SANFORD - More than 290 people are the most recent graduates of the Central Carolina Community College's Economic and Community Development Medical Programs Department, which held its graduation on May 26 at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center.

The certificate areas include Cardiovascular Monitor Technician, Central Sterile Processing, Laboratory Assistant, Nurse Aide I and II, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, and Sports Medicine Technology.

Student graduation speakers were Jessica Abrego (Chatham County), Zuheryi Lievano and Brooke Madison (Harnett County), and Briana Peterman (Lee County).

Abrego, a Nurse Aide I graduate, told her fellow graduates, "Tonight, we have become some of the most important people in our community. Not only have we devoted the past months to the academics of healthcare, but now we are ready to dedicate our lives to the healthcare profession. It takes extra special people to be in a career that physically and mentally drains them, yet we persevere to be the best we can be for our profession and our patients."

Lievano and Madison are high school students, having participated in the Career and College Promise program that allowed them to take college level courses. "When I first came to the orientation meeting for the Nurse Aide class, I was nervous because I didn't know if I could handle everything at once, but I learned that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything," said Lievano. "This course has helped me look forward to college and I've loved everything that this course has provided," said Madison. "I can't wait to further my education in the path of nursing."

Peterman, a Nurse Aide I graduate, said an accident put her in the hospital for three months. "I bonded closely with the Nurses and Nurse Aides who allowed me to see what their day by day job was like," said Peterman. "Each trait these men and women had was compassion. They were passionate about their jobs and compassionate toward their patients. The graduates standing before you today all carry the capacity for the same type of compassion and so much more."

As the graduates' names were called, they walked across the stage to receive their certificates from Dr. T. Eston Marchant, CCCC President, and Dr. Pamela Senegal, CCCC Vice President of Economic and Community Development.

As the ceremony was nearing an end, the graduates repeated the Health Occupations' Pledge:

"I solemnly do pledge to use my hands for the patient, the most important person in the hospital or health care setting.

"I understand that the patient is not an interruption to my work, but that the patient is my work.

"I understand the patient depends on me and that my reputation and job depend on the patient.

"I understand that the patient does me a favor when he or she calls; I am not doing a favor for the patient by answering the call.

"I understand that the patient is someone to comfort and help, not someone with whom to argue.

"I understand that the patient is not just a number but is flesh and blood and has feelings.

"I understand that I must fully justify the trust that the patient has in me."

Following the graduation, class members met their families and friends in the Civic Center foyer for hugs and more picture taking.

CCCC's Coordinators of Medical Programs are Sandra Hurley in Lee County, Heike Johnson in Chatham County, and Lennie Stephenson in Harnett County.

For more information about Continuing Education medial programs, call Lennie Stephenson, CCCC's Director of Continuing Education medical programs, at 910-814-8833 or email lstephenson@cccc.edu.

Pictures from the commencement exercises can be downloaded at www.cccc.edu.