• Allied Health
• Anatomy
• Biology
• Electron Microscopy
• Emergency Department Assistant
• Health Information Technology
• Microbiology
• Physiology
• Respiratory Therapy 

• Wistreich, Dr. George A. - Chair, Professor, Life Sciences, Microbiology
• Anderson, Deborah G., Instructor, Anatomy, Biology
• Bowlus, Dr. R. David, Associate Professor, Life Sciences
• Carr, Michael R., Program Director and Associate Professor, Respiratory Therapy
• Cervantes, Edgar J., Assistant Professor, Anatomy, Biology, Physiology
• Davidson, Lea T., Professor, Allied Health, Health Information Technology
• Fertig, Dr. Daniel S., Instructor, Biology, Physiology
• Hill, Brian, Assistant Professor, Anatomy, Physiology
• Hirsch, Phyllis C., Assistant Professor, Anatomy, Biology, Physiology
• Mosley, Josephine B., Professor, Biology, Microbiology
• Nelson, Dorothy C., Professor, Allied Health, Health Information Technology
• Poolsawat, Dr. Samuel S., Professor, Biology, Electron Microscopy
• Powers, Paul M., Professor, Allied Health, Respiratory Therapy
• Thompson, John M., Associate Professor, Respiratory Therapy 

• Autry, Julius C, Respiratory Therapy
• Castillo, M, Health Information Technology
• Davis, A, Biology, Microbiology
• Eisenberg, Robert S., Respiratory Therapy
• Fascio, Anne M., Respiratory Therapy
• Frank, G, Respiratory Therapy
• Huerta, C, Biology
• Lutz, Kathaleen J., Emergency Department Assistant
• Mireles, Raymond S.
• Perez, Vincent D., Physiology
• Shelton, CD, Biology
• Syph, Treva J., Respiratory Theraphy

Electron Microscopy 
A Certificate in Electron Microscopy is offered to students who have: (1) obtained an Associate in Science degree in another subject area, and (2) completed a total of 18-21 units in electron microscopy along with the required prerequisite course work. 

Emergency Department Assistant 
The Emergency Department Assistant training course prepares individuals to render basic life support of the sick and injured within an emergency medical services system.  A certificate is awarded to those completing this course with a "C" or better. 

Health Information Coding Specialist 
This program is designed to prepare participants to code and abstract health records in hospitals and other health care facilities using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), Current Procedural Terminology, 4th Edition, (CPT-4), and other current classification systems. 

Health Information Coding and Statistics Clerk 
This program is designed to prepare participants to perform virtually all nonsupervisory tasks in a health information department including using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), Current Procedural Terminology, 4th Edition, (CPT-4), and other current classification systems. 

Health Information Technology 
(for individual with other college degrees only) 
For a description of this program see the Life Sciences Chair in H6-126 or call (323) 265-8877. 

Health Information Typist Clerk 
This program is designed to pepare participants to perform most clerical tasks (excluding those involving statistics and coding) conducted in health information or medical record departments in hospitals and ambulatory care facilities. 

Medical Assisting Program 
This program prepares men and women for positions in health care areas associated with working in hospitals, doctor's offices, and community medical facilities. 

1. Option I - Medical Asistant - This option is designed to prepare students to perform administrative duties such as scheduling and receiving patients, maintenance of records, insurance matters, assisting with examinations, taking medical histories, and other related duties.
2. Option II - Community Health Worker - Individuals completing the Community Health Worker program are prepared to identiFy and understand selected health factors underlying a patient's illness and to communicate these factors to the other members of the health team.  In Addition, the community health worker assists patients and their families: 1) to understand and accept medical treatments; 2) to adjust to permanent as well as temporary effects of illness; 3) to utilize resources such as local agencies assisting in patient recovery and 4) to serve as liason between community agencies, hospitals and clinics, and patients.
3. Option III - Electrocardiographic Technician - The Electrocardiographic Technician (EKG) certificate program is available as a medical assisting option.  Individuals completing the program of instruction should be capable of performing electrocardiograms and related procedures.
4. Option IV - Medical Secretary - This is a program designed to prepare students for secretarial positions in health care institutions and medical offices.  The medical secretary is frequently required to have technician or nursing training in addition to other secretarial skills.

Respiratory Therapy 
A certificate of completion for Respiratory Therapy is given upon attaining the Respiratory Therapy Associate of  Science Degree. 

Degree Programs:  

Electron Microscopy Technician 
(Associate in Science Degree) 
The Electron Microscopy program offers exceptional employment opportunities for both men and women desiring positions as technicians in industry, dental and medical schools, hospitals, and a variety of research institutions.  Instruction is given in the preparation and the examination of specimens.  The basic principles of electron microscopy are also presented. 

The essential equipment necessary to educate and train technicians is provided by the college.  Such equipment includes two transmission electron microscopes, one scanning electron microscope, a vaccum evaporator, ultra-microtome, a complete photographic laboratory and numerous accessories. 

East Los Angeles College is currently one of few community colleges in California providing this type of program.  Associate in Science degree and a certificate program are offered by the College to prepare and qualify students in this area  of specialization.  Individuals successfully completing this course of instruction are eligible to apply for the Electron Microscopy Society of America's technician examination.  

Health Information Technology 
(Associate in Science Degree) 
This program prepares students to serve as health record technicians in government and private hospitals, long term care facilities and all types of ambulatory care facilities, peer review organizations, and medical research organizations. 

Medical Assisting 
(Associate in  Science Degree) 
This program prepares men and women for positions in health care associated with working in hospitals, doctor's offices, and community medical facilities. 

1. Option I - Medical Assistant - This option is designed to prepare students to perform administrative duties such as scheduling and receiving patients, maintenance of records, insurance matters, assisting with examinations, taking medical histories, and other related duties.
2. Option II - Community Health Worker - This option prepares students to identify and understand selected health factors underlying a patient's illness and to communicate these factors to the other members of the health team.  In Addition, the community health worker assists patients and their families: 1) to understand and accept medical treatments; 2) to adjust to permanent as well as temporary effects of illness; 3) to utilize resources such as local agencies assisting in patient recovery and 4) to serve as liason between community agencies, hospitals and clinics, and patients.
3. Option III - Electrocardiographic Technician - Individuals completing the program of instruction should be capable of performing electrocardiograms and related procedures.
4. Option IV - Medical Secretary - This program prepares the student for secretarial positions in hospitals, doctor's offices, clinics and the medical organizations of large corporations or public health services.  The medical secretary is frequently required to have technician or nursing training in addition to other secretarial skills.

In the Fall 1996 semester East Los Angeles College and Santa Monica College merged their respective Respiratory Therapy programs.  This partnership provides increased access to medical programs.  Under the merged program all prerequisite science courses and introductory respiratory therapy courses can be taken at either campus. 

Note:  Students planning to enter this program must complete an Allied Health Science Program Application, which is filed with the Life Science Department.  All first year basic science courses and Respiratory Therapy courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better in order to continue with second year courses. 

The student is strongly advised to begin the Respiratory Therapy Curriculum in the summer in order to complete all required courses within two years, especially if Math 115 must be taken as a prerequisite of Chemistry 51, Respiratory Therapy 2, Physics 11, and Respiratory Therapy 21. 

Non-Traditional Respiratory Therapy 
(Associate in Science Degree) 
This program is designed for the experienced licensed technician who may not have transfer credit in Respiratory Therapy.  Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), Perinatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialty Examination, Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). 

Program Prerequisites: 

1) The student must fit into one of the following categories: 

• Two years of documented full-time experience in respiratory care, or
• Graduation from an appropriate approved program for respiratory therapy technicians plus one year of documented full time respiratory therapy experience.
• Certification as a respiratory therapy technician (CRTT) by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) plus one year of documented full time respiratory therapy experience.
• Two years of documented full time experience as a registered nurse (RN) in a hospital setting with major contact with respiratory patients.

Transfer Programs: 

Biology 
(California State University, Los Angeles/University of California, Los Angeles) 

A major in the biological sciences may emphasize traditional fields of botany, zoology, selected areas of microbiology, or may cut across these traditional lines by emphasizing genetics, evolution, physiology, ecology and molecular biological principles and concepts.  The degree in biology is designed specifically to provide breadth and depth in the biological sciences and supporting physical sciences needed by workers in technical fields associated with various aspects of applied biology.  It is also intended to provide rigorous training necessary for those wanting to become competent biologists or to pursue graduate or professional work. 

Microbiology 
The major program in microbiology at the bachelor's level is designed to provide a general and basic training in microbiology and to some extent in related fields, such as medical technology, sanitary science, and biochemistry.  The program will qualify a student for (a) graduate study in microbiology; (b) entrance into medical, or dental, or pharmacy school (by selecting a small number of additional courses); (c) positions as research technicians at various universities and research institutes; (d) positions in federal, state, and local governmental agencies; (e) positions in the pharmaceutical, food, brewing, chemical and dairy industries.  Because of its practical nature, microbiology offers wider direct employment opportunities in industry and related fields than is found in the other biological sciences.   
 
Microbiologists specialize in the study of bacteria, viruses, protozoans, fungi and immunological principles and techniques.  The terms microbiology and bacteriology are often used interchangeably, but microbiology is now considered the more accurate term to use when referring to the study of microorganisms.  In the area of medical microbiology, microbiology, microbiologists investigate microorganisms that cause infectious diseases.  The public health microbiologist is concerned with the control of diseases, and the safety of water supplies, foods, and the general environment.  In the area of industrial or appplied microbiology, microbiologists are interested in microorganisms that are beneficial to humans and other forms of life, as well as those organisms that cause spoilage of food and various manufactured products.  In the basic scientific field, microbiologists study many of the fundamental problems of biological sciences in areas such as cellular physiology and genetics using microorganisms for experimentation purposes.