Explore Degrees & Certificates

Explore the potential of the health care field

Learn about the careers in health care, gain necessary health technology literacy, and start the path to earning your credentials.
 
New flexible option starting this spring!

Start on the path to a high-paying, in-demand healthcare career on a flexible schedule that fits your life!  Complete this Health Studies Certificate in less than 1 year and enter the workforce or apply to a 2-year healthcare degree in Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, and many more.

New expanded class options include online, evening, and at OCC @ LiverpoolView a sample class schedule.
Apply now for a January start!

What You'll Learn

Being able to discuss and analyze the latest trends in the healthcare industry is critical to your success as a healthcare professional.

You'll learn how to track these, develop your medical vocabulary for documentation, and learn the necessary computer skills needed for medical information work. 

We'll help you develop the critical thinking you'll need for working with health care information. We'll also teach you how to communicate in the different formats used in health care delivery.

 

Where You'll Go

Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the National Association Health Unit Clerk Certification exam.

Immediately start your career as a health unit coordinator, medical receptionist, or a medical scribe or transfer your credits into a two-year program at OCC.

If you dream of being a nurse or a physical therapist assistant but need to work on your fundamental skills, this certificate will polish those up and get you ready for the next step.
 

Typical Salary

5 years after graduating

$43,000

Popular careers, growth potential, and regional demand for the past 12 months.
Career 10-year growth potential Regional Demand
Unit Clerks 0.3% High
Nursing Assistants 14% High
Medical Secretary* 32% High

Real Data from Central New York

  • Data reflect previous twelve-month period in the Syracuse Metropolitan Area and surrounding five-county Central New York region.
  • Salary gathered from SUNY Graduate Wages (data source: NYS Unemployment Insurance) unless otherwise indicated.  *Medical Secretary wages from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • Demand is determined by the number of job postings in the region over the past twelve months. 
  • Occupational growth potential gathered from Burning Glass.   

Transfer Paths

4-year School Bachelor's Degree
SUNY Polytechnic Institute Communication and Information Design
SUNY Oswego Broadcasting and Mass Communication, B.A.