Southwestern Michigan College
Average Annual Cost
The average annual net price that a student who receives federal financial aid pays to cover expenses (e.g. tuition, living expenses, etc.) to attend the school's largest program. Net price is the program's cost of attendance minus any grants and scholarships received. For public schools, this is only the average cost for in-state students. Negative cost values indicate that the average grant/scholarship aid exceeded the cost of attendance.
Est. Student Population
Healthcare Programs
About Southwestern Michigan College
Southwestern Michigan College is a public community college in Dowagiac, Michigan.
Southwestern Michigan College offers the following healthcare-related courses:
Certified Nursing Assistant
In this program you'll learn how to provide basic care for a variety of clients, including those in long-term care facilities, hospitals, and client homes. CNAs help the clients perform activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, preparing meals, and other essential tasks. CNAs also take and record the client's blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, breathing pattern, and weight. CNAs often spend the most time with clients. which allows the client and the CNA to establish meaningful relationships.
Health Information Technology
The Health Information Technology degree at Southwestern Michigan College will teach you everything you need to know to become a RHIT. You will learn about medical terminology, basic diseases, medical coding, health information management, insurance claims processing, health care law, and quality assurance.
Health Services
In this program, you can complete the pre-requisite courses required by four-year schools for half the cost. You'll explore the study of the human body, including human development, anatomy, and physiology. You'll also gain foundational knowledge of the health care system, with courses in medical terminology and biomedical ethics.
Medical Assisting
In this program, you'll train to become a medical assistant in classrooms designed to simulate a real medical office. You'll learn how to perform clinical, diagnostic, and lab procedures and get an introduction to pharmacology, medical terminology, diseases, insurance claims processing, and office administration. All the while you'll gain practice performing job duties such as keeping patients' records and taking blood pressure (depending on the track chosen). Before graduating, you'll round-out your education and solidify your skills in an internship. You'll finish the program confident in your skills and ready to begin a steady career.
Recent news about Southwestern Michigan College
The new tuition-free scholarship program begins with the Fall 2025 semester and will apply to all Michigan high school graduates.
Southwestern Michigan College has joined Grand Valley State University’s Omni network, which will allow SMC to provide GVSU classes and degrees on campus at Southwestern Michigan College.
The grant totals $2 million and will be used to improve various aspects of the school’s Nursing program.
The annual Southwestern Michigan College Educational Talent Search Camp, which teams with Michigan State University, raised over $1,000 for charity from the products made by the business and marketing students taking part in the camp.
The Michigan Gateway Community Foundation has donated $10,000 to Southwestern Michigan College to help pay for their Charles O. Zollar athletic building project that was completed back in July.
The SMC Psychology Club and Psi Beta Honor Society facilitated a recent panel discussion on Zoom to discuss the impact of the pandemic on education and people's emotional well-being with experts from various fields.