Healthcare Program Requirements and Disclaimers

Healthcare students have additional requirements to consider before they enroll in their courses. This page will help you understand basic job functions, the potential for exposure to disease, how to schedule a criminal background check, additional testing requirements and costs, and credit you may be eligible for from AP and CLEP® exams.

Exposure to Diseases

As a student in many healthcare programs, you may be exposed to things that spread disease through blood (blood-borne pathogens) and infectious diseases.

Once admitted into most healthcare programs, you will be required to complete a health packet.

Criminal History

You will have to do a clinical placement (e.g., in a hospital or other facility) as part of your program requirements in order to get hands-on experience. If you can't do your program's clinical requirements, you won't be able to complete your program.

Clinical agencies and healthcare systems usually require that you pass a background check before you can work there. So, most health programs require that you complete a criminal background check and drug screen to make sure that you will be able to do the clinical requirement.

If you have a felony conviction on your record, you might not meet the eligibility requirements to take state or national licensure/certification exams.

Under North Carolina law, if you have been charged or convicted for something in the past, you may be eligible for an expunction to remove those from your record. To find out if you are eligible to remove charges or convictions from your record to make sure you can complete a healthcare program before committing to it, contact Central Piedmont's Single Stop to schedule a legal consultation.

Explore the NC Justice Center’s guide to learn more about expunctions

Basic Job Requirements (Essential Functions)

Essential functions are basic job duties that you absolutely need to be able to do — with or without reasonable accommodations — to do the job.

Review the essential functions and Health Professions and Human Services brochure to find the healthcare program that is the right fit for you before applying:

Test of Academic Skills (TEAS)

Some healthcare programs require that you also take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). If required, your TEAS score affects your application consideration.

You will have to take the TEAS as part of your application decision for any of the following programs:

Additional Costs

In addition to regular tuition and fees, there are laboratory fees for courses with a lab/clinical component. Additional costs also include textbooks, workbooks, medical fees for a physical exam, drug screening, and immunizations.

Visit each healthcare program's webpage for information about any additional costs associated with that program.

Advanced Placement (AP) and College-Level Examination Program (CLEP®) Exam Equivalency Scale

You can get the following admission points for your AP and CLEP® exams.

Letter Grade CLEP® Score Range AP Score
A 70–80 5
B 60–69 4
C 50–59 3

ACA 122

All Healthcare Career AAS Degree Programs (except Dental Hygiene and Nursing) require you to take an ACA 122 class. It is highly recommended that this class is completed in your first semester.

What is ACA 122?

ACA 122 is a transition course that helps you be successful at Central Piedmont, as well as help you focus on what comes next after you leave Central Piedmont. Whether you decide to transfer to a four-year institution or go into the workforce, this class will benefit you. In this eight-week, one credit class that is customized for students in the Healthcare Career programs, you will learn about:

  • Defining your career goals
  • Determining the education needed to achieve your career goals
  • How Central Piedmont can help you along the way

Contact your advisor with any questions about this course or go to MyCollege to see current sections offered. Remember to look for sections specific to Healthcare Career students.

 

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