I always loved animals and it's been my goal to have a career working with them. I was so impressed when I took a tour at Pima Medical Institute, because there were animals everywhere. I chose this school because I knew their emphasis was going to be hands on versus just reading a book. Plus, their class schedule allowed me to continue to work and support myself while going to school.
Everyone at PMI knew all of us by name and if we ever had an issue, there was always someone willing to help and guide us. I felt knowledgeable and very prepared for every topic on the Veterinary Technician National Examination and I passed it on the first try!
I was hired immediately after graduation at the location of one of my externships and I really enjoy my job. I would like to thank everyone for all of their help and support. Down the road, I'd like to continue learning and possibly become a technologist
specializing in behavior issues. But for now, I'm just excited to work in my new career. Thanks PMI!
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My journey into health care began with the encouragement of my aunt, Marie Defede, who worked in admissions at Pima Medical Institute's Chula Vista campus. Inspired by her support, I enrolled in the Medical Assistant program in 2002 and graduated in 2003, a decision that forever changed my life.
Shortly after, I started working at Scripps Anderson's Clinic in La Jolla as a medical assistant in the Sports Orthopedic Department. I had the unique opportunity to support the San Diego Padres Baseball Team. That fast-paced environment taught me the importance of clinical accuracy, teamwork and compassionate patient care.
Wanting to give back, I returned to Pima Medical as an instructor, teaching Medical Assistant front and back office skills, Medical Administrative courses and Career Preparation. Helping students grow was deeply fulfilling, and in 2010, I was honored as Pima Medical's Peak Performer for my dedication to education and mentorship.
My career expanded beyond clinical work when I transitioned into the biopharmaceutical sector. I worked with Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer, focusing on clinical operations, system optimization and compliance in regulated environments. Alongside my career, I advanced my education. I earned an Associate Degree in Health Care Administration in 2010, a B.S. in Health Care Administration in 2013 and then a M.S. in Health Administration. I am currently completing a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, with a focus on inclusive leadership and healthcare transformation.
Today, I serve as a Clinical Business Systems Analyst, leading projects in organizational development, system implementation and process improvement. Beyond my career, I am a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ communities, patient rights and underserved populations.
Pima Medical was where it all began. It provided the foundation, support and mentorship I needed to pursue a fulfilling career in healthcare and leadership. I will always be proud to say my journey started at PMI.
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Before attending Pima Medical Institute I was a single mom working fast food and trying desperately to make sure all my bills got paid. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with the Medical Administrative Assistant program. It was short and specific and yet offered me multiple options. The staff was wonderful and made it very easy to get the help I needed. My classmates supported each other and it really felt like a close knit family. I made some really great friends.
I had an interview on the last day of my externship and the next day they offered me a job. I am currently doing medical records for Meadowlark Family Healthcare. I'm giving myself a little break and then I plan to go back to school. PMI offers online classes and the opportunity to work and go to school. In just a little over a year I'll be able to get my associates and my bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration.
I appreciate the opportunity PMI gave me to have a career and to succeed and I can't wait to come back!
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Years ago, through the process of donating a kidney, I came to realize how much I wanted to go into healthcare. I researched to determine how to accomplish this while still working and found Pima Medical Institute's Medical Assistant program.
I had a wonderful experience, with incredible instructors at PMI, and, upon graduation, I found a job immediately at an endocrinologist's office. Wanting more, I visited PMI's Denver campus to check into their associate degree programs when a former instructor asked if I would consider working in career services. I'll never forget the first graduate I helped - she called me so excited and grateful finishing our conversation with, "OK, I need to call my mom now." My heart filled with pride to think she called me first! I love being part of one of the most important accomplishments for our graduates - getting a job!
I've continued my education with PMI, online, getting my Health Care Administration and Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration degrees while working. The interaction and feedback we had with our online instructors was awesome. I am currently in the MBA program at Chadron State University and plan to graduate in 2018.
My experience with PMI changed my life in ways I never imagined. As my opportunities have broadened, I've learned there are so many things I have yet to do!
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When I was in high school, my uncle needed help with his in home healthcare business so I began helping him with his residents. I decided to take a nurses aid course, where I met my wife. Together, we started down our journey of receiving our college education as medical assistants. A few years later, we both started working at Pima Medical Institute. While I was working as an MA instructor, the lead instructor position opened, and my faculty coordinator asked me to consider the position. However, in order to fully qualify I needed an associate's degree. I was nervous about going back to school and working full time, but once I started, I realized it was not as hard as I thought it would be. The online instructors were very responsive.
I achieved my HCA associate degree, accepted the promotion, and now my wife and I are both enrolled in PMI's HCA bachelor's degree. I have gained more confidence in my ability to be a student, while at the same time setting an example for my students and my son. I have no clue what the future holds for me, but I am ready to face the opportunities with my head held high. I've worked so hard to get to where I am today. Pima Medical Institute really taught me to be ready for anything in life. I love working here and I love encouraging my students to reach for their goals.
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After being a stay at home mom for about 14 years to my three children, I decided it was time for me to have a career. My inspiration for choosing the Occupational Therapy field was my autistic son and the therapists I had observed working with him. As I began looking at schools, I was very impressed with Pima Medical Institute and their small class sizes. My biggest challenge coming back to school as an adult was time management. When I was home, I wanted to be totally available for my family. So I made the choice to get up early every morning and be at the local Starbucks by 5 am to study for two and a half hours before class. I knew it was a short term sacrifice for a long term goal.
I knew I wanted to work in pediatrics so I researched the best clinics in my area, sent them my resume, participated in several interviews and received two job offers. My motivation to become an occupational therapy practitioner was to advocate and educate for Autism, as these children are our future. That motivation has revealed the overwhelming need for neurodiversity education and training for employers. I am embracing this challenge. I have been invited to Pima Medical on several occasions as a guest speaker for current OTA students and have discovered a passion for teaching as well! Educating and advocating, it's what I love about OT. Someday, I would love to share my passion by becoming an instructor and training future Occupational Therapy Assistants.
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I was in my early 20's, ready to complete a degree in finance when I realized I really didn't want to spend my life sitting behind a desk. I had a few family members working in the radiography field and I noticed they not only had a great career, but they could choose to work in different modalities and had lots of variety in their jobs. I began researching, found Pima Medical Institute's Radiography program and enrolled.
I had wonderful instructors! It's an intense and tough program, but the way the program is structured really makes you feel prepared for your profession. I enjoyed the shorter rotations for clinicals which exposed me to many different areas and modalities. Once I knew what I was looking for, I was able to complete multiple rotations in my area of interest which prepared me for a job at that very location. I was hired at University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) and after a year I was promoted to a charge technologist and almost 2 years ago I moved into the role of General Radiology Supervisor. I love the fast-paced environment at UNMH. We're the only trauma one hospital in the state and we see something new every day. I'm not the only Pima Medical graduate in my department, we currently have five employees that were my classmates and each year I hire multiple new Pima Medical new graduates.
Pima Medical provided a great education and really prepared me for the field.
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After being a truck driver and construction worker for 20 plus years, I made a promise to my mother before she died that I would go back to school. For nearly five years I passed Pima Medical Institute on my daily drive, and finally found the courage to pull in and take the pretest for the Nursing program. Going back to school at age 50 was scary, but I loved the atmosphere, the instructors and my classmates at Pima Medical. The instructors did an exceptional and extraordinary job preparing us for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
I applied at Banner Desert in Mesa where I had completed my clinicals and I was hired. It was 2019, and I was immediately thrown into the COVID Pandemic. A year later I decided to become a traveling nurse. Initially, I worried I might not be qualified enough or have enough experience, but I quickly got over that. Every place is different, but most of the core staff really appreciates the relief that travelers provide. I have been to 10 different places in four years. I'm considered a Banner Staffing Traveler within the Banner facilities nationwide and I call Banner Tucson my home, as it is where I spend the most time. Some of the challenges of being a traveler are finding a place to live and being away from family and friends. But, I am getting experience and confidence in different facilities and becoming more adaptable and flexible in my career. Plus, I am making a great salary.
Pima Medical Institute changed my life forever. I made some lifelong friends during my experience, I had some incredible, humble, giving and caring instructors and I am truly grateful!
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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.
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Dentistry was always in my plan, but life took a turn when I became a young mom while attending NMSU (New Mexico State University). Returning home, I started working for a family friend's dental practice, fell in love with the field, and decided to officially pursue a career in Dental Assisting (DA). I was looking for a fast-paced program and Pima Medical Institute was the perfect fit. My experience there was fantastic-I applied what I learned on the job and made lifelong friends.
After working as a dental assistant for a year, I decided to further my career and enrolled in the Dental Hygiene (DH) program at Pima Medical. The program was challenging, but the instructors were incredible. I was taught by some of the icons of dental hygiene and I thrived in the rigorous environment. Upon graduation, I quickly secured a job as a dental hygienist, working five days a week to maximize my education. Over time, I got married, had another son, and excelled in my career, and began working in a corporate dental setting. In 2021, I returned to Pima Medical as an instructor in the hygiene clinic, a full-circle moment. To say I loved it would be an understatement. Not only did I find my passion for teaching, I got to continue learning alongside my students.
Currently, I'm preparing to open New Mexico's first dental hygiene studio to meet the needs of preventative care. I hope to employ several dental hygienists and we plan to collaborate with local dentists. I'm also starting a dental hygiene consulting business. I am excited about this business venture and genuinely credit my success to the education I received at Pima Medical. I am incredibly grateful to my instructors for shaping me into the professional I am today.
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When I got braces in high school, I was fascinated by how something so simple could transform a person's smile-and their confidence. That experience sparked my interest in the dental field, and after researching options, I found Pima Medical Institute's Dental Assistant (DA) program. I enrolled right after high school and jumped into the program.
My instructors were incredible! I never considered myself a standout student, but the hands-on learning style was perfect for me. I learned so much, and when it came time for my externship, it felt like a breeze because I was so prepared. They even offered me a job as soon as I finished, and I worked there happily until I moved out of state.
Since graduating in 2011, I've worked in every part of a dental office-from assisting to managing the front desk to being an office manager. Today, I'm a mom of two fast-growing kids, and I want more flexibility to be with them, so I'm going back to school for billing and coding. This will allow me to continue working in the dental field from home.
I love the dental field because I get to make a difference-helping patients find relief from pain or transforming their smiles - and I'm excited about the next chapter in my dental career. Pima Medical is an amazing place with caring instructors and I would choose it all over again. It's changed my life.
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Starting over in a new career later in life was daunting, but my passion for healthcare pushed me forward. I initially enrolled at a local community college to complete prerequisites for a nursing program, only to face a two-year waitlist. Determined to find a quicker path into the medical field, I discovered Pima Medical Institute's Phlebotomy program. This program's accelerated timeline was perfect for my busy life as a stay-at-home mother. In less than three months I gained essential skills and secured a job in the medical field. That first step ignited my passion for healthcare, and after gaining experience as a phlebotomist and clinical lab assistant, I returned to Pima Medical for the 22-month Respiratory Therapy program.
My journey wasn't without challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted my class's clinical rotations, forcing us to transition to remote learning. Balancing studies, work, and family was overwhelming, but I learned to manage my time effectively and prioritize self-care. The instructors, many of whom were industry professionals, provided valuable insights and hands-on learning experiences that prepared me for real-world healthcare settings. As a result of my education, I secured a position at Banner Desert Medical Center, where I have been employed for the past eight years. During the pandemic, I practiced respiratory care under an emergency license, which provided me with critical experience in a high-pressure environment. Currently, I am working in Procurement and have recently been promoted to Test Management Training Coordinator. In this role, I oversee the training processes for new hires, externships, and existing staff members.
I am incredibly grateful to my instructors at Pima Medical for their dedication and support. The comprehensive curriculum and hands-on training prepared me for a fulfilling career.
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