East Valley to get health science high school

January 4, 2007

By hammersmith

[Source: Josh Kelley, Arizona Republic] — Any students interested in becoming a pharmacy tech, nurse or even a doctor? Beginning in August, Mesa school officials plan to enroll the first class of freshman students in Health Science High School. Over the next four years, the plan is to turn what is currently known as the East Valley Academy into a training ground for students interested in healthcare professions. The school transformation is a response to the large demand for medical workers, particularly those that support doctors such as nurses or medical techs, said Paul Wright, development director for Mesa Public Schools.

Health Science High, whose maximum enrollment will be around 500, plans to partner with East Valley Institute of Technology, where a $12 million, 60,000-square-foot building under construction will be used to train students pursing medical careers. The Health Sciences Center at EVIT includes 11 classrooms, a lecture hall and an operating room for use by students training to become surgical technicians, one of a handful of courses that will be offered next fall for the first time. Others include pharmacy tech, respiratory tech and medical assistant, said Lynn Strang, EVIT spokeswoman. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]