Admissions Process
Health and Wellness programs have a limited number of spaces for admissions each year. Due to the limited spaces, admission to a health technology program is gained either by a first-qualified, first-admitted process (for most health programs) or by a competitive admissions process (for nursing programs).
Refer to the Admissions section for more information and admissions steps.
Criminal Background Checks and Drug Screens
In programs that require a clinical experience, a criminal background check and/or drug test is a requirement of the hospitals and/or health care facilities with whom the college has contracted to provide clinical training and experience to the college’s Health Technologies students. These hospitals and health care facilities, because of their accrediting body, JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations,) now requires all students and faculty assigned to their sites to have criminal background check and/or drug test. The facilities must be notified of any individuals who have a criminal record.
All students enrolled in a program with a clinical component are required to adhere to this policy. This requirement includes students enrolled in the following programs: Anesthesia Technology, Associate Degree Nursing, Clinical Trials Research Associate, Health Information Technology, Medical Assisting, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Pharmacy Technology, Practical Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, and Surgical Technology
More information about criminal background checks and drug screens.
English Language Requirement
All health care workers (native and non-native US English speakers alike) are expected to use clear communication skills in the workplace. Students whose native language is not US English are expected to demonstrate "near-native" US English language abilities. There are three options to choose from to confirm this ability if you have attended school in another country and/or English is not the primary language spoken at home.
All students should submit an English Language Requirement form, signed by the EFL coordinator, to Admissions and Enrollment Services to verify how the English language requirement has been met.
Read more information about how to meet the English language requirement.
Clinical Training Form
The Clinical Training form outlines the policy regarding acceptance into clinical training for the following programs: Anesthesia Technology, Associate Degree Nursing, Clinical Trials Research Associate, Health Information Technology, Medical Assisting, Medical Product Safety and Pharmacovigilence, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Pharmacy Technology, Practical Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, and Surgical Technology. The form must be signed and returned before the start of clinical training.
Exposure Control Information
Durham Tech is committed to the safety of college employees and students and the protection of of Durham Tech property.
College employees and students participating in the Health Technologies and related programs at Durham Tech may be involved in tasks that include direct contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues. These employees and students should have a thorough knowledge of the Durham Tech exposure control plan, as well as the exposure control plans at the clinical sites where they may work or perform clinical rotation. Appropriate protective measures must be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious disease.
The purpose of the Exposure Control Plan is to significantly reduce the risk of infection for employees with the potential to be exposed to blood or body fluids. The targeted diseases include Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This plan and noted procedures are in compliance with the Standards of the U.S. Department of Labor in 29 CFR 1910.1030 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), pertaining to employees who may be subject to occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens. View the plan, and other safety information.
In order to minimize the potential for the spread of infectious diseases amongst patients and clinical site personnel, Durham Tech students and employees are highly encouraged to be immunized against and/or tested for infectious diseases such as mumps, measles, rubella, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis. If you have any questions regarding your immunization status, a listing of recommended immunizations for health care workers, or program procedures regarding infection control, please consult your program faculty.
Please review the Student HazCom Right-to-Know and Fire Emergency Evacuation Training (PDF) annually.