What is in the kit?

• dissection specimens: fetal pig, kidney, brain, heart, eye
• dissection kit (scalpel, pins, probe, etc.)
• PPE (gloves, gown)

Will I have to store the specimens in my refrigerator?

Nope 🙂  The specimens are preserved and vacuum sealed, so they do not need to be refrigerated.

What do I do with the specimens after I dissect them?

The specimens can be thrown away in normal residential trash.

What if my dog easts my specimen?

You will receive instructions on how to keep specimens stored safety, but, you can learn about the potential safety concerns of the chemical used to preserve the specimens  here.

What if I am uncomfortable doing a dissection at home?

In our years of experience teaching this class, and in working with the Program Directors of the Health Sciences programs that require Anatomy as a prerequsite – we’ve determined that dissections are an essential component of the BCS 165 Anatomy class.  Dissections provide students with first-hand experiences that simply can’t be simulated and that are foundational to a career in health care.  As such, they are a required component of the course.  Please contact your instructor or the department chair if you have ethical or religious objections to dissection.

I am taking an online class because I don’t live near OTC, can the lab kits be shipped?

Yes!  Our friends at the OTC bookstore have put together this video to help walk you through the online ordering process, which includes the option to have your materials shipped to your location.

 

last updated 12/7/22

What is in the kit?

• 2-point discriminator
• Sphygmomanometer
• Stethoscope
• Kitchen flavorings
• Molecular model kit
• Peak flow meter
• Pulse oximeter
• Reflex testing kit
• Urinalysis dipsticks

Will I have to store the materials in a special way?

No, all of the materials you’ll use can be stored safely at room temperature.

What chemicals will I be exposed to?

The sensory lab supplies include common kitchen flavorings like vanilla and lemon.  The urine testing strips contain no hazardous chemicals (read more here).

What if I am uncomfortable doing a lab at home?

In our years of experience teaching this class, and in working with the Program Directors of the Health Sciences programs that require Physiology as a prerequsite – we’ve determined that some lab experiences are are an essential component of the BCS 205 Physiology class.  The labs you will be doing at home will provide you with first-hand experiences that simply can’t be simulated and that are foundational to a career in health care.  As such, they are a required component of the course.  Please contact your instructor or the department chair if you have ethical or religious objections to these procedures.

I am taking an online class because I don’t live near OTC, can the lab kits be shipped?

Yes!  Our friends at the OTC bookstore have put together this video to help walk you through the online ordering process, which includes the option to have your materials shipped to your location.

 

last updated 12/7/22

That can be confusing!  Let us do our best to explain:

Most Health Sciences programs are selective admission, which means you cannot be placed into your prospective program until AFTER you have been officially selected. In the meantime, prospective Health Sciences students are placed into the Biological Clinical Sciences (BCS) degree. This allows you to be degree seeking for the purpose of Financial Aid while you complete your preadmission requirements.

 

last updated 1/31/23

For most students – No. You only need to complete the preadmission required courses for the particular program you’re seeking.

For students working toward applying to the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) program who do not already have an earned Bachelor’s degree, yes, completion of the AA.BCS is a prerequsite for the BSRT program.

 

last updated 1/31/23

No.  Once you are accepted into your Health Sciences program, you will have a new degree audit and a different list of classes to complete to earn your degree.

 

last updated 7/22/21

It depends on what your potential employer is looking for:

• Completing the BCS degree will NOT provide you with a specific healthcare related credential or certification that is recognized by employers.
• But, completing the BCS degree will fulfill the requirement of any job that requires that you have an earned Associates degree.

 

last updated 7/22/21

The AA.BCS does transfer into OTC’s Bachelor of Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) program.  But, other than that

The BCS degree is NOT intended to be a transfer degree:

• it was not designed to mirror to the first 2 years of any Bachelor’s degree
• there are no existing articulation agreements between OTC and any other institution for this degree

But, because many of the courses in the BCS degree are designated as MOTR courses, they are guaranteed to transfer to any Missouri public college or university to satisfy general education requirements. For more information please see OTC’s CORE 42 website.

Non-MOTR courses in the BCS degree may transfer, but you will need to confirm that with the institution you intend to transfer to.

 

last updated 1/31/23

No.  The BCS degree will not provide you with a specific healthcare related credential or certification that is recognized by employers.  If an employer requires you to have an earned Associate’s degree, the BCS degree will fulfill that requirement.

 

last updated 7/22/21

If you know which selective admissions Health Sciences program you want to apply to, then you should use their preferred course sequence to plan your classes **

If you aren’t sure which field of healthcare you’d like to go into, we would suggest the following for your first semester if you are a full time (15 credit hours) student:

• BCS 102 Navigating Bioclinical Science (2 credit hours)
• BCS 165 Human Anatomy (4 credit hours)
• BCS 132 Allied Health Nutrition (3 credit hours)
• HSC 120 Medical Terminology (3 credit hours)
• MTH 128 or 128S (3 or 4 credit hours)

If you plan to take less than 15 credit hours your first semester, our suggestion would be to start at the top of this list (with BCS 102),then work your way down.  If at all possible, taking both BCS 102 and BCS 165 your first semester is an excellent plan.

For a full listing of the suggested course sequence for this degree, please see the OTC Catalog.

If you have any questions about your path – please contact your Admissions Counselor or your College Navigator.

 

**As you plan your preadmission courses please be aware of the following prerequisites in BCS courses:

• You must complete BCS 165 (Anatomy) with a C or better in order to register for BCS 205 (Physiology) and BCS 200 (Microbiology)
• You must complete BCS 165 (Anatomy) & BCS 200 (Microbiology) & BCS 205 (Physiology) with a C or better in order to register for BCS 210 (Pathophysiology)

If you would like to discuss a waiver for any of these prerequisites please contact the BCS Department Chair

NOTE: We also highly suggest taking BCS 102 (Navigating Bioclinical Science) in your first semester at OTC.  This course will help explore different careers in healthcare to be sure you are on a path that is a good fit for you. It will also help you hone your study skills and be sure you have a solid plan in place to apply to your Health Sciences program of choice.

 

last updated 1/31/23

No problem!  We suggest you take BCS 102 (Navigating Bioclincial Science) as early in your academic career as possible.

Topics covered in the course include exploration of both healthcare and non-healthcare careers, alignment of personal attributes with potential career choices, academic and career planning, and essential skills for success in college and beyond. By the end of the course a student should be able to make informed decisions on their academic and career options.

 

last updated 7/22/21

The BCS degree is designed so that a full time student can complete it in 2 years.

But, each Health Sciences program differs in length – so please see the website of the particular program you’re seeking at the following link:Health Sciences Programs

 

last updated 7/22/21

Current information about the cost of the BCS degree can be found in the “Program Snapshot” section of the BCS degree page.

Current information about the cost of your Health Sciences program of choice can be found by selecting your program of choice from OTC’s Programs page (and then looking for the “Program Snapshot” section of the page).

 

last updated 7/22/21

Great question!  That can be confusing.. and your best plan is always to consult the preferred course sequence or degree audit of the program you are pursuing.  But,  here’s a quick overview of what type of student each of the courses IS and IS NOT intended for:

 

BCS 115 (Survey of Anatomy and Physiology)

• IS a good choice for a student who wants a basic understanding of how the human body works, but does not intend to pursue a career in healthcare
• IS NOT
  • a required preadmission course for any of OTC’s Health Sciences programs
  • a good choice for a student who intends on pursuing a career in healthcare

RST 105 (Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology)

• IS a good choice for a student who has already completed both Anatomy & Physiology with a C or better, who wants to gain a deeper understanding of how the cardiac and pulmonary systems function
  • note: RST 105 is a required preadmission course for OTC’s RST program

BCS 165 (Human Anatomy) and BCS 205 (Human Physiology)

• IS the appropriate sequence for a student who is interested in applying to most of of OTC’s Health Sciences programs
  • note: these courses are not required for the HIT or BHS programs
• IS NOT the appropriate sequence for a student who intends on pursuing an advanced medical degree (such as an MD)
  • it is likely the AS.BIO, AS.CHM, or AS.PHR are a better fit for these students

 

last updated 7/22/21

Current information on the employment outlook for any OTC program can be found by:

• Locating the program on OTC’s Programs Page
• Scrolling down to the “Program At a Glance” section
• Clicking on the “More Careers” button

 

last updated 7/22/21

Please visit OTC’s Programs Page to view all the certificates and degrees we offer – click on the the “Health Sciences” filter to view just the Health Sciences programs.

 

last updated 7/22/21

The term “Bioclinical Science” (sometimes also referred to as Biomedical Science) is used to refer to science courses whose focus is only on the structure and function of the human body.  These differ from other science courses that can focus on other living and non-living things.

Typically students who are seeking to enter a healthcare profession that requires only a certificate or undegraduate degree take bioclinical science courses.  Students who are seeking to enter a healthcare profession that requires a graduate degree or post baccalaureate certification are typically required to take science courses from Biology, Chemistry, and Physics departments instead.

 

last updated 7/22/21

The following BCS courses are MOTR courses, which means they are guaranteed to transfer to any Missouri public college or university to satisfy general education requirements.  For more information please see OTC’s CORE 42 page.

• BCS 102 – Navigating Bioclinical Science
• BCS 115 – Survey of A&P
• BCS 132 – Allied Health Nutrition
• BCS 165 – Human Anatomy
• BCS 210 – Pathophysiology

Courses that do not have the CORE 42 designation may still transfer. However, OTC encourages students to check the transfer equivalency website of the institution to which they plan to transfer in order to be sure.

 

last updated 7/22/21

All required courses for the BCS degree are offered in a seated and/or hybrid format at the Springfield Campus.  Almost all of the required courses can also be completed online – with the exception of BCS 200 Microbiology – which is not offered in a 100% online format (at the request of transfer institutions and OTC’s Health Sciences programs).

 

The Table Rock Campus, and the Lebanon, Waynesville, Ft. Leonard Wood, and Republic locations offer some of the required courses for the BCS degree in a seated and/or hybird format.  Please see the course schedule for information on which classes are available for a given semester.

You should check with the Health Sciences program of your choice for more information and where/in what format their courses are offered.

 

last updated 12/7/22

NOTE: Not all courses will be offered in all formats every semester.

Yes!  This is the best way to ensure that you start the semester on the right foot.

If you are unable to purchase the required materials before your first class, please contact your instructor as soon as possible to ask if any accommodations can be made.

 

last updated 7/22/21

Because cohort sizes can vary, the website and/or program director of your program of choice is your best resource for this type of question.

But, you can also to ask this question – and any others you have –  at a Health Sciences Program Informational Session.  Visit the Informational Sessions page for more information and a schedule of these sessions.

 

last updated 7/22/21

For the BCS degree:  you must maintain an institutional GPA of 2.0 (see Requirements for the Associate of Arts Degree for more information)

 

For your intended Health Sciences program, please select the particular program you’re seeking at the following link: Health Sciences Programs

 

last updated 7/22/21

See the student resources tab on the BCS departmental website.  (Study Skills)

Yes! Free tutoring is available (both in-person and online) for:

• BCS 165 (Anatomy)
• BCS 205 (Phyisology)
  • sometimes tutoring is available for BCS 132 & 200 as well, check the schedule to see

We also offer one-on-one Academic Coaching (study skills) appointments.

Please see the OTC Tutoring website for specific information on location and availability.

 

last updated 71/31/23

Typically, No.  However, if you have taken the classes before or are already working in an allied health field you may be eligible for a prerequisite waiver.  Please contact the BCS Department Chair for more information.

 

last updated 1/31/23

Check out the “Application Information” on the particular program you’re seeking at the following link: Health Sciences Programs

Your College Navigator is also a great resource for learning about the application process.

 

last updated 1/31/23

More Information

Select the particular program you’re seeking at the following link: Health Sciences Programs

Your College Navigator is also a great resource for learning about your prospective program.

 

last updated 1/31/23

If you are not doing well in a class because you are not understanding the course material, your best resources are:

• your instructor – ask your instructor if you can meet with them to ask them any questions you have – be prepared with specific questions (don’t just say “I don’t understand anything”)
• your course materials – your textbook and course canvas site have LOTS of helpful material like practice tests, end of chapter questions, etc.
• the internet – believe it or not there are a lot of free quality resources out there, many students find videos especially helpful
• tutors – OTC offers free tutoring for Anatomy and Physiology (see more information here)

 

If you are not doing well in a class because of life stressors, your best resources are:

• your instructor – even through your instructor likely can’t provide any specific help, it’s always good to keep them in the loop if you are experiencing a rough patch
• your College Navigator
• OTC’s free counseling – learn more and schedule an appointment
• OTC’s Student Resource Guides – these can put you in touch with community resources that may be able to help

 

If you are not doing well in a class because of technology issues, your best resources are:

• Here are the Student Resources provided by IT
• The IT helpdesk
• The EagleTech Lending program offered through the Hamra Library

 

No matter what the reasons may be  – PLEASE reach out and let someone know you are struggling.  We are here to listen and to help!

 

last updated 1/31/23