During this month's Board of Education Meeting, we held a pinning ceremony for six Patient Care Technician students from Farmington High who completed the Dual Credit Medical Terminology class. The ceremony, presented by Ms. Terri McCartney, our Healthcare Pathway Teacher and HOSA and SkillsUSA Advisor, is a longstanding tradition symbolizing a student's transition from learner to professional caregiver.
We congratulate Arianna Escalante, Aneesa Salas, Mya Beck, Anaya Lee, Rashaad Toledo, and Micajah Vincent on completing the dual credit course through San Juan College, one of the most rigorous courses available to high school students.
All six students also passed their American Allied Health (AAH) Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT) exam and officially earned their certification. They are graduating from high school already holding a national healthcare credential, an accomplishment that reflects tremendous dedication, professionalism, perseverance, and academic rigor.
In New Mexico, PCTs can earn between $17 and $24 an hour, often with benefits and opportunities for advancement within healthcare systems. More importantly, this certification creates an entry point into healthcare careers that can lead students into nursing, respiratory therapy, radiology, surgical technology, emergency medicine, and many other advanced health professions.
This is more than career exploration. This is workforce preparation.
The program is projected to serve 30 students in the coming academic year.
We extend our gratitude to San Juan Regional Medical Center for their partnership and support in making this vision a reality and for providing our students with meaningful workforce opportunities. We also thank Ms. Alison Zarlingo, SJRMC's Workforce Development Program Director, for representing the medical center and for her presence and encouragement during the ceremony.