Meet Your Instructor: Kristin Stiller, BA, MHA, CCRP
Kristin is an instructor in the Foundations of Clinical Research program.  She teaches Good Clinical Practice; Ethical oversight; Scientific Integrity, Privacy and Overview of Study Design - Methods, Types, and Drug Development Process.

Mica Werner, MSM, is an Instructor at Portland Community College. She grew up in Ann Arbor, MI. After earning a BA in English from Michigan State University she took the next logical step and accepted a job as a medical assistant in a women’s health clinic.

With an extensive background in education, healthcare, and sales, Sheila Meserschmidt has been serving as the Director of the Institute for Health Professionals for 10 years. Her experience helps her to serve the department as it continues to grow to match the demand of the respective industries in Portland. Here she will share more about the upcoming programs, who can benefit from them, and more.

Although hospitals and other medical institutions are heavily associated with nurses and doctors, several other health professionals, such as sterile processing technicians, are critical for delivering quality healthcare to patients in a safe, efficient manner.

PCC's Integrated Community Dental Assisting program (ICDA) has been working hard to help fill the demand for dental assistants in our community. Success and satisfaction has been experienced by the first two cohorts of students, within their externship dental offices and sponsors. We're accepting applicants to our next cohort, beginning with an orientation in January. Keep reading to learn more! 

One of the draws of the healthcare industry as a field of study or practice is the diversity of professions, roles, and work it offers. While not everyone may be attracted to jobs as physicians or nurses, there are numerous other positions that are equally integral to offering quality healthcare services - like a Sterile Processing Technician, for example.

In the fast-paced world of healthcare, the importance of medical coders cannot be underestimated. This in-demand career allows healthcare offices and hospitals to run smoothly and provide patient care. Although not directly involved with patients as a coder, you will play a vital role in ensuring that doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals can continue to do their jobs well.

Earlier this year PCC employees Stacy Bone (Institute for Health Professionals) and Ginny Jorgensen (Integrated Community Dental Assisting Instructor) traveled to China with A-dec, a leading dental equipment manufacturer located in Newberg, Oregon. Bone said her goal was to help educate and encourage dentists to utilize the benefits of having a dental assistants working chair-side, a practice that isn’t yet common in China. Bone and Jorgensen connected with Chinese audiences and shared best practices during demonstrations for prospective dental assistants.

When it comes to natural medicine, Ayurveda is an ancient practice that has shown results over thousands of years. The primary goal of Ayurveda is to improve health through holistic approaches to healing. By taking an Ayurvedic training, it is possible to gain personalized benefits for your health. The first step of any training is to learn the basics. 

Patient access specialists are frontline healthcare workers who provide routine and essential services in all medical settings. These include medical offices, hospitals, clinics and other facilities.