El Paso Community College Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP).

The Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) at El Paso Community College (EPCC) is designed to assist individuals from academically and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and graduate from programs leading to careers in the Allied Health Professions. The HCOP utlizies a 5-week Summer Institute for prospective students, which includes non-credit academic and remedial courses, counseling, and field trips to area health care providers. During the academic year, HCOP students receive peer tutoring and mentoring. Goals and objectives of the HCOP include: (1) identifying, recruiting, and enrolling a maximum of 65 minority and disadvantaged students who have potential for future success in an Allied Health Profession; (2) assessing a minimum of 110 potential HCOP students and securing assurance of needed financial aid for 75 of these students; (3) providing workshops during the Summer Institute on the availability and application procedures for obtaining financial assistance in baccalaureate and graduate health professions schools; (4) providing motivational experiences, role model exposure, counseling services, and academic support for HCOP Summer Institute "trainees"; and (5) identifying and enrolling in baccalaureate and graduate health professions schools 15% of HCOP students who have completed the Summer Institute and/or graduated from EPCC's 2-year allied health programs. During the past 2 years, 140 students completed HCOP application requirements, 71 entered and successfully completed the Summer Institutes, 21 students are enrolled in health programs at the college, and 8 students have transferred to four-year institutions. (PAA)