Apply to a Healthcare Careers Program

• As a student in many healthcare programs, you may be exposed to things that spread disease through blood (blood-borne pathogens) and infectious diseases.
• Once admitted into most healthcare programs, you will be required to complete a health packet.

• You will have to do a clinical placement (e.g., in a hospital or other facility) as part of your program requirements in order to get hands-on experience.
• If you can't do your program's clinical requirements, you won't be able to complete your program.
• Clinical agencies and healthcare systems usually require that you pass a background check before you can work there.
• So, most health programs require that you complete a criminal background check and drug screen to make sure that you will be able to do the clinical requirement.
• If you have a felony conviction on your record, you might not meet the eligibility requirements to take state or national licensure/certification exams.
• Under North Carolina law, if you have been charged or convicted for something in the past, you may be eligible for an expunction to remove those from your record.
• To find out if you are eligible to remove charges or convictions from your record to make sure you can complete a healthcare program before committing to it, contact Central Piedmont's Single Stop to schedule a legal consultation.

Explore the NC Justice Center’s guide to learn more about expunctions.

Essential functions are basic job duties that you absolutely need to be able to do — with or without reasonable accommodations — to do the job.

Review the essential functions and Health Professions and Human Services brochure to find the healthcare program that is the right fit for you before applying:

• Cardiovascular technology essential functions (PDF)
• Cytotechnology essential functions (PDF)
• Dental assisting and dental hygiene essential functions (PDF)
• Medical assisting essential functions (PDF)
• Medical laboratory technology essential functions (PDF)
• Nursing and practical nursing essential functions (PDF)
• Occupational therapy assistant essential functions (PDF)
• Ophthalmic medical personnel essential functions (PDF)
• Pharmacy technology essential functions (PDF)
• Physical therapist assistant essential functions (PDF)
• Polysomnography essential functions (PDF)
• Respiratory therapy essential functions (PDF)
• Surgical technology essential functions (PDF)

Some healthcare programs require that you also take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). If required, your TEAS score affects your application consideration.

You will have to take the TEAS as part of your application decision for any of the following programs:

• Cardiovascular technology
• Dental hygiene
• Medical laboratory technology
• Nursing
• Occupational therapy assistant
• Physical therapist assistant
• Practical nursing
• Respiratory therapy

In addition to regular tuition and fees, there are laboratory fees for courses with a lab/clinical component. Additional costs also include textbooks, workbooks, medical fees for a physical exam, drug screening, and immunizations.

Additional healthcare program costs (PDF)

You can get the following admission points for your AP and CLEP exams.

All Healthcare Career AAS Degree Programs (except Dental Hygiene and Nursing) require you to take an ACA 122 class. It is highly recommended that this class is completed in your first semester.

What is ACA 122?

ACA 122 is a transition course that helps you be successful at Central Piedmont, as well as help you focus on what comes next after you leave Central Piedmont. Whether you decide to transfer to a four-year institution or go into the workforce, this class will benefit you. In this eight-week, one credit class that is customized for students in the Healthcare Career programs, you will learn about:

• Defining your career goals
• Determining the education needed to achieve your career goals
• How Central Piedmont can help you along the way

Contact your advisor with any questions about this course or go to My College to see current sections offered. Remember to look for sections specific to Healthcare Career students.

• Cardiovascular technology essential functions (PDF)
• Cardiovascular technology information session
• Cardiovascular technology pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Cardiovascular technology application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

We recommend that you apply to the college one to two semesters before the cardiovascular technology program application deadline. This will allow your transcripts to be transferred into the Central Piedmont system and meet with the counselors and take related general education courses.

The program selects 18 students each fall — 9 non-invasive and 9 invasive students. The selection is made from the applicant pool that year and is based on the TEAS exam results, with those scoring highest on the exam being ranked highest among applicants for that specialty track. The typical combined applicant pool is normally between 35 and 50 people annually.

• Cytotechnology essential functions (PDF)
• Cytotechnology program information session
• Cytotechnology pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Cytotechnology application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

The cytotechnology program is competitive, admitting six students and two alternates each year. Your application will be ranked based on your application scores. The program does not:

• offer advanced placement
• accept transfer credits
• allow completion of requirements through prior experiential learning

• Dental assisting and dental hygiene essential functions (PDF)
• Dental assisting program information session
• Dental assisting pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Dental assisting application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

We typically send notification letters four weeks after the application deadline. Please wait until this time and check your Central Piedmont email for an update before contacting the admissions specialist about your admissions decision.

Dental assisting

• Dental assisting and dental hygiene essential functions (PDF)
• Dental hygiene information session
• Dental hygiene pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Dental hygiene application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

The dental hygiene program gets a lot of applicants, so it is competitive. We accept applications between January 1 and February 7 of each year. After reviewing the applications and verifying the scores, the top 25–30 applicants are selected to begin the program the following summer semester.

• Health information technology pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Apply to Edgecombe Community College
• Once admitted into Edgecombe Community College, apply to Central Piedmont.

For the health information technology program, you have to enroll at both Edgecombe Community College and Central Piedmont.

Edgecombe admits students in the health information technology program twice a year: June 1 to start in the fall, and October 1 to start in the spring. Edgecombe Community College will determine if you need to take placement tests once they evaluate your official college transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, or official CPT scores from another college. If you are required to take placement tests, you can take them through the Central Piedmont testing center. However, you will need to request that an official copy of your placement test results be sent to Edgecombe Community College; your placement test requirement is not fulfilled until Edgecombe receives your official placement test documentation.

• Medical assisting essential functions (PDF)
• Medical assisting information session
• Medical assisting pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Medical assisting application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

You can apply for either fall or spring. Admission into the medical assisting diploma program is competitive. A maximum of 24 full-time (Fall and Spring) and 12 part-time (fall only) students are selected with five alternates. Applicants are ranked according to their score on the medical assisting program application. Admission is based on your points from attending a medical assisting information session or healthcare careers open house, past academic performance, and current BLS Level CPR and First Aid certification from American Heart Association.

You will be notified of your admissions decision within four to six weeks after you submit your medical assisting program application. If you are not accepted or decline acceptance and wish to reapply, you will be required to complete a new medical assisting application.

• Medical laboratory technology essential functions (PDF)
• Medical laboratory technology information session
• Medical laboratory technology pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Medical laboratory technology application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

The medical laboratory technology is competitive. Each year, we accept a maximum of 24 students. Students are ranked according to the score on their program application. If you are not accepted and you wish to reapply in the future, you need to complete a new program application.

Nurse aide suggested course sequence (PDF)

To apply for the nurse aid program:

1. Complete the application steps listed on this page.
2. Email the program assistant (listed on the nurse aide program page) for permission to register. Be sure to include your Central Piedmont student ID number in your email.

Central Piedmont offers the nurse aide program course during the spring, summer, and fall semesters.

As a condition of admission, you are required to verify that you are a U.S. citizen or an otherwise legally authorized resident of the United States.

If you have received permission in a previous semester, please be sure that you have the most current information packet and health record. You may request this from the program assistant listed on the nurse aide program page. The required forms (medical physical, immunizations, urine drug screening results, authorizations, and criminal background check request) are submitted on the first in-class meeting of the program. The forms are not part of the registration process. Candidates for the certified nurse aide NC competency evaluation are required to bring two forms of current, not expired, official signature-bearing identification (one of which must be photo-bearing) to the test site. One form of identification must be a U.S. government-issued social security card, signed and non-laminated. Name and social security number must match what is on the registration record (page 7, NNAAP Pearson Vue North Carolina Nurse Aide I Candidate Handbook).

• Nursing essential functions (PDF)
• Nursing information session
• Nursing pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Nursing application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

The nursing program application periods are:

• October–January 31 (entry for fall semester)
• April–August 31 (entry for spring semester)

We might revise the application packet in September and March of each year, so be sure you are using the latest application version. Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for admission unless there are unfilled admission slots.

The nursing associate degree program is competitive. Applicants are ranked according to ATI TEAS scores, required general education course grades, and earned degrees.

Admission decisions are sent to your Central Piedmont email address up to five weeks after the final application deadline. The nursing program is competitive. Each semester, the top 50 applicants are selected based on the highest scores for that admission period; there is no waitlist. Only students with top scores in the TEAS Reading, Math, and Total Academic Composite — including “Advanced” — will be considered for admission. Applicants who are not admitted are encouraged to reapply. It is important that you keep copies of your application and transcripts so you can resubmit them when you reapply — if you are not accepted for admission or decline your admission seat, your application will be shredded.

• Occupational therapy assistant essential functions (PDF)
• Occupational therapy assistant information session
• Occupational therapy assistant pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Occupational therapy assistant application (PDF)
• Lieu of observations form for occupational therapy assistant application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

There is only one occupational therapy assistant admission cycle per year, which starts each spring semester. Applications are accepted in the fall semester to begin the program in January. 

Applying to the occupational therapy assistant program requires you to document the completion of observational hours on the application. Due to COVID-19, you now have the option to complete review videos and answer questions regarding the occupational therapist assistant profession in lieu of observations. You must complete and submit the lieu of observations form (PDF) with your application in order for your application to be considered.

It is suggested that you contact local facilities that employ occupational therapists and/or occupational therapy assistants (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, or school systems) to set this up. You can find these numbers on the internet under occupational therapy or rehabilitation.

You can also look for specific settings such as Pediatric Occupational Therapy Clinics. Applicants to the program will need to complete observation experiences totaling at least 12 hours in at least 2 separate environments and with clients from different age groups or conditions.

These requests are made quite frequently and you will find most facilities accommodating. Be prepared to discuss your reason for the request and your availability. You are advised to call facilities rather than email them.

• Ophthalmic medical personnel essential functions (PDF)
• Ophthalmic medical personnel pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Ophthalmic medical personnel application (PDF)
• Ophthalmic medical personnel associate degree suggested course sequence (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

The ophthalmic medical personnel program is a limited enrollment program. Each year, a maximum of 20 students are selected, along with five alternates. Students are ranked according to their application score. If you are not accepted and want to reapply, you'll need to do a new program application.

You are required to attend an ophthalmic medical personnel program information session as part of the application process.

• Pharmacy technology essential functions (PDF)
• Pharmacy technology information session
• Pharmacy technology pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Pharmacy technology application (PDF)
  The Pharmacy Technician program application deadline has passed.  Please apply/reapply when the 2024 applications are available.
• Suggested course sequences

Pharmacy technology

• Physical therapist assistant essential functions (PDF)
• Physical therapist assistant information session
• Physical therapist assistant pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Physical therapist assistant application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

The physical therapist assistant program is competitive, accepting one class of 32 students once a year. All the students accepted into the program in any one year progress through the program together. Admissions decisions are based on the TEAS test, past academic experience in select courses, and work experience in a physical therapy department (if applicable). The courses are offered in a specific order so that each course can build on the information learned in the ones before it. If you need to leave the program before you complete it, you will have to apply for admission with a new group of students.

• Polysomnography essential functions (PDF)
• Polysomnography information session
• Polysomnography pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Polysomnography application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

Polysomnography

• Nursing and practical nursing essential functions (PDF)
• Practical nursing information session
• Practical nursing pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Practical nursing application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

Practical nursing

• Respiratory therapy essential functions (PDF)
• Respiratory therapy information session
• Respiratory therapy pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Respiratory therapy application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

Respiratory therapy

For speech language pathologist assistant, you have to enroll at both Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute and Central Piedmont. Visit the program page to learn about information sessions.

Caldwell Community College will determine if you need to take placement tests once they evaluate your official college transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, or official CPT scores from another college. If you are required to take placement tests, you can take them through the Central Piedmont testing center. However, you will need to request that an official copy of your placement test results be sent to Caldwell Community College; your placement test requirement is not fulfilled until Caldwell receives your official placement test documentation. Once you meet all admissions requirements, you will also undergo a minimum admissions requirements (MAR) review through Caldwell Community College. You can do this virtually. To schedule the minimum admissions requirements review, please contact the program coordinator at Caldwell Community College.

1. Review the speech language pathology assistant pre-admissions guide (PDF) for ways to enhance your application and to get started on general education courses.
2. Apply to Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute.
3. Once admitted into Caldwell Community College, apply to Central Piedmont.

• Surgical technology essential functions (PDF)
• Surgical technology information session
• Surgical technology pre-admission guide (PDF)
• Surgical technology application (PDF)
• Suggested course sequences

Surgical technology applications are accepted at any time. However, students are admitted to the program twice a year for the fall and spring semester (to begin in August or January). This program is very competitive. While we receive many qualified applicants every year, we only admit 16 students with six alternates each fall and spring. There is no waiting list. Entry is based on a ranking of admission tests. Those students with the highest points will be admitted to the program. Students not admitted must reapply. All applicants will receive a letter of notification indicating the status of their application. All admitted students must attend a mandatory orientation session in November for spring start and April for fall start.