From Classroom to Career: MHCC’s Impact on Local Healthcare

In the bustling hallways of Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC), the sound of nurses practicing vital skills, surgical technologists preparing for simulated surgeries, and students collaborating on patient care fills the air—a vivid reminder of the vital role the college plays in shaping the future of healthcare. Here, education is not confined to textbooks. It comes alive in clinical settings, hospital rooms, and operating theaters. MHCC is more than a training ground; it’s a launchpad for healthcare careers that address critical workforce shortages, meet the growing needs of the community, and transform the lives of its students. 

Nursing: Bridging the Gap Between Classroom Learning and Real-World Practice 

MHCC’s six-quarter nursing program builds progressively, giving students hands-on experience in a variety of clinical settings. The program begins with foundational classroom instruction and skill work, advances to community-based clinical rotations in terms two through five, and culminates in a practicum during the sixth term, where students work alongside professional nurses. 

This structure ensures that students graduate with exposure to long-term care, acute settings, and specialized units, equipping them to meet the diverse needs of the healthcare industry. 

Sabrina Williams, a clinical instructor with 30 years of nursing experience, emphasizes the importance of this preparation. “I decided to become a nurse when I saw my grandmother receiving care during my sophomore year of high school,” she recalls. “Now, after 16 years of teaching, I ensure our students are ready for the real world—confident, competent, and prepared for the challenges of healthcare.” 

Ana Munoz Romero, a clinical simulation nursing instructor, highlights the program's adaptability to current demands. “We’ve known for years that the aging population would increase the demand for nurses,” she says. “Our students are trained in specialties ranging from emergency care to labor and delivery, ready to meet advanced community needs.” 

Surgical Technology: Preparing Students for Critical Roles in the Operating Room 

While nursing is foundational to MHCC’s healthcare training, the surgical technology program addresses an equally vital need. Surgical technologists play crucial roles in operating rooms, supporting surgeons and ensuring procedures run smoothly. 

“The surgical tech students from MHCC are always prepared for their surgical cases and have done their homework,” says April Hansen, an RN educator in surgical services at Providence Portland Medical Center. “...They also know basic procedure sequences that they are going to encounter in each surgical case, which allows them to be ... ready if things go wrong.” 

The two-year program includes 720 hours of hospital-based training—24 hours a week for nine months. This hands-on experience enables students to transition quickly into living-wage careers. 

For students like Krey Easton, who shifted from a career in archaeology to surgical technology, MHCC provided a pathway to success. “I’d never heard of surgical tech before, but when I researched it, I knew it was the right path,” Easton says. “MHCC gave me the training I needed, and now I work at both Kaiser Permanente and Providence Portland.” 

Filling Community and Workforce Needs 

MHCC’s healthcare programs are about more than career development—they address critical workforce shortages while meeting the region’s growing and diverse healthcare needs. With an aging population and increased demand for healthcare professionals, MHCC plays a vital role in ensuring the community remains healthy and strong. 

“We are part of the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE), which is a partnership with several community colleges and entry-level OHSU campuses,” says Carri Claycomb, dean of nursing at MHCC. “Through OCNE, every school has a representative on the curriculum committee to ensure that nursing education is up-to-date with community needs. Faculty teaching in clinical settings bring insights from their local healthcare partners to inform curriculum changes, ensuring our graduates are ready to meet real-world challenges.” 

Strong employer partnerships with healthcare providers like OHSU, Providence, Legacy Health, and Kaiser Permanente also ensure MHCC’s curriculum aligns with industry demands. These collaborations allow employers to observe students during clinical training and provide feedback to enhance educational programs. 

“Our partners serve as advisors to our programs, helping us teach exactly what’s needed,” explains Daniel Wenger, dean of health professions at MHCC. “Many of our students are hired before they graduate, which speaks to the quality of education they receive.” 

Karen Rudy, a nurse manager at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center, shares how this collaboration has addressed staffing shortages. “During COVID, we were extremely short-staffed. Our team recommended several MHCC nursing students for hire, and now many of them are part of our team. We can always count on MHCC graduates to be prepared and eager to learn.” 

Michelle Norton, clinical nurse educator at Legacy Salmon Creek, highlights the impact of MHCC’s surgical technology program. “There’s a nationwide need for surgical technologists, and I’m grateful for MHCC’s program. We’ve hired six MHCC graduates in the past two years, and they’re doing amazing work.” 

Dr. Tina Redd, MHCC’s vice president of instruction, underscores the broader impact: “The healthcare jobs our graduates fill aren’t just good jobs—they’re living-wage careers that provide stability for families and improve access to care in our communities.” 

By fostering strong partnerships, emphasizing hands-on training, and adapting to the evolving needs of the healthcare industry, MHCC is not only addressing the challenges of today but also shaping the future of healthcare. Its graduates—whether nurses on the frontlines or surgical technologists in operating rooms—are making a lasting impact on patients, healthcare providers, and the broader community.