San Joaquin Valley College

Overview

San Joaquin Valley College is an accredited private junior college committed to the professional success of its students and graduates. Founded in 1977, SJVC has campuses located throughout California-including an Online division and offers 20 accelerated Certificate and Associate of Science degree programs in the business, medical and technical fields.

Students benefit from a balance of class-room instruction and real-world experience, learning the skills they need to go straight to work in today's competitive job market.

Why SJVC?

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Ask one of our graduates about their SJVC experience; they'll describe it as a life change - not just a step in their career development. SJVC offers:

Degree Programs with Hands-On Career Training

With a core of general education courses alongside specialized career training, SJVC enables graduates to receive their Associate of Science degree in addition to career specific certifications and licensure preparedness. Students get the classroom instruction and real-world experience they need to compete in today's job market.

Flexible, Accelerated Learning

SJVC courses are offered year-round, with flexible hours in morning, afternoon and evening classes to accommodate working students. Most courses of study can be completed in only 15 to 18 months.

Accreditation

San Joaquin Valley College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 10 Commercial Blvd., Suite 204, Novato, CA 94949, (415) 506-0234, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the US Department of Education.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to qualified students in the form of federal and state grants, loans, work-study, scholarships and institutional payment plans.

Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting - Associate of Science
Program Highlights

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SJVC's Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting (CAMA) program trains you in both administrative and clinical medical procedures for medical offices and specialty clinics. A Medical Assistant is a professional, multi-skilled member of the health care team who is dedicated to assisting in patient care.

Learn

• Insurance billing
• Appointment scheduling
• Patient information coding
• Injection Administration
• Electrocardiograms
• Venipuncture & skin puncture
• CPR & First Aid

Training includes a clinical externship which allows students to further their studies in a real-world medical environment.

Career Opportunities

A well-trained medical assistant is qualified to work in a variety of medical environments such as medical offices, clinics, hospitals, laboratories, medical supply and equipment sales or insurance billing companies. Some positions include:

• Medical assistant
• Medical records clerk
• Ward clerk
• Medical secretary
• Admissions Clerk

Certifications Earned

Graduates earn an Associate of Science degree and are eligible to sit for the Registered Medical Assistant exam (RMA).

Dental Assisting - Associate of Science or Diploma
Program Highlights

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SJVC's Dental Assisting program trains you in all aspects of working with a dentist, including patient care, office and laboratory duties. Our balance of hands-on experience with classroom instruction covers all aspects of dental assisting skills and related theory. Whether you use your dental assisting training for a career chairside or in an administrative capacity, you are well prepared at the program's completion.

Learn

• Dental anatomy
• Dental radiology
• Dental software
• Preventive dentistry
• Dental practice management
• Dental science
• Coronal polishing

Career Opportunities

Dental Assisting is an in-demand job with many work environment options available. As a dental assistant or dental office employee, you can expect to work in such areas as:

• Private dental offices
• Dental colleges
• Dental laboratories
• Private or government hospitals

Certification Earned

Graduates earn an Associate of Science degree and certifications in First Aid, coronal polish, radiology and CPR. Graduates are also eligible to take the State of California Board of Dental Examiners Examination for State Licensure as a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA).

Programmatic Accreditation

San Joaquin Valley College's Dental Assisting program is accredited by the State Board of Dental Examiners, Committee on Dental Auxiliaries and California Department of Consumer Affairs.

Emergency Services and Safety Management - Associate of Science
Program Highlights

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Program Highlights SJVC's Emergency Services and Safety Management program prepares you to work in many areas of safety and security, both public and private. If you enjoy variety in your work, can be trusted with confidential information, and are analytical, this is the career for you!

Learn

• Cal/OSHA compliance
• Illness & injury prevention
• CPR & First Aid
• Environmental management
• Public safety management

Career Opportunities

Well-trained emergency services and safety management personnel are always in demand, and can work in diverse roles:

• Community Service Officer
• Security/Safety Officer
• Campus Security
• Armed Alarm Response Agent
• Airport Security
• Transportation Security
• Loss Prevention Officer
• Health Care Security

Certifications Earned

Graduates from the ESSM program earn an Associate of Science Degree and are eligible for certifications in Healthcare Security and Safety basic; HAZMAT; HAZWOP; General Industry Safety & Health; Contractor Confined Spaces; International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS)-Healthcare Facility Security Officer; First Aid & CPR; PC 832 Laws of Arrest/Firearms; Chemical Agents; Bureau of Security & Investigative Services (BSIS) Guard Card, Firearms.

Admissions Requirements

Emergency Systems and Safety Management students must not currently be on probation for any offense nor have ever been convicted of a felony. Further, to receive firearm certification you must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident Alien, must not be prohibited from possessing a firearm under Federal or State laws and must have an approved handgun and holster.

Health Care Insurance Specialist - Associate of Science
Program Highlights M

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SJVC's Health Care Insurance Specialist program prepares you to process health claims, provide insurance coding, keep patient records and manage a medical office, using a variety of health care insurance principles and computer applications. Training includes specialized courses in the international classification of diseases, current procedural terminology and legal issues in health insurance.

Learn

• Medical office procedures
• Medical insurance principles
• Medical terminology
• ICD-9-CM & CPT coding

An externship program allows students to participate in real-world work experience under the direction of a medical office manager or director.

Career Opportunities

Well-trained health care insurance specialists are needed in a variety of health care, laboratory, insurance and billing service settings. You can expect to work in such positions as:

• Medical billing specialist
• Patient account representative
• Health claims examiner
• Insurance coder

Certifications Earned

Graduates earn an Associate of Science degree and are eligible to take the Certified Insurance Coder exam given by the American Academy of Procedural Coders.

Pharmacy Technology - Associate of Science
Program Highlights

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SJVC's Pharmacy Technology program prepares you to work under the direct supervision of a Registered Pharmacist as part of a team responsible for carrying out a doctor's pharmaceutical orders. Pharmacy Technicians assist in the various activities of compounding, distributing and dispensing of medications.

Learn

• Pharmacy law & ethics
• Pharmacology
• Computer data entry
• Pharmacy science & clinical applications
• Prescription processing

Training includes a balance of classroom and lab instruction, as well as an externship component, which allows you experiential learning in an actual clinical environment.

Career Opportunities

A well-trained pharmacy technician can expect to work in a highly respected, professional environment as an integral part of a health care team. Pharmacy technicians work in areas such as:

• Franchise pharmacies
• Home health care agencies
• Correctional facilities
• Hospitals
• Pharmaceutical outside sales

Certifications Earned

Graduates earn an Associate of Science degree and are qualified for licensure with the State of California to be registered as a Pharmacy Technician (PhT). Graduates are eligible to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board's examination to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), recognized nationally as an exceptional pharmacy technician candidate.

Respiratory Therapy - Associate of Science
Program Highlights

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SJVC's Respiratory Therapy program prepares you to be a member of an elite health care team that evaluates, treats and manages patients with respiratory illnesses and other cardiopulmonary disorders. In addition to performing respiratory care procedures, respiratory therapists are involved in clinical decision-making and patient education.

Learn

• Microbiology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology
• Computer applications, ethics and psychology
• Pathology, pharmacology and resuscitation
• Mechanical ventilation of adults, pediatrics, and newborns
• Hemodynamics, physical assessment and oxygen delivery
• Monitoring, radiography and airway management

Students receive over 900 hours of extensive clinical practice in hospitals and clinics to gain real world experience.

Career Opportunities

Well-trained respiratory therapists are in tremendous demand in such areas as acute care hospitals, durable medical equipment companies, sub-acute facilities, home care agencies, physicians' offices, or managed care organizations; as well as specialized areas, such as sleep labs and pulmonary function labs. Some position opportunities include:

• Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
• Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT)
• Neonatal-Pediatric Specialist (NPS)
• Clinical Educator/Clinical Specialist
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation/Asthma Specialist
• Biomedical/Research/Sales

Certifications Earned

Graduates earn an Associate of Science degree and are eligible for state licensure and national credentialing examinations, including Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

Surgical Technology - Associate of Science
Program Highlights

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Our Surgical Technology program prepares you to be an integral part of a medical team whose responsibility it is to exercise precise and harmonious procedures and practices in an operating room environment. Surgical technologists work closely with surgeons, anesthesiologists, registered nurses and other surgical personnel to deliver the highest level of patient care.

Learn

• Medical terminology
• Legal, moral & ethical aspects
• Surgical procedures
• Surgical techniques
• CPR & First Aid

Instruction also includes an extensive clinical rotation to give students hands-on experience in the surgical environment.

Career Opportunities

Well-trained Surgical Technologists are in high demand. You can expect to work in professional environments such as:

• Hospital operating rooms
• Physician's offices
• Surgery centers
• Emergency departments
• Dental surgery offices
• Delivery rooms

Certifications Earned

Graduates earn an Associate of Science degree and are eligible to take the National Certification exam for Surgical Technologists.

Programmatic Accreditation

San Joaquin Valley College's Surgical Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Therapeutic Massage - Associate of Science or Certificate
Program Highlights

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San Joaquin Valley College has developed an exciting new AS Degree program offering hands-on training and education for a rewarding career in Therapeutic Massage. Graduates are prepared to practice massage therapy in a variety of professional environments such as medical offices, private practices, spas and salons, or sports clinics. The program covers massage and bodywork therapy techniques, as well as massage therapy business practices and customer/client relations.

Learn:

• Swedish Massage Therapy & Advanced Techniques
• Deep Tissue & Neuromuscular Therapy
• Sports Massage
• Shiatsu
• Spa Therapies, Techniques & Modalities
• Spa Management
• Business & Practice Essentials
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Palpation & Myology
• Palpation & Kinesiology
• Clinical Pathology
• CPR & FIRST AID

You will gain real-world experience at an on-site clinic, working and learning under the supervision of a message therapy professional.

Career Opportunities

Because more people are finding out about the health benefits of therapeutic massage, the opportunities to work in the bodywork therapy industry are expanding. Massage therapists work in private practices or in the medical field with doctors, nurses, physical therapists, chiropractors and acupuncturists.

Graduates are prepared to practice message therapy in a variety of professional environments:

• Spas, Medical Spas & Salons
• Athletic & Sports Clubs
• Cruise Ships
• Vacation Resorts & Hotels
• Family Health Clinics & Centers
• Hospitals
• Nursing Homes

Things you might do on the job:

• Assess patient/client conditions
• Create and adjust massage therapy treatment plans
• Perform appropriate therapeutic treatments
• Provide client education

This is a good career choice if you…

• Are empathetic to others
• Enjoy working in close contact with others
• Enjoy variety in your work
• Are neat and well groomed with a pleasant personality
• Are responsible and dependable
• Can be accepting and non-judgmental of those you treat

Certifications Earned

Graduates earn a Certificate or Associate of Science Degree in Therapeutic Massage and are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for Massage and Bodywork Therapy (NCBTMB), an exam used in 33 states across the country for licensure.

Information

If you are interested in this school and would like to find out more, please Request Information from San Joaquin Valley College - Bakersfield.