MCC’s Certificate Program Helps Student Land Job at LGH

Rachel Twerefour came to Middlesex Community College to start working in the healthcare industry as soon as she could. Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree from UMass Lowell, she chose MCC’s Community Education and Training’s (CET) Nurse Assistant certificate program to gain patient care experience before applying for medical school.

Based on recommendations from her UMass Lowell pre-medical advisors, Twerefour decided MCC’s program was the best fit for her. While the program best matched her schedule, she also found it to be the most affordable.

“MCC’s certificate programs allow individuals to take courses that will help their professional career in a very timely manner at an affordable cost,” she said. “MCC’s Nurse Assistant program prepared me for the future by teaching me the core values and skills that are needed to be the best healthcare professional I can be.”

The 100-hour certificate program includes 24 hours of weekend clinical training at a local long-term care facility and prepares students to work as a Nurse Assistant and sit for the Mass. nurse assistant certification exam.

At the Wingate facility in Haverhill, Twerefour took necessary safety precautions, such as getting tested and wearing masks, face shields and gloves when working with residents. She also made sure to wash her hands often.

Working with – and learning from – patients and professionals was a valuable experience, as well as having a balance between the theoretical knowledge she learned in courses with the hands-on experience she was gaining at Wingate. Calling her clinical experience “enlightening and extremely helpful,” she believes that performing techniques herself “helped solidify everything I had previously learned in the program.”

Twerefour credits her instructors April Champa and LeeAnn Harmer for their guidance, saying they “went above and beyond” to make sure students understood the content. With their support, she felt comfortable asking questions and gained confidence in her abilities as a Nurse Assistant.

Dedication from her instructors was of particular importance as Twerefour completed the program in the middle of the pandemic. Her classes were synchronous online live on Zoom. The effectiveness of the online formats and accessibility of the online resources impressed her.

“My experience at MCC was excellent,” she said. “The program coordinators did a wonderful job of providing updates about how the program would be during the pandemic and the instructors were so flexible and attentive during online learning and the practical experience.”

Having completed the certificate program, she can now work in the healthcare field while she pursues advanced degrees. After finishing the program in September 2020, Twerefour was hired by Lowell General Hospital as an Emergency Room Technician.

For students who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, Twerefour recommends they start with CET’s Nurse Assistant certificate program at Middlesex.

“The staff are extremely helpful and hard-working,” she said. “They do their best to help you truly succeed during and after the program.”

MCC’s CET programs provide academic, professional and personal enrichment for students of all ages and stages in their lives. For more information about the Nurse Assistant certificate program, as well as other programs and noncredit courses, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/careertraining/ or contact Sheila Morin at morins@middlesex.mass.edu or 781-280-3608.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!