Start your career in healthcare.

Whether you’re looking for ACC’s nursing programs, dental hygiene, phlebotomy, or other degrees or certificates, Austin Community College provides the training you need to enter the health sciences field.

We offer state-of-the-art training facilities, experienced faculty who practice and teach, and a hiring pipeline to local employers.

• Leading NCLEX (state nursing exam) pass rate
• RN to BSN in 12 months
• RN and LVN career re-entry options
• Simulation-based learning
• 100% license pass rate for many programs
• 100% job placement for many programs
• Hands-on clinical training

Get started with the General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences program.

Students start with the General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences Program track. This provides the prerequisite credits for any Health Sciences major at ACC or transfer to a four-year university. 

Your advisor will help you register for the right courses for your desired major and determine if any previous coursework meets these prerequisites. 

Note: Admission to ACC does not guarantee admission as a health science major, as these programs have additional requirements.

Choose your program.

Choose your plan and course of study from ACC’s Health Sciences Area of Study credit programs and continuing education options. 

Investigate degrees, certifications, and continuing education programs that will move you toward your career goals. 

You will find: program details, prerequisites, award plans, and program maps.

What Is the NCLEX?

Before graduate nurses can practice, they must pass the NCLEX licensure exam. What is the NCLEX? This exam tests nurses on their nursing practice acumen. It is thorough, intensive, and difficult. Whether students choose the RN or LVN career path, they first have to tackle the NCLEX.

Here’s what you need to know.

What Healthcare Career Is Right for Me?

Demand for healthcare professionals continues to grow. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with an aging population, the growth of healthcare IT, and a healthcare provider shortage, have all made the healthcare sector one of the largest sources of new jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Before deciding on a specific job, though, it’s important to ask: what healthcare career is right for me?

Learn More.

What Is an RN?

Registered nurses (RNs) are often called the backbone of the healthcare industry. They are responsible for almost all aspects of patient care, from giving medication and performing diagnostic tests to educating patients and their families on their illnesses and treatments.

Learn More

Apply to ACC.

Our application process is straightforward, but we have advisors to help. Once you’ve decided on a program, choose General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences as your major. An advisor will help you choose the program map that is best suited to your degree goal.

Apply Now

• Dental Hygiene

  • Keep Central Texas smiling by becoming a dental hygienist. Austin Community College’s Dental Hygiene Program trains in a state-of-the-art facility where you learn to identify, treat, prevent, and educate patients on oral diseases to improve their health. This program offers an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene degree that provides job-ready skills and real-world experience so you can find a position as a dental hygienist in a variety of settings.

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• Diagnostic Medical Imaging - Radiology

  • Studying radiology at Austin Community College can provide a window into life-saving diagnoses. You’ll use advanced equipment to develop extensive knowledge of patient care, anatomy and physiology, image production, radiation protection, and procedures. This program offers an associate degree with the opportunity for advanced certificates in cardiovascular intervention, magnetic resonance imaging, and cardiovascular interventional technology.

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• Emergency Medical Services Professions

  • Help the community on the scene in an emergency or on day-to-day basis in a non-medical emergency by training to become an emergency medical technician or paramedic. Austin Community College’s nationally accredited Emergency Medical Services Professions Program equips students with quick-response medical skills, human anatomy, patient care, and more.

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• General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences

  • Start your healthcare education with Austin Community College’s General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences Program. You’ll earn prerequisite credits and lay the groundwork necessary to pursue the Health Sciences major of your choice at ACC or a four-year university.

    Healthcare programs are competitive, and completing ACC’s General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences associate degree can help strengthen your academic resume. The degree transfers to the state’s four-year universities, and earning it will NOT adversely affect your financial aid eligibility.

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• Health Information Technology

  • Help keep healthcare professionals and patients organized and provide appropriate medical treatment by studying health information technology. You’ll learn to analyze medical records, assign codes, and process medical information required by insurance companies. This program offers an associate degree to prepare you to enter the workforce.

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• Medical Laboratory Technology

  • Help reach accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions with Austin Community College’s Medical Laboratory Technology Program. You’ll learn laboratory procedures, data analysis, report creation, and more. This program offers an associate degree, with the opportunity for advanced certification training in molecular diagnostics for those looking to skill up.

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• Nursing - All Programs

  • Become the advocate patients need through one of Austin Community College’s multiple pathways into nursing. You’ll learn life-changing, critical patient-care skills including patient counseling, IV placement, monitoring vital signs, and much more. 

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• Nursing - Professional Nursing

  • The professional nursing program at Austin Community College trains students to become an integral part of the health care community. Registered nurses provide health promotion, maintenance, and restoration for patients and their families. You’ll learn skills based on theory, practice, research, facts, and concepts of biological, social, physical and behavioral sciences. Upon completion, experienced faculty will have you ready to provide and coordinate care in a variety of settings, or transfer credits to a bachelor’s degree in nursing at ACC.

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• Nursing - RN-to-BSN Program

  • Registered nurses with a diploma or an associate degree in nursing (ADN) can earn an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Austin Community College in as little as 12 months. ACC's RN-to-BSN program is an affordable and high-quality program that helps you ad­vance your academic and professional journey. 

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• Nursing - Vocational Nursing

  • Learn to care for patients of all ages through Austin Community College’s nationally recognized vocational nursing program. Through classroom, lab, and clinical experiences, you’ll learn patient-care skills including patient counseling, IV placement, monitoring vital signs, and much more. This program offers flexible pathways including a certificate, stackable credits, and associate degree, to meet individual needs and backgrounds.

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• Occupational Therapy Assistant

  • Illness, injury, or other disabilities can prevent some individuals from engaging in daily activities. Through Austin Community College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, you’ll learn the practices, techniques, and equipment needed to help patients of all ages take part in educational, vocational, and leisure skills. Expert faculty and hands-on clinical experience will prepare you to complete an associate degree and take the national certification exam.

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• Pharmacy Technician

  • Become a critical part of healthcare and help patients recover and maintain their well-being by studying with the Pharmacy Technician Program at Austin Community College. You’ll learn to distribute safe and effective medication to patients through laboratory work, data entry, inventory management, and customer service.

    What Does a Pharmacy Tech Do?

    Pharmacy technicians must be highly accurate and detail oriented. Their responsibilities include:

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• Phlebotomy

  • Fast-track into the frontlines of a career in healthcare with Austin Community College’s Phlebotomy Technician Program. You’ll explore methods and practices to collect blood and other specimens. You will also learn the principles of lab testing. Students will be prepared to collect and transport blood for testing, transfusions, and research. The one-semester certificate prepares students to work in hospitals, clinics, or labs. Students can also stack this certificate into a health science program such as nursing or medical laboratory technology.

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• Physical Therapist Assistant

  • Help rehabilitate patients from injury or disease by studying to become a physical therapist assistant. Award-winning faculty in Austin Community College’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program train students to help improve mobility and relieve pain through exercises, manual techniques, research, and patient tracking. Students graduate from the associate degree program with the skills they need to pass the national licensing exam and land a fast-paced career.

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• Pre-Med

  • Begin your career in medicine at a fraction of the cost through Austin Community College's Pre-Med Program for future doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and other postgraduate medical fields. You'll establish a strong foundation completing the first two years of requirements needed for a bachelor’s degree from a four-year institution. Advisors and expert faculty will help you craft a base for nearly unlimited opportunities.

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• Sonography

  • Interested in seeing what is beneath the surface? Austin Community College’s Sonography Program provides two specialty tracks to provide crucial medical insights –– students must complete both the associate of applied science degree and an advanced technical certificate. You’ll leave with hands-on experience using high-frequency sound waves in ACC’s state-of-the-art ultrasound scanning lab to diagnose issues in organs, tissues, or blood flow.

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• Surgical Technology

  • From routine to life-saving medical procedures, Austin Community College’s Surgical Technology Program prepares you to assist in surgeries.

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• Veterinary Technology

  • Cuddles and scrubs are on the lesson plan for veterinary technology students treating animals big and small. Austin Community College’s Veterinary Technology Program gives students hands-on experience with dogs, cats, bunnies, cattle, and more. You’ll learn through training in surgeries, dental procedures, radiology, and treatment plans. Once completing an associate degree, you can specialize emergency and critical care, internal medicine, wildlife refuge, zoological medicine, or research.

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• Certified Nurse Aid
• Dental Assisting
• Health Information Technology
• Massage Therapy
• Medical Assistant
• Medical Billing-Certified Coding Specialist
• Medical Office Support
• Medication Aide Permit
• Nurse Re-Entry LVN Series
• Nurse Re-Entry RN Series
• Ophthalmic Assistant
• Phlebotomy Technician
• Veterinary Clinical Assistant Certificate