Patients having a fracture surgically set or a biopsy undertaken at Albany Medical Center may be exposed to the work of Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School students.
That is because students in the Sterile Processing Technician program spend class time each week at Albany Medical Center, learning how the hospital sterilizes medical equipment for procedures, as well as actually preparing some equipment under the watchful eye of hospital staff.
During recent months, juniors and seniors in Nyisha Brown’s program have prepared surgical kits, freshly sterilized equipment and prepared surgery carts, among other actions in the bustling lab at the Albany Medical Center.
“I really like how interactive it is with everything they’re doing and how we get a feel for what it’s like in a real workforce,” said Chelsea Kemraj, a senior in the program from Cobleskill-Richmondville.
Fellow student Khawaja Ahmed Waqa agreed.
“I like that we get to experience how the medical field works and see how interesting it is,” said the junior from Shenendehowa.
Brown is a Registered Central Sterile Technician (CRCST) who is a 2018 graduate of the Capital Region BOCES Sterile Processing program.
She credits BOCES with giving her a “solid foundation to transition into the workforce” and added that the work-based learning opportunity her students are taking part in is giving them a solid foundation of experience and knowledge.
“There is no better education than working with people in the field and doing the work,” she said.
The two-year Sterile Processing Technician course is open to high school students in Albany, Schenectady and Schoharie counties where school districts send students to Capital Region BOCES. The program prepares students for careers on the front lines in the war against germs and is essential in keeping health care environments safe for patients.
“This is helping me with my future goals because it is setting me up for what I am going to be doing after high school. I want to one day be an anesthesiologist,” said Africa Dover, a junior in the program from Green Island.
Aspiring physician’s assistant Teagan Ewing was equally effusive with praise of the work-based learning experience at Albany Medical Center.
“Actually doing hands-on work—such as decontamination, prep and pack and the case cart—is helping me understand all the risks with making sure everything is clean, and sterilized properly,” the Schoharie junior said.