Dallas College

Health Professions Readiness


2 Certificates
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Are you interested in preparing for an allied health program? Our Health Professions Readiness (HPR) courses will provide you with the foundational skills required for various allied health care programs, and the specialized training needed to become a patient care technician, including preparation for the national exam.

Health Professions Readiness at a Glance

Dallas College offers many different ways to reach your career goals. Whether you want to jump into the workforce quickly or spend more time building advanced skills, we have the programs that fit your needs and timeline.

Certificate Programs

Estimated total tuition cost2:

$594-$693

Estimated time to complete1:

4 months

  • El Centro3

Which Degrees and Certificates are Right for Me?

Credit Certificates

Dallas College offers credit certificates that provide focused, career-ready skills recognized by employers.

Can I Get a Job?

Dallas College offers a variety of certificates and degrees to help you gain the skills you need to start working right away.

  • These credentials are often considered Career and Technical Education (CTE).
  • These credentials are established with the assistance and cooperation of representatives from local business, to meet local and regional employment needs.
  • Higher-level certificates and degrees will typically lead to a higher salary in the workforce.
  • Workforce (CE) certificates can often be completed faster than traditional credit certificates but typically do not offer college credit.
  • Level 1, Level 2, Enhanced Skills certificates and others offer college credit and are often stackable to help you build skills as you work toward an associate degree.
  • Workforce credentials may give you college credit at Dallas College, but they may not transfer to other colleges or universities.

If you're unsure if this is the right path for you, you can talk to a pathway specialist for advice.

Pathway Specialist

Questions About Degrees and Certificates?

We know applying to college can be confusing. If you are not yet a Dallas College student, you have a whole team of recruitment coaches to help guide you through programs and the enrollment process.

Current students, contact your success coach (advisor) who can answer any questions you have about Health Professions Readiness programs and your degree and certificate options.

Contact a Recruitment Coach

What Can I Earn? Will There Be Plenty of Jobs?

Degrees and certificates in the Health Professions Readiness program may lead to the following jobs or careers:

Female nurse with a senior female patient sitting and chatting together.

Nursing Assistants

$18/hr

Median Salary

4090

Job Openings

+14%

Projected Outlook

Top Skills:

  • Service Orientation
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Coordination
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Speaking
  • Active Learning
  • Judgment and Decision Making
Female Healthcare Worker Wheeling Adult Male Patient In Hospital

Orderlies

$18/hr

Median Salary

108

Job Openings

+23%

Projected Outlook

Top Skills:

  • Service Orientation
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Coordination
  • Critical Thinking
  • Writing
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Time Management

All jobs data gathered for Dallas/Fort Worth. Source: Dallas College Labor Market Intelligence and Lightcast4.

“My professors in Health Profession Readiness courses were all very helpful and ready to help me actually learn the information and not just memorize it. The professors at El Centro are willing to put in the work and effort to help their students pass their courses and get closer to completing their degree.” Read Adam Carpenter's story.
Adam Carpenter
Adam Carpenter
Medical Laboratory Technology student, El Centro

The Health Professions Readiness program has its own admissions process, timeline and requirements. Visit the School of Health Sciences Information Packets and Sessions page to view the Health Professions Readiness information packets.

Find Out More About Dallas College

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School of Health Sciences

Dallas College

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1Length of time is based on catalog degree plans. Prerequisites may be required, which are not included in this estimate. For most programs, full-time student status is assumed, a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.

2Cost for credit courses is based on tuition rates for program hours for Dallas County residents. The price of most required learning materials (books, software, supplies, etc.) is included with the price of tuition. Certain programs may have additional costs above the standard tuition. Continuing Education and Ed2Go courses may vary by program. Please review the Area of Study Overview and/or the Health Information Packets for additional costs and details. Visit our Paying for College site to learn more about cost, financial aid, scholarships and more.

3Each location offers a unique combination of certificate and degree options. Not all degree and certificate offerings are available for admission/start at all campuses every semester.

4A portion of Lightcast’s data comes from O*NET Online by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Lightcast has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Updated June 25, 2026