Public Health Technology/Navigator

The Public Health Technology/Navigator Concentration program offered at MGCCC is composed of 61 stackable credit hours that lead to an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. Individuals interested in a specialized area of the public health technology healthcare field are able to focus their studies in one of three concentrations:

• Public Health Technology/Navigator
• Dietary/Nutritional Navigator
• Personal/Family Services Navigator

Each concentration provides a closer look at three important areas of the Navigator program. By choosing a concentration, the learner will engage in targeted studies and coursework including an education on the broader and essential underlying principles of the Navigator role. Providing three (3) unique concentrations also enables the learner to gain experience in one or more areas that closely relate to the desired career choice.  As a stackable credential program, the learner has the option of earning one or all of the following credentials:

• Career Certificate – 30 credit hours
• Diploma – 45 credit hours
• Associate of Applied Science Degree – 61 credit hours

 

(Jefferson Davis Campus)

Fall Entry

The Public Health Technology/Navigator program at MGCCC offers three distinct concentrations in the area of Public Health, Nutrition, and Community. Each area of concentration enhances added skillsets in patient care and patient-care services.  Health Navigator, a term that has gained considerable attention since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, is used across the country in healthcare and academia to describe healthcare jobs and academic degree and certificate programs meeting several health care related job descriptions. The term has been used in the 2014 document Community Colleges and Public Health Report funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Health related Navigators work in a variety of settings, including but not limited to: community, hospitals, PCMH (patient-centered medical home), primary care facilities and other third-party entities. With employment opportunities and salaries growing across the nation, there is a need for trained patient navigators to assist a growing population to navigate an ever-changing health care environment.

The Public Health Technology/Navigator program begins each Fall semester, and supplemental applications are due between May 15th and July 1st.  If deadline falls on a weekend, holiday, or college closing, the deadline is 5:00 p.m. on the next college business day.

If you have questions about the application process, contact an Enrollment Specialist.

Apply for Public Health Technology/Navigator

Admission Procedure

1. Apply and become accepted to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. You can apply to MGCCC online.
2. Submit copies of official transcripts of all schools attended to the Office of Admissions. All transcripts must be reviewed by the Office of Admission for determination of course credits.
3. Meet all Academic Requirements (listed below) and complete any program pre-requisites or Entry Requirements.
4. Register for and successfully complete Core Courses/Prerequisites (maintaining a 2.0 GPA)

Academic and Entry Requirements

Examinations

• Achieve a minimum Composite ACT Score of 18 - ACT scores below 17 may be considered for admission after completion of A&P I (including lab) with a grade of “C” or greater prior to admission.

Prerequisites

• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on college work - (High school GPA will be reviewed if student has no previous college course work.)
• Hold a current American Heart Association CPR for Healthcare Providers Certification
• Get a Criminal Background Check - All students in a Health Science program at MGCCC must obtain a clear or acceptable Criminal Background Check from an MGCCC Campus Police Department at JD, JC, GC, or Perkinston Campus. For testing times, dates, and more information on this policy, download the Health Sciences Division Criminal Background Check Policy and Information Sheet . This policy is in compliance with Mississippi law requiring a Criminal Background History Check with Fingerprinting through the Mississippi Department of Health.
• Review the online mandatory Pre-Health Sciences Orientation Session prior to completing the supplemental application for program ranking. The session can be viewed anytime and anywhere you have access to the internet. The PowerPoint presentation gives you valuable information on topics common to all health science programs at MGCCC. Even without the ability to speak directly or interact immediately with a health sciences advisor, the session speaks to frequently asked questions from program entrance to completion. In order to receive credit for viewing the session, follow the steps below. The information is approximately one (1) hour in length. To complete this requirement do the following:

1. Visit MGCCC Web Services
2. Enter the GCID (M#) and Password
3. Select Student
4. Select Health Sciences Division Supplemental Application Orientation Session.
5. In order to receive credit, you must review the entire session.
6. Click survey complete so that your log-in information will be recorded in the college’s BANNER system.

Co-Requisites

To obtain the Associate of Applied Science Degree, the following courses must be successfully completed prior to completion of the sophomore year:

• ENG 1113 – English Composition I                                          
• SPT 1113 – Public Speaking                                                     
• *BIO 1514 – Principles of Anatomy & Physiology I & Lab        
• EPY 2533 – Human Growth & Development
• ENG 1123 – English Composition II                 

PHT/Navigator Supplemental Application

Fall Semester Application Submission Deadline:  By July 1 complete and submit the online Supplemental Application. As a new program, the application submission deadline date will be extended up until the first day of class – August 20, 2019,

To complete and submit the online Supplemental Application:

1. Visit MGCCC Web Services
2. Enter the GCID (M#) and Password
3. Select Student
4. Select Health Sciences Division Supplemental Application.

Thereafter, the applicant MUST read the guidelines carefully. In order to complete and submit the application, college admission and ALL pre-requisite requirements are required.

Selection Process

Program openings are filled based on Selective Admission; applicants are ranked based on their individual achievement test scores and prior college course work. Student ranking for entry into the PHT/Navigator program is based on a point system. Students are awarded points for the required ACT, the AAS general education course grades, and the cumulative GPA.

Program enrollment is a floating number which can fluctuate each year based on availability of clinical rotation slots. Students who are selected are also held to the following program policies.

PHT/Navigator Program Policies

• All Health Science students are required to submit to substance testing in accordance with the substance testing policy and procedures for the Health Sciences Division. View the Health Sciences Division Substance Testing Policy .
• A physical examination, immunization records, CPR Certification and completed health form, signed by a Medical Physician, are required prior to the first meeting of the program. View the MGCCC Health Sciences Division Pre-Entrance Health Form .
• Upon admission to the Public Health Technology/Navigator Program, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA on the required courses and complete each course with a C or better.
• Adherence to additional clinical affiliation requirements may be necessary depending on clinical rotation placement. (i.e. hospital orientation, HIPAA training, CPR certification)
• Health Sciences Division Student Manual (PDF)  

 

Public Health Technology/Navigator Coursework

Public Health Technology/Navigator - The Public Health Technology/Navigator curriculum is a stackable credentialed 2-yr program of study that prepares the graduate to work in jobs with titles such as public health specialist, patient navigator, health insurance navigator, health care advocate, and public health educator.  As a certificate, diploma, and/or academic degree program, the Public Health Technology/Navigator concentration is designed to be compatible with a wide range of health systems, state regulations, and health services delivery models that recognize the value that services provide to enhance the public health of patients and communities.