Cayuga Community College starts health-sciences degree program

AUBURN — Cayuga Community College has started promoting a new associate degree in health sciences that will prepare students to transfer into bachelor’s programs in eight different career paths.

The college developed the degree, which was approved this summer by the New York State Education Department and the State University of New York (SUNY), along with SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse and New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls. It will allow students to transfer all 64 credits from their associate degrees to bachelor’s programs at those two partner schools.

Students can choose from concentrations in medical imaging and radiography, medical technology and medical biotechnology, radiation therapy, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, cardiovascular perfusion, chiropractic medicine, and nursing.

“These concentrations represent a range of jobs within the health-care industry,” Sue Gilmore, a science professor at Cayuga Community College who led development of the health-sciences degree program, said in a news release. “Some involve direct patient care, others have some interaction with patients, and some focus on bench work with little direct patient interaction. Students can choose the concentration that aligns with their personal interests and preferences.”

Students will be able to transfer to four-year institutions other than SUNY Upstate and the New York Chiropractic College. But Cayuga Community College does not guarantee all 64 associate-degree credits will count at other schools.

 The community college will probably develop internships as well as more courses and concentrations under the new program, according to Gilmore. This fall, 13 students enrolled in the program.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com