Your neighborhood Fortis College in Richmond, VA
Nursing, medical, healthcare, dental, massage therapy and skilled trades.
Healthcare & Medical Colleges in Richmond, VA
Are you looking at nursing, dental or healthcare programs in Richmond, Virginia? Then you will want to make sure you explore the wide array of programs available at Fortis College in Virginia. Formerly known as Virginia Career Institute, this campus joined the network of Fortis College and Institutes in 2007.
Our medical programs in Richmond, Virginia include career education and training in the nursing, medical, dental, and massage therapy career fields.
Healthcare Programs in Richmond, Virginia
Fortis College in Richmond, VA provides allied health and medical career training programs in Practical Nursing, Medical Assisting, Dental Assisting, and Surgical Technology.
We offer a diverse mix of diploma and degree programs, providing options that are suitable for both traditional and nontraditional students who are interested in a variety of career opportunities within the medical field. Below are some of the programs we offer.
Practical Nursing Program. In our practical nursing (PN) program, classes are offered at several different times throughout the year, making it convenient for you to enroll in the program at the time of year that is best for you. Upon graduation, students in our PN program will be will be prepared to sit for the licensure exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment for LPNs will grow faster than the average for all occupations and that job prospects for LPNs willing to work in rural and medically underserved areas should be particularly favorable. PNs can choose full or part time employment in a variety of healthcare settings.
Surgical Technology Program. Our program in surgical technology teaches you how to perform a variety of tasks as a critical member of the surgical team. Duties of a Surg Tech include assisting surgeons and nurses at the operating table. As technology advances, physicians will continue to rely on surgical technologists to deliver more patient care services. Upon graduation you will be prepared for an entry-level position as a surgical technician in Virginia.
Medical Assisting Program. Medical assistants perform routine clinical and administrative tasks in the doctors’ offices and medical clinics. Patient care duties include measuring vital signs, preparing samples for lab tests and helping physicians with examinations. Program graduates are prepared for entry-level positions in one of the fastest growing careers in the medical field.
Dental Assisting Program. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of dental assistants will grow much faster than the average for all occupations over the next 10 years as the aging population and ongoing oral health research will continue to increase demand for preventive dental services. Dentists will continue to hire more dental assistants to complete routine tasks and as our population grows and ages the demand for dental treatments and oral hygiene will grow as well. This is a great career with flexibility for single mothers or working parents.
Massage Therapy Program. Our massage therapy program provides you with the skills to become a massage therapist and obtain an entry-level position in a variety of settings. If you want to use the power of your hands to help to relieve pain and stress, a massage therapy career may be perfect for you! This is a flexible career where people can be self-employed and work either full or part time.
HVAC Technician Program. Every building in the Richmond area has heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that need repair and maintenance. This means consistent demand for skilled HVAC technicians. The population of Central VA continues to grow so opportunities for HVAC installers will also increase as construction continues for both commercial and residential buildings.
The Next Step
Our Richmond campus is conveniently located near Henrico, Mechanicsville, and Short Pump. If you are looking to enroll in healthcare programs in Richmond, Virginia, or are interested in becoming an HVAC technician or installer, contact Fortis today to learn more about any of the programs that interest you.
Programs
Nursing
-
Associate Degree in Nursing
With advancements in medicine and our aging population, there will be continuous need for nurses for years to come. At FORTIS, you can develop the personal, academic and clinical skills to care for patients of all ages, ethnicities, and cultural groups in a variety of clinical settings.
-
Practical Nursing
With advancements in medicine and our aging population, there will be continuous need for nurses for years to come. At FORTIS, you can develop the personal, academic and clinical skills to care for patients of all ages, ethnicities, and cultural groups in a variety of clinical settings.
Skilled Trades
In our skilled trade programs, you will learn the knowledge and hands-on skills that will allow you to make a difference doing something you love to do. Our comprehensive skilled trades program curriculum combines traditional classroom instruction with situational and practical learning experiences to prepare students for an entry-level position.
Healthcare / Medical
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare and medical career opportunities are forecast to grow over the next decade, due in part to our aging population and increased need for healthcare. Fortis offers a variety of medical and healthcare training programs to help meet this need.
Medical Technology
If you enjoy touching people’s lives, making a positive impact on friends and family, love working with your community and those in need - a career in healthcare will surely bring you a great deal of satisfaction. With medical technology programs that span a range of skills, FORTIS can place you on the right path to your perfect career.
Dental
The dental assisting and dental training programs at Fortis Colleges and Institutes help students acquire the skills and knowledge they need to demonstrate competency required for relevant licensing and getting started on a new career. Dental assistants and dental hygienists are critical members of the healthcare team and Fortis’s dental training programs can help prepare you for a new career.
Campus Location
Further Your Career Today!
Who we are
We value your opinion and would love to hear all about your experience as a student at Fortis. Sharing your review online can help us make improvements to enhance your learning experiences and those of prospective students.
My career choice at Fortis has really helped my personal life by giving me the degree that I wanted to have to work in a field that I wanted. So it’s not so much that I’m going to a job, I’m going to something I want to do and I enjoy doing.
My education here at Fortis has been very helpful, it has been a blessing to my life and, you know, I was able to upgrade myself, you know, from where I was to where I’m at now and then to where I will be in the future.
The most influential people in my life have been the Fortis instructors, of course. They’ve always been around from the beginning to the end, for ups and downs, just for everything; and, of course, my family, my daughter.
Accreditation and State Authorization
Institutional Accreditation
Fortis College in Richmond, Virginia is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, 6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730, North Bethesda, MD 20852 P. (301) 291-7550 info@abhes.org
Fortis College is certified to operate in Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), 101 North 14th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, 804-371-2938, www.schev.edu, under legislative authority of Title 23.1, Article 3 of the Code of Virginia, and applicable regulations 8 VAC 40-31 et seq.
Fortis College’s associate degree Nursing program approval with the Virginia Board of Nursing is withdrawn, effective October 31, 2024. Virginia Board of Nursing is located at 9960 Maryland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, Virginia 23233-1463 and can be contacted at (804) 367-4515. www.dhp.virginia.gov/nursing/
The attached Order from the Board of Nursing is being posted for your information here.
The Virginia Board of Nursing granted full approval to the Practical Nursing program. The Virginia Board of Nursing is located at Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Health Professions, Perimeter Center, 9960 Maryland Drive, Ste. 300, Richmond, Virginia, 23233; 804-367-4515; www.dhp.virginia.gov/nursing/ The Practical Nursing program is not programmatically accredited.
Programmatic Accreditation
The Dental Assisting program is programmatically accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is: http://www.ada.org/100.aspx
The Surgical Technology program is programmatically accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs is located at 1361 Park Street, Clearwater, FL 33756; 727-210-2350; www.caahep.org
Also, the Surgical Technology program was awarded initial programmatic accreditation by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) , 7777 Leesburg Pike, Suite 314N., Falls Church, Virginia, 22043, 703-917-9503; www.abhes.org
Consumer Information - Fortis College in Richmond
The following links provide consumer information required by federal regulations, and in accordance with school policy, that will allow you to make informed decisions relevant to your education. For details regarding each category below, please hover over the titles. For more info please click here for a complete glossary of terms.
A hard copy of each disclosure is available by request from the Admissions Office.
Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver (as a condition of enrollment)
Not Registered to Vote? Click here to learn how.
College Navigator Website
Title IX Policy
Title IX Staff Annual Training
Title VI Policy
CARES ACT OF 2020 HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (HEERF) ALLOCATION AND SUMMARY REPORTING DISCLOSURES
The US Department of Education Certification and Agreement directs each institution receiving Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) to comply with Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act and to post the following communication in accordance with requirements set forth by the Secretary of Education. The HEERF distribution reports are posted above. For further information on these funds, please visit: https://www.edaff.com/cares-act-information.php.
Licensure and Certification
This program has been approved by and meets the educational requirements for licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN) in the state of Virginia.
We have not made a determination for the following states*: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI, and WY.
Those who successfully graduate from the professional nursing program may be eligible to take the NLCLEX-RN ®. Approval to take the examination is not automatic. Successfully passing the NCLEX is one of several requirements for licensure.
Requirements for licensure vary among states. In order to locate the licensure eligibility requirements of another state, please refer to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to find the contact information the Board of Nursing of that state. Click here to visit the NCSBN website.
*If you need additional information on state eligibility or transferability requirements for these states, please contact the Campus President or Dean of Nursing.
The Practical Nursing program has been approved by and meets the educational requirements for becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in the state of Virginia.
We have not made a determination for the following states*: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI, and WY.
Those who successfully graduate from the Practical Nursing program may be eligible to take the NCLEX-PN ®. Approval to take the examination is not automatic. Successfully passing the NCLEX is one of several requirements for licensure.
Requirements for licensure vary among states. In order to locate the licensure eligibility requirements of another state, please refer to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to find the contact information the Board of Nursing of that state. Click here to visit the NCSBN website.
*If you need additional information on state eligibility or transferability requirements for these states, please contact the Campus President or Dean of Nursing.
The state of Virginia requires a license to work as a Massage Therapist.
The Massage Therapy program meets the educational requirements to become a licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Virginia.
We have not made a determination for the following states*: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI, and WY.
Those who successfully graduate from the Massage Therapy program may be eligible to take the Massage and Bodywork licensing examination (MBLEX) administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Board (FSMTB). Successfully passing the MBLEX is one of several requirements for obtaining licensure.
*If you need additional information on state eligibility or transferability requirements for these states, please contact the Campus President or Dean of Education.
Graduation does not guarantee eligibility to sit for licensure, certification, or registry exams. Please understand that licensure and certification eligibility can be affected by unlawful events that take place after acceptance into a program. As part of the licensure, certification, and registration application process, arrest and court records of final adjudication for any offense other than a minor traffic violation may be submitted to credentialing agency for review. Applicants who have been convicted of a felony and whose civil rights have not been restored may be considered incomplete by the College until documentation of restoration of civil rights is received.
Licensing and certification requirements vary by state. Students who relocate to another state during their enrollment may or may not satisfy the eligibility criteria to obtain a professional license or certification in that state.
Please contact the Campus President or Dean of Education/Nursing if you have additional questions pertaining to your program of interest.