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School of Health Sciences Student Experiences

Melanie Lofgren

Melanie Lofgren

LVN in private home health care, Nursing student
“I would recommend this program in a New York minute. Medical assisting is a great occupation, whether you're looking to become proficient in this field or use it as a stepping stone to move on to other health care specialties.”
Medical Assisting
Marcus Jackson

Marcus Jackson Sr., RRT

Director of Respiratory Therapy Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
“My education has allowed me to support my family. If we were talking about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it would be one of the foundational experiences that have allowed me both to meet basic needs and to expand my passions in other areas of life such as ministry.”
Respiratory Care Program
Marcia Boyd

Marcia L. Boyd

CT Technologist, Preferred Imaging
“The instructors are top-notch. It says something when an employer asks where you went to school, and when Dallas College is the answer, there are no further questions!!”
Radiologic Sciences

Mathew Joseph

Certified Surgical Technologist Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
“I earned the certificate with good grades and was well prepared for the certified surgical technologist examination, which I passed in September 2008.”
Surgical Technologist
Vanessa H. Nguyen

Vanessa H. Nguyen, RRT

Respiratory Therapist Methodist Dallas Medical Center
“What do I love about my job? I love my co-workers, and I love my patients and their families. The surprising part about this job is how much I've learned about humanity, how kind people are. There are many wonderful people out there.”
Respiratory Care Program
Vera L. Jones

Verna L. Jones, M.S.W.

Executive Director Under 1 Roof
“The most important things I learned in Eastfield’s Social Work program was integrity and making sure that you have good follow-through as well as the importance of the social work code of ethics — you rely on these ethics as a social worker.”
Sociology
Marvis Bellagwa

Marvis Bellagwa, CNA, LVN

Licensed Vocational Nurse Golden Acres: The Dallas Home for Jewish Aged
“Coming into the program, I didn’t know what to expect. The best part is when you meet people you’ve never seen before, and everyone works together for a common goal. The instructors are so helpful and make you feel welcome.”
Nursing
Loni McElhinney

Loni McElhinney

Medical Laboratory Technician Medical Center of Plano Blood Bank
“Once I was accepted into the program, I found the instructors to be personable and knowledgeable, and they made me feel well prepared for my clinical rotations.”
Medical Laboratory Technology
LaToya Payton

LaToya Payton, B.S., RCIS, LMRT

Catheterization Lab Specialist Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital Program Coordinator and Faculty, Invasive Cardiovascular Technology, El Centro
“The best part of the program to me was the clinical rotations and all of the hands-on expertise that the preceptors shared with us at the hospitals. There’s just a wealth of information to learn in this career.”
Invasive Cardiovascular Technology
Lisa Price

Lisa Price, RN

Registered Nurse Baylor-Irving Hospital Progressive Care Unit
“My nursing education was excellent: tough, thorough and challenging. By the time I took my board exams, I felt completely confident and ready.”
Nursing
Ray Rucker

Ray Rucker, CST

Certified Surgical Technologist-Advanced Status, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Clements University Hospital Campus
“El Centro has a well-developed program and is easy to get to from any area of Dallas via DART train or bus. The program is very thorough, with step-by-step instructions and real-life situations to help with the understanding of the process that it takes to be prepared for your career.”
Surgical Technologist
Rani Varghese

Rani Varghese, RT(R) (MR) (ARRT)

Senior MRI Technologist UT-Southwestern Medical Center
“The best part of the Radiological Sciences program was the patient interaction. Being in a hospital setting was an entirely new experience for me.”
Radiologic Sciences
Virgilio Fernando

Virgilio Fernando

Surgical Technician USMD Hospital at Arlington
“The best part of the program was how qualified the instructors are. They’re actually operating room nurses, so they not only understand the theory of what you’re studying but also have a totally practical standpoint.”
Surgical Technologist
Ken Calabrese

Ken Calabrese

National Accounts Manager Cook Urological Inc. Bloomington, Ind.
“Having a degree, regardless of whether it’s in a veterinary or human profession, opens a lot of doors for people interested in the field of medicine. The program basics apply to a broad spectrum of different applications.”
Veterinary Technology
Kelly Freeman

Kelly Freeman

Dental Hygiene Student
“What's interesting to me in classes is the precision of radiology, and how you can change things in an X-ray that can affect the whole ballgame. The instruction is great: the books give you the info, and then when you're practicing on Dexter (the mannequin) you get hands-on experience of how things need to be done correctly.”
Dental Hygiene
Juan Garcia

Juan Carlos Garcia, CMA

Certified Medical Assistant Pediatric Pulmonary Specialists
“The best part of the Medical Assisting program at was the teachers. They are so knowledgeable about the subject because they have a lot of experience in the field. And they put you in situations in the classroom that are exactly what you’ll face at work. I picked this program because it is so well known, and it really helped my chance of getting a good job.”
Medical Assisting
Julian Martinez

Julian Martinez

Cardiac Sonography student, El Centro
“I would recommend this Health Professions Readiness program to any person looking to pursue a degree in the health field. These courses are going to not only give you the information you need to learn, but they will also give you hands-on experience that will help you really get a feel of how a health professions career will be.”
Cardiac Sonography
Julia Harryman

Julia Harryman, M.Ed., ARRT(R)(M)

Radiologic Sciences graduate
“I first started taking courses for the nursing program but realized quickly that nursing wasn’t for me. I still wanted something in the medical field, something hands-on and technical, and I realized that radiology seemed to fit exactly what I wanted to do.”
Radiologic Sciences

Jose (Josey) George, RCIS, LMRT

Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Baylor Garland Hospital
“My training and education at El Centro provided me with the knowledge and skills required to perform my job very well as an invasive cardiovascular specialist. The best part of my job is the satisfaction I gain at the end of each day, due to the fact that I’ve made a difference in my patients’ and their families’ lives by being a part of the lifesaving medical team.”
Invasive Cardiovascular Technology
Jonathan Mwathi

Jonathan Mwathi, MLT(ASCP)

Medical Laboratory Technologist Carter Blood Care Medical City Dallas
“I would recommend this program to all students looking to make a difference in our society. It was the basis of everything in my career, but the most important thing I learned was to gain confidence in myself to know I can do much better things in my life. College gave me a treasured opportunity to define my destiny.”
Medical Laboratory Technology
Assistant helping patient in hospital bed.

Have Questions?

We're here to help!

Contact us directly via email (AskSOHS@DallasCollege.edu).

You can also reach us by phone at 972-669-6400, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Please specify your program of interest.

No matter where these current or former students are in the process of reaching their goals, we salute them. They have dared to turn dreams into reality through education in the School of Health Sciences. Could you be next?

Updated August 19, 2025