Middlesex Community College

Nursing Students Test Mettle on Front Lines

Bedford » Standing in the heart of the Middlesex Community College campus center, dressed head- to- toe in PPE and sticking a cotton swab up a stranger’s nose, Micaela Rainha was in a state of pure bliss.  “We’re just lucky to be doing this really,” the 25- year- old nursing student said.  “I was honestly taking all sorts of pictures when I got here, because it is exciting.”

Following months of virtual coursework and limited opportunities to collaborate with her classmates, Rainha and three other MCC students were given the chance to test Bedford residents for the coronavirus on Tuesday as part of the town’s free testing program.

https://www.lowellsun.com/2021/02/09mcc-nursing-students-get-hands-on-experience-testing-bedford-residents-for-coronavirus/


MCC nursing students to help test Bedford residents for COVID-19

Nursing students at Middlesex Community College will be helping to test for COVID-19 as part of their clinical training as the Town of Bedford moves its ongoing free testing program for residents to the college’s Bedford campus.

In a partnership with the college, nursing students will help collect samples for testing as part of their clinical training on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Fire science students will also be volunteering in various roles, according to a press release.

For the full story:

https://www.lowellsun.com/2021/02/04/mcc-students-to-help-test-bedford-residents-for-covid-19/


Nursing Program joins MCC Commonwealth Honors

“I am excited to announce that MCC’s Nursing Program and Commonwealth Honors Program have partnered to add honors courses for nursing students,” Ercem said. “This unique and creative new partnership is the first of its kind and will provide an opportunity to nursing students to take honors-level Nursing classes and graduate as honors scholars.”

MCC alum Dany Karam graduated in 1999 and now works as the general manager at Advanced Dental Technologies in Stoneham, Massachusetts. 

“Now is a good time to become a dental technician,” Karam said. “Within the past decade, the industry has been moving in the direction of digital work.  Well educated and trained dental technicians continue to have the chance to do very well professionally and financially.” 

Having the opportunity to work in a hands-on field appealed to Karam.  The experiences he gained in the Middlesex program still translate well to his job.  He believes those who just receive on-the-job training “miss out on the important intricacies of the dental field in general.” 

“Having graduated from MCC, I can see the differences it makes and has made in my career,” he said.  “In this industry, it is easy to spot who went to school for this profession and who learned on the job.  I continue to apply theories and techniques I learned over two decades ago.” 

Dental lab techs work behind the scenes to fabricate prosthetic devices based on prescriptions from a dentist.  According to Apollon Bouzerdan, MCC’s program coordinator, the field is not widely known but, even in a struggling economy, offers excellent employment rates, entrepreneurship opportunities and earning potential. 

“Unlike other health professions, DLT is a career with minimal to no patient contact, which makes it ideal for those who want to lower their risks of being exposed to viruses, especially during a pandemic,” Bouzerdan said.  “Our graduates are in high demand by local and out-of-state dental laboratories and dental companies.”

MCC Dental Assisting program clears path into in-demand career

In a recent press release from Middlesex Community College, Dr. Geraldine Garcia-Rogers — or Dr. Gigi — of Sugarbug Dental Suite in Chelmsford, said now is a good time to pursue a career in dental assisting due to the national shortage and dental offices competing for availability.