April 12, 2002

ROCK HILL—With the help of about a dozen healthcare professionals, York Technical College will spend a day focusing its attention on its Medical Laboratory Technology program to ensure that it remains up to date and relevant.

On Wednesday, April 17, York Tech staff and a group of invited panelists, comprised of professionals in the field, will work through the requirements of being a medical lab technician and compare them—task by task—to the program’s current curriculum. The necessary changes can then be made to keep the curriculum practical and focused. The all-day process is called DACUM, short for Developing A CurriculUM.

The contribution of time and expertise by area healthcare organizations is critical to the process, said Louise Rhyne, York Tech’s Dean of Learning Resources, who will act as facilitator for the day. Laboratory representatives from Springs Memorial Hospital, Piedmont Medical Center, the American Red Cross, Chester County Hospital, Union Regional Medical Center and others will participate.

“Every few years, we examine our programs to ensure that we are preparing our graduates to perform all of the vital tasks to be successful in an entry-level position,” said Rhyne. All programs at the college undergo the same process from time to time to ensure they remain up to date and relevant, she said.

The press is invited to see how the process works. Wednesday’s DACUM will take place in room 108 of York Tech’s C-building. For more information, contact Louise Rhyne at (803) 327-8030.