Two Dayton-based Organizations Partner to Offer First of its' Kind Academic Training in Tissue Banking

DAYTON, OH — (September 18, 2006) Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services (CBC/CTS), a not-for-profit healthcare organization specializing in blood and tissue banking, and Sinclair Community College, a Dayton, Ohio based community college, are partnering to create a Tissue Banking Technologist Certificate Program which will be a first of its’ kind in the United States.  The partnership will capitalize on the existing strength of Sinclair’s academic resources while incorporating CBC/CTS’ tissue banking knowledge.

According to Judith E. Woll, M.D., CEO of CBC/CTS, “the CTS/Sinclair Tissue Banking Technologist Certificate Program will provide an opportunity for students to develop the necessary foundation for a career in tissue banking.  This foundation will help CBC/CTS hire new employees with a more consistent skill base in tissue processing and recovery as well as in peripheral areas.” 

The certificate program is designed to be completed in three academic quarters and includes full clinical rotations (during the 3rd quarter) at CBC/CTS.  The goal is to pilot the program locally for one year then offer an on-line alternative for remote employees of CBC/CTS and others who are interested in a career in tissue banking.  Once the on-line program begins, the plan is to include other CTS tissue banking locations as clinical rotation sites.

The partnership's governance structure and decision-making process is best described as an equal partnership that seeks to capitalize on the strengths of both organizations.  CBC/CTS has assumed the lead on curriculum and clinical rotation content decisions, while Sinclair leads decisions on instructional and curriculum design. 

CBC/CTS’ employees will also be eligible to complete the academic program, and CBC/CTS Supervisors will serve as preceptors during clinical rotations.  In addition, external students completing the program may serve as a recruiting pool for CBC/CTS.

Sinclair Community College has an enrollment of approximately 23,000 students and operates a main campus in downtown Dayton and nearly three-dozen Learning Centers and off-campus sites.  Sinclair is among the largest community college campuses in America, boasting a remarkable faculty, staff, and student body that exhibits quality as evidenced by frequent national and state awards. Sinclair is also a board member college of the League for Innovation in the Community College.

As a comprehensive community college, Sinclair offers a variety of important services including, university transfer classes and programs (like art, humanities, and sciences), direct-to-work career programs (like health and engineering programs), custom training classes for business workers, a full-service conference and training center, and expert consulting and assistance to numerous community initiatives.  Last year, Sinclair faculty and staff directly served over 110,000 individuals in college courses, training sessions, and conference center events.

For more information about the Tissue Banking Technologist Certificate Program at Sinclair College, please contact Susan Willin-Mulay, Chairperson of Surgical Technology at 937-512-2850.

Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services, an independent, not-for-profit organization, is ISO 9001:2000 Registered.  Community Blood Center is the sole provider of blood components to the twenty-five hospitals in its fifteen county service area. Community Tissue Services serves the public through recovery, processing and distribution of human tissue donations used for transplantation. Community Tissue Services is composed of eight regional offices and three satellite offices:  Dayton, Ohio (Corporate Office); Fort Worth, Texas; Fresno, California; Indianapolis, Indiana; Memphis, Tennessee; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; and Toledo, Ohio.  Satellite locations:  Boise, Idaho, Connersville, Indiana, and Medford, Oregon. 

For more information about Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services, please visit www.cbccts.org.

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