal arts and science courses for transfer, technical programs intended to provide occupational skills, continuing education, and customized training for business and industry. LSC is also the leader in Internet-delivered courses and programs in Minnesota.

Lake Superior College has been approved to offer a new Hemodialysis Patient Care Technician Program. The program will be available in two versions, a 16-credit theory-only certificate, and a 21-credit advanced certificate that includes theory and clinical experience.

The 16-credit certificate provides fundamental theoretical knowledge only. Students completing the certificate would still require on-the-job clinical training upon hire at a dialysis facility.

The 21-credit version includes a structured clinical internship experience at a dialysis facility, in addition to theory courses. It is anticipated that students completing the longer version of the program will require minimal additional training upon hire at a dialysis facility.

Hemodialysis, a treatment which requires the use of a dialysis machine, is routinely provided for people diagnosed with renal failure. It is critical life support for thousands of Americans. Currently, more than 300,000 people in the United States receive dialysis on an ongoing basis. In the five-state Upper Midwest region there are nearly 21,000 hemodialysis patients.

The college is accepting students for the 2007-08 academic year. All theory courses and the complete 16-credit program will be offered online.

“This new program addresses a critical need for dialysis technicians,” said Candace Barnack, Lake Superior College’s vice president of academic affairs. “Our research indicates that there are job openings across the state and nation.”

According to Pam Elstad, LSC’s dean of nursing and allied health, the theory courses can be completed in a single semester. “With a minimal investment in training, graduates of the program will be ready to enter jobs in a growing field,” Elstad reports.

According to school officials, there are nearly 5,000 dialysis clinics in the U.S., with 405 operating in the five-state upper-midwest region. Nearly all of these facilities hire hemodialysis technicians to provide direct care under the supervision of a registered nurse.

“Trained technicians are highly sought after, as there are only a few education programs in the nation and none in Minnesota. As a result, most employers are forced to provide on-the-job training for new technicians,” Elstad explains. “Our graduates will have the skills dialysis facilities need, making them very employable and reducing the need for expensive employer-provided training programs.”

LSC has elected to offer the program via the Internet, making the theory classes available throughout the state and nation. “While there are many jobs available across the country, they are widely dispersed geographically,” says Barnack. “That’s probably one reason training for this field isn’t widely available. By offering the courses online, we can serve a state-wide and regional training need.”

Components of the programs will be available fall term with the remainder of courses coming online January 2008. Potential students are encouraged to apply soon. Enrollment information is available by contacting LSC Student Services, (218) 733-7601, enroll@lsc.edu.

Lake Superior College is a leading provider of online college courses with more than 140 courses available via the Internet each semester. The college is also a center for nursing and allied health programs, offering the region’s widest selection of health care career training programs, including dental hygiene, massage therapist, medical assistant, medical lab technician, phlebotomy, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, respiratory care practitioner, surgical technician, and associate degree (RN) and licensed practical nursing.