Macy Osburn started her high school education at Sequoyah Tahlequah, but the school went virtual during Covid and she transferred to Keys High School to get in-school instruction and, now a junior, has returned to Sequoyah. She has also added Indian Capital Technology Center as a stop on her journey where she is enrolled in the Health Careers Certification Program at the Tahlequah campus.
She had a chance to get an up-close and personal preview of this profession a couple of years ago.
“I first got interested in the health field when I hurt my hip my freshman year and had to go through rehab. I decided I’d like to go into sports medicine and this program seemed like a good first step,” said Macy. “I knew about ICTC because my sister was in the cosmetology program at Muskogee.”
Andrea McElmurry, who described the curriculum, teaches the one-year program.
“The students learn medical terminology, anatomy and physiology and get certified in CPR as well as a CNA certification in long term and home health care.”
Macy says the class is not an easy one.
“This program is pretty difficult and not like a regular school class because they treat it like a job. And Ms. McElmurry makes you talk to everyone and get to know all of your classmates,” she laughed.
But as the instructor explained, there is a purpose to her insisting on becoming more outgoing.
“I require them to make presentations and to teach portions of the program to each other because part of health care is teaching your patients what they need to know to care for themselves,” said McElmurry.
Osburn, who is a football trainer and participates in track and cross country at Sequoyah, has excelled in learning and being outgoing according to McElmurry.
“Macy has done wonderfully. She’s got a great personality and is willing to jump in and try everything. She went to the HOSA competition and made a presentation and has been a tour guide for some of the middle and high school students that have visited here.”
Macy completed the class and got her certifications and says she may work as a CNA somewhere this summer as she gets ready for her senior year.
