WELCOME HOME ALUMNI

I am currently working as a Medical Assistant in the area of vascular surgery at the New Mexico Heart Institute and I love my job! It wasn't very long ago that I was working a night shift security position where I was bored, felt like I wasn't getting anywhere and longed for a career. One night I started researching online looking for something in the medical field and Pima Medical Institute popped up. I simply completed a brief form and they called the next day. Before I knew it, I was enrolled in the Medical Assistant Program. I was glad I didn't have a chance to second guess my decision. Going back to school was challenging for me. I was still working security full time at night, going to school during the day and trying to find time to spend with my two-year-old daughter. That being said, Pima Medical provides everything you need to get started, including your uniform and backpack. I heard the passion in the voice of my first instructor when she spoke and it wasn't long before I fell in love with the medical field. I felt like there was no question whether we were going to succeed. Everyone at Pima Medical was so helpful. When it came time for my externship, Pima Medical's career services department worked hard to place me at a site that fit my schedule and enabled me to continue working my security job. Being placed with a plastic surgeon was not my first choice, but I had an amazing experience and the doctor ended up recommending me for my current position at New Mexico Heart Institute. I'm so grateful for my new career!

After graduating from high school, I attended UTEP (University of Texas at El Paso) but despite attempting a number of majors, I still didn't have a plan. The thing that brought me joy was volunteering at the shelter where I adopted my dog. I really loved working with the animals and it made me realize that's what I was meant to do. I began researching schools with a veterinary program around El Paso and found Pima Medical Institute and enrolled in the Veterinary Assistant program. I cannot tell you how excited and joyful I was to finally start on a path to a career I knew I would love! I had a great experience during my 9-month program. My instructor was wonderful and I received lots of hands-on practice. I was placed in Boerne, near San Antonio, at the Cibolo Creek Veterinary Hospital for my externship and before I left to head back to El Paso, they offered me a position! After almost three years as a Veterinary Assistant I decided to continue my education and enrolled in the Veterinary Technician program, this time at the Pima Medical in San Antonio. I have been learning so much and am enjoying getting exposure in different areas like exotics and livestock. I appreciate my instructors sharing their experiences and providing hands-on instruction. I plan to graduate later this year. I love the veterinary field and I am so thankful to Pima Medical for providing a path to a great career that I love!

Being Filipino, I felt like everyone expected me to become a doctor or a nurse and although I was interested in the medical field, I did NOT want to be a nurse. A friend recommended Pima Medical Institute and after speaking with my advisor, I enrolled in their Medical Assistant (MA) program. I had the best experience at Pima Medical! The structured set up helped me be organized and I became a straight A student who never missed a class. Everyone there was genuine and responsive and I received excellent hands-on instruction. I felt very prepared for my externship at University of Washington where I was able to get experience in several different specialties. They even offered me a position, but I had plans to move back to LA to be near family. Once there I had no trouble obtaining an MA position in pediatrics at Comprehensive Community Health Centers. I am in the third semester of my bachelor of science in nursing program at West Coast University. How did this happen you may ask? Well, I had a "moment". My visual picture of nursing has always been pushing a patient's wheelchair. I had this dramatic moment during the last week of my externship when I was asked to push a patient to another department which required crossing a sky bridge. As I was slowly pushing him over that bridge, I just stopped and thought, "Oh my gosh, I want to be a nurse!" This patient had no idea how he changed my future. Now, my actual goal is to be a missionary nurse for children in Southeast Asia. I'm so thankful for Pima Medical. Their guidance and instruction gave me a foundation for my medical career. I will always boast about my time at Pima Medical ... they really do change lives!

My dad had a bout of pneumonia and ended up on a ventilator and I was fascinated watching the respiratory therapist control my dad's breathing. I'd been working in the auto industry, never thought I was college material, but I my family believed in and motivated me to look into the field. I set up a tour of Pima Medical Institute with the program director and as I saw the facility and listened to her, I fell in love with her passion for respiratory therapy. Being a student at Pima Medical was certainly challenging for me, but the support I had from instructors and classmates was amazing. Our class decided that no one was going to fail, so when someone was struggling with a concept, we all rallied around them. The instructors were always available for extra help and by the time I got to clinicals, I really felt prepared. Prior to graduation I obtained a position with Banner South, a hospital that had been part of my community since I'd been a child. While performing bedside care as a respiratory therapist, I recognized that healthcare doesn't stop at the bedside. I became interested in looking at how, for example, a patient's social economic situation impacted their outcome. Knowing I wanted to make a bigger impact and with the confidence I gained from my time at PMI I went on and continued my education earning my bachelor's in applied management and ultimately my MBA. I navigated my way throughout the healthcare system from beside care, care coordination, to quality improvement. Wanting to be more proactive than reactive, I took a position as Senior Manager of Medicare Administration. We not only looked at how we delivered advantage plan benefits, I'm proud to say we instituted a non-traditional innovative program for our patients. Recently, I accepted a position as Director of Care Delivery Operations for Banner Health Corporate. I recognize that in order for bedside staff to offer their best care, processes and supply have to be in place. I can now play a role in making that happen and that is very exciting! Pima Medical provided the necessary educational and support a guy - who didn't think he was college material - needed in order to have the confidence to be successful. Next step - CEO!

I had been working in the medical field for 20 years, as a Medical Assistant, but I wanted more. My desire has always been to go further into nursing, but something always seemed to happen that didn't allow me to continue my education as planned. Finally, in the fall of 2021 I enrolled in the afternoon 12-month Practical Nursing program at Pima Medical Institute. My experience as a student was amazing! I loved my classmates and being a part of a cohort that worked together to the finish. I appreciated all four of my instructors who took the time to help me see past my doubt and worry and helped guide me. They showed me that even as an older student and single mother, I could be successful. As soon as I got word that I passed my National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), I hit the ground running revising my resume and putting in applications. Since then, I have been working full-time as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and providing for my 6-year-old daughter. I want to thank my instructors and all the whole staff at Pima Medical. They helped me pursue and continue to be an amazing healthcare provider. I felt very prepared to achieve what I had worked so hard to accomplish and I'm looking forward to continuing my education to become a Registered Nurse (RN) soon.

After completing high school, I was looking for a temporary source of income that would pay enough to allow me to put myself through college. I had several family members who had attended various programs at Pima Medical Institute, so decided to enroll in their nine-month Pharmacy Technician program, figuring it might be a quick way to make more than the average college student. The class schedules were ideal, allowing me to work while going to school. It was a strenuous curriculum but my instructor, a Doctor of Pharmacy with many years of experience, ensured his students became successful Pharmacy Technicians. He knew exactly what made a great technician and he prepared us well to become nationally recognized Certified Pharmacy Technicians. I have spent the past 17 years as a Pharmacy Technician working in inpatient pharmacy performing sterile and chemotherapy compounding. I moved away from Arizona about seven years ago and I was hired at the VA Medical Center, where I was quickly promoted to Lead IV Trainer. Recently, the Mayo Clinic in Mankato reached out to me and offered me a job as their Technician Supervisor with a focus in Sterile Compounding. The temporary job I thought would support further education became my career. I am very proud of my work as a Pharmacy Technician and I'm thankful for my Pima Medical instructor. As a result of being trained by him, I feel like my career has been really distinguished and for that I will always be grateful.

When I first started my journey in health care, I was on track to become a nurse. After working as a phlebotomist for three years, I quit my job focusing on finishing the last few prerequisites for nursing school. However, life had other plans. I got pregnant with my now four-year-old daughter and took a year and a half off to spend time with her. In 2020, I began to reconsider my career path. I realized that the clinical side of healthcare was no longer my passion; instead, I was drawn to the administration and business side. After researching various degrees, I chose the online Health Care Administration (HCA) associate and bachelor's programs at Pima Medical Institute. My experience at Pima Medical was incredible. Both programs' flexibility and the support from instructors and advisors were exceptional. They fit perfectly into my busy life as a full-time employee, wife and mother. The instructors were always available and willing to assist with anything I needed. The resources provided to students, from class scheduling to financial guidance, made everything so manageable. Upon completion of my bachelor's degree, I found a position as a Program Administrator at Baylor University Medical Center in Texas, managing the OBGYN, Hematology/Oncology, and Mechanical Circulatory Support programs and residents. I am currently working full-time and exploring graduate programs for Health Care Administration and Business Administration. My future goals include becoming certified in health care emergency management to effectively plan and respond to emergencies. Thank you, Pima Medical Institute, for your guidance and support. Completing my degrees with you has been a wonderful experience, allowing me to achieve goals I never thought possible.

I had an amazing experience in the Medical Assistant (MA) program at Pima Medical Institute. I had the best instructors and, as we spent time studying together, my classmates became amazing friends. I had always known I wanted to be in a profession where I could help people and I wanted to work with children. My older sister had completed the Veterinary Technician (VT) program at Pima Medical, so I knew it was a school I could trust and enrolled in the MA program. I appreciated all the knowledge and information they gave us about working in the real world. The hands-on experience helped us feel prepared for our new career. Since graduating in 2018 I have worked for three clinics or organizations as an MA and have gained experience in family practice, OB/GYN and specialty clinics and have learned so much! I love my job! Every day is different and I am constantly learning new things. I am so very grateful for my instructors at Pima Medical for helping me to be able to achieve my dream job. I love what I do and I am so grateful I took the leap to enroll in the Medical Assistant (MA) program.

After running a travel agency for fifteen years, I began searching for a new career in the medical field. I'd always been interested in photography, so radiology seemed like a natural fit. At 43, I returned to school to earn my associate degree in Radiologic Science. I gained experience working at a regional hospital in Minnesota, learning X-ray, CT, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine. Then in 2014, my husband and I, looking to fulfill our dream, moved to Alaska where I became a multi-modality technologist with Providence in Seward. Eventually, I stepped into the role of Diagnostic Imaging Supervisor, leading a $1.8 million department remodel to improve patient care. Upgrading our equipment to include a new CT scanner and digital X-ray systems has enabled us to offer year-round mammography, allowing for earlier breast cancer detection and better outcomes. In 2023, my love for learning led me to Pima Medical Institute, where I completed my Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science (BSRS) online. Graduating with honors was a major accomplishment. I was especially impressed with the instructors and the quality of education at Pima Medical, and I'm proud to be a graduate. We are a critical care access hospital that sees patients from around the world. Tourists visit our community for various reasons, such as sport fishing, sightseeing, mountain hiking, mountain biking and cruise ships. This year we had ninety-six cruise ships bringing thousands of passengers on and off the ship. In my role, I often meet patients on one of the toughest days of their lives. My goal is to make a difference for them. I'm grateful for the skills and support from Pima Medical that has allowed me to provide the best care possible.