A new partnership between Palm Beach Community College and Indian River Community College allows for an exchange of programs across the two districts, avoiding duplication of efforts while also filling a need in the community. The programs involved are PBCCs Sonography and IRCCs Nuclear Medicine Technology.
PBCCs Sonography program director, Patty Moriano-Braga sees great benefits from this partnership. “Its a win-win situation for everyone involved. We are able to provide a much needed service to the students in the area where they live; and we will be providing the community with potential employees that are already connected to the community. By sharing programs across district lines each college can use their resources to better provide for one program instead of spreading them out over two,” said Braga. Classes will be simulcast to the remote campus, allowing the students the convenience of attending class on the campus nearest them while also benefiting from “live” interaction with the instructor and their fellow students via distance learning technology. “I can further my career without having to travel 50 or 60 miles to class. Thats important for me as a working mom. I dont think I could have done this without the partnership,” said Glenda Bingold, a IRCC nuclear medicine technology student who attends her classes on PBCCs campus. “Everything is completely interactive. There are two huge screens in the classroom. One lets us see and interact with the students at IRCC and the other is for the instructor to put up his visual aids.” When Bingold completes the course she will be looking for a job in Palm Beach County, where she says she is determined to stay. Regardless of which campus they use, those studying sonography will be PBCC students and those studying nuclear medicine technology will be enrolled at IRCC. They will graduate from the programs with either a certificate or associate of science degree from that institution. Students will complete their clinical patient care experience requirements in the community where they attend classes. The expansion allows for more clinical sites, which increases the number of students who can attend each semester.
