Fast Path Nursing program at Owensboro Community and Technical College gives high school students a head start
OCTC announced a new program that will allow students to take prerequisite courses while still in high school with the goal of entering the nursing program directly after graduation.
High school students in the Owensboro region can now take advantage of an opportunity to begin their nursing program studies before starting college. The program is available through Owensboro Community and Technical College and will offer both general education and prerequisite nursing courses to high school students who have already selected nursing as their career path. The courses will provide a head start for participants on their way to an Associate in Applied Science in Nursing degree.
In an announcement from OCTC, President Scott Williams explains the advantage that students will get when they enroll, "This program is a great option for those motivated students who know what they want. This is the quickest and most cost-effective way to get them prepared, in the program, and ready to work. We are grateful that our school partners continue to allow us to innovate with more options that can meet the students where they are."
Qualified students will need to be approved by their high school to enter the program and hold a minimum 3.0 GPA. Director of the nursing program at OCTC, Dr. Lori Donahoo, spoke about the high school students the college hopes to reach with the Fast Path program, "Not everyone knows what they want to do after high school graduation or wants to pull double duty as a high school AND college student, that's why we have many options for students to select the one that best fits. For those students who know they want a nursing career this program is custom made to get you on the fastest path!"
OCTC did point out that the Fast Path program is just one way to enter the nursing program, and stressed that students can still gain acceptance to the nursing program after graduation if they don't qualify for Fast Path. Upon graduation from the Associate in Applied Science in Nursing program, students are qualified to apply for and take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.