Tulsa Tornado Gives Community Care College Chance To Improve

Tulsa's Community Care College fully reopened Tuesday more than a year after a tornado damaged the midtown campus. A brand-new lab is now offering some students in Tulsa real-world experience when it comes to working in an operating room.

Call it a blessing in disguise.

“It was definitely the silver lining with a natural disaster, but it was a great opportunity to just grow to get even better and prepare our students even better," said Dr. Raye Mahlberg.

In August of 2017, the tornado that hit midtown Tulsa did extensive damage to Community Care College. News On 6 was able to get surveillance video from the lobby as the storm hit.

Related Story: Businesses Still Recovering From Midtown Tulsa Tornado 

“We have completely relocated our lab and now we are in a new space so now we are able to take what was damaged and turn it into something awesome like this," said Jonathan Studdard.

The new lab has 300 percent more space, new equipment, and even top of the line surgical lights.

"This allows our students the opportunity to learn how to focus these lights and put covers on them and adjust them for the surgeon and it is one more aspect we can make it real for them," said Studdard.

Community Care College held a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday to let the public know they are fully re-open and better than ever.

"But one of the opportunities the tornado gave us was it had ruined the carpet in this room and so we had been talking for a while about moving the surgical lab up here," said Dr. Mahlberg.

"The best part is the equipment we have now and what we are able to offer them. Not just the instruments but attachments to the beds and different things we offer the students to prepare the students and surgeons in the future," said Studdard.

The surgical technologist program is at maximum enrollment with 30 students per class with up to 60 students on campus at the same time.