My parents really valued education and wanted all 7 of us all to go to college, but they were unable to help us financially. I spent years working full time and taking classes part time, but it was such a slow process. Eventually, I became interested in pharmacy, spent 8 years working in the pharmaceutical industry while going to school and just missed getting accepted to pharmacy school. While I waited for the next opportunity, I came across Pima Medial Institute's Radiography program and it interested me. A few months into the program I realized this is what I really wanted to do. There are unlimited growth opportunities in this field.
When I came to PMI my classes felt like family. I quickly realized the PMI instructors believed in their students and wanted the best for us. Before I'd even graduated, I had a job offer at a level one trauma center. I worked there for 3 years gaining experience and growing both as a professional and as an individual. I knew I wanted to continue my education, so I enrolled in PMI's online bachelor degree program. PMI's online classes are not only very flexible; they are designed to help you be a better professional in your field. I recently came back to PMI as an instructor. I think having been a student here and recently working in the field, I'm able to understand my student's struggles and help them learn what's really important. There is a sense of true value working at PMI. It's more than a philosophy or mission statement, they really care about their employees and their students. I'm happy to be back.
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I have always admired health care professionals and knew from an early age that I wanted to contribute meaningfully to patient care. As a young adult preparing for college, a routine physical led to the discovery of a benign brain tumor. I spent much of that summer in and out of the hospital. The compassion, skill and reassurance shown by my nurses and doctors left a lasting impact on me during a time filled with fear and uncertainty.
I began working as a dental assistant for a family friend, which gave me a glimpse into the profession and led to a transformative mission trip to Nicaragua, where I assisted in providing dental care to underserved communities.
Soon after, I applied to the Dental Hygiene program at Pima Medical Institute's Seattle campus. The program was rigorous, but the unwavering support from instructors made all the difference. They were dedicated to our success academically, clinically and personally. When it came time to take my clinical boards and graduate, I felt fully prepared and confident.
Now, with eight years of experience as a Registered Dental Hygienist, I often hear from employers how much they value Pima Medical graduates. This reputation for excellence inspired me to continue my education and enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration program. That journey equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to start my own myofunctional therapy practice. Through my Capstone project, I developed a comprehensive business plan and learned what it takes to build and sustain a health care practice.
I am proud to now serve as a Hybrid and Clinical Dental Hygiene Instructor at the Seattle campus. It's an honor to be a Pima Medical graduate, a dental professional, a business owner, an educator and, above all, a mother to three amazing children. I feel truly blessed to support my family while thriving in a career I am passionate about.
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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!
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My mom passed away when I was 19 and I lost my sister a year later. It was devastating and I often
wanted to give up but I also wanted my life to honor them. During that time my family was there for me and I learned to keep going no matter the challenges. I received a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and Fitness Management and worked as a personal trainer for a time. However, it was while I was working as a therapy technician at a long term facility that I observed occupational therapists and was drawn to the field. After some research, I found Pima Medical Institute's Occupational Therapy Assistant program and enrolled. It was quite a different experience from my bachelor's education because I knew what I wanted for my career and I was exceptionally focused. I developed much better relationships with my classmates and had a great rapport with my instructors. I had to commute 90 minutes each way and was in a car accident totaling my car, but my classmates and the people at Pima Medical were there for me.
I enjoyed my clinical experience and was known as the person who asked lots of questions. I wanted to know what I didn't know. I am currently working for Encompass Health and am also working in pediatric home health. If I can wake up every day and help people and make them happy, then I am happy. I'm so thankful to my classmates and instructors and everyone at Pima Medical who supported me. I will always be grateful!
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I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with my life. I began working as a CNA, and through my experiences in the hospital, I became excited about a possible career in the medical field. I heard a commercial about Pima Medical Institute and decided the quickest way into a career was enrolling in their 9 month Medical Assistant program. That opened the door for me, but I loved learning and knew I wanted more.
My dad passed away in 2015 from a drowning incident and that experience pushed me toward the respiratory therapy field. Through that incident I was able to observe the amazing work that respiratory therapists do and I said to myself, "I want to be one of them". One year after completing the MA program, I started Pima Medical's Respiratory Therapy program and I loved every moment of it! The program was challenging, but our classes were small and I connected with my classmates. We developed an almost family-type relationship. I loved my instructors; they really wanted us to succeed.
After completing my clinical experience, I was hired at St Anthony North Medical Health Center in Westminster, CO. I love my job! Recently, I have been working in the COVID ICU. I help intubate, manage ventilators and endotracheal tubes and give breathing treatments to those struggling to breath. I feel like I have found my calling.
I love Pima Medical. They did so much for me. Down the road I hope to continue my education by getting my bachelor's degree and possibly even obtaining my master's degree in the respiratory field.
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I was interested in the medical field but was struggling academically at the local community college. I knew something had to change, so I enrolled in Pima Medical Institute's Medical Assistant (MA) program. What I love about Pima Medical is you start your medical classes immediately and your prerequisites are incorporated into the program. My class sizes were smaller and I had dedicated instructors who were available and catered to my learning style. They really wanted me to succeed and I did!
I completed my externship at a family practice and, even though I was nervous, I found I was pretty good and they hired me. Being an MA helped me get my feet wet in the medical field but I always wanted to be a nurse. So after a year, I met with my original admission's advisor and he walked me through the process (something the community college doesn't do) to enroll in the nursing program.
It was a very challenging program, but our instructors kept telling us to trust the process. Partway through, COVID hit. We went from in-person to distance learning and I began caring for COVID patients at my urgent care job. Our instructors did a great job of helping us transition. Our whole cohort is proud to say we went through nursing school during a pandemic, knowing what was ahead. I'm proud of all of us!
During my clinical experience I found I had a passion for working with critical patients, so I am excited to begin my nursing career working in a neuro ICU. I am a success because of the support I received while attending Pima Medical Institute. It was the best decision I've ever made!
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I was working in a call center, but knew I wanted a career and a new start to life. I had family members who were ill and I wanted to learn more to help them, so I decided to look into the medical field. After some research, I found Pima Medical Institute and made an appointment. I met with a friendly advisor who answered my questions and gave me a tour of the classrooms and labs and before I left, I enrolled in their 9-month Medical Assistant program.
I hadn't been in a classroom since high school, but I had great instructors who put me at ease. They cared about me and my education and taught me everything I needed to feel prepared for my externship and to be successful in my new career. I did my externship at an Urgent Care and as soon as my hours were complete, they hired me full time as a Medical Assistant. They even paid for me to get NCT (Radiology Training Non-Certified Technician) certified. I have a job I love and I was just able to purchase a new car!
My life has changed so much since finding Pima Medical Institute. They gave me that new start to life and put me on a path to success.
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I was working at ATI Physical Therapy as a PT Technician and struggling to get into Physical Therapy school. I heard good things about Pima Medical Institute's Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program through some of my coworkers who had attended the program, so I decided to give it a try and enrolled. I had already obtained my bachelor's degree in Physiology from the University of Arizona, so I had a good foundation. This didn't mean the PTA program was easy, as the curriculum goes into considerable depth and the teachers expected true understanding of the topics. My instructors really pressed the "why" behind everything we did. This gave us the tools to be able to accurately perform proper interventions and gave us a foundation to be able to answer patient's questions with accuracy.
After graduation, I was able to continue working at ATI and transition to a Physical Therapist Assistant position. After the first year, I knew I wanted to be in a leadership position and underwent training for another year. I'm proud to say, I was recently promoted to the Clinical Director at our north Tucson ATI location.
I just want to thank my instructors for driving us to be the best clinicians that we could be and giving us that foundation to excel. I would 100% recommend Pima Medical Institute's PTA program. It is a quality program with quality instructors.
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At age 18 I got a job as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic. After gaining more experience at several hospitals as both a receptionist and an assistant, I knew I wanted to become a Veterinary Technician (VT). It seemed everyone I had worked with in the Seattle area had attended Pima Medical Institute, so that made their VT program an easy choice. I had struggled in classes at a traditional college, but loved my classes at Pima Medical. The instructors were excellent and very understanding. Everything I was learning seemed to apply to my experience at my job, giving me a conceptual understanding of the material. I felt very prepared for my clinicals and was offered a position at one of my sites. I worked at a number of clinics and an ER in the Seattle area, volunteered at a wildlife hospital and worked at a high- volume spay neuter clinic.
When we moved to rural Alaska, I spent a short time at a bear sanctuary before landing at Sitka Animal Hospital. I am the hospital supervisor and lead LVT and we see everything at the facility. Last week we cared for a ferret, a gecko, dogs, cats, bunnies, rodents, as well as performing surgery on a duck that had been attacked by a bald eagle. I am also on the board of a nonprofit animal shelter and a municipal animal hearing board where we hear appeals for animal control.
I am currently in pursuit of a master's degree. I hope to be part of the first group of technicians emerging into a mid-level practitioner position, much like a veterinary nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. Almost every day I think about my Pima Medical instructors and how grateful I am to have learned from them. I am proud of my successful career and I know I have them to thank.
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When I decided to become a radiologic technologist, Pima Medical Institute's Radiography (RAD) program stood out to me. Unlike community college, I could start right away, and that was a big draw. The program was challenging, but the friendships I formed with my classmates kept me motivated and accountable. I really enjoyed my instructors, who provided both emotional and professional support.
The diversity of my clinical rotations was something I truly appreciated. I had the chance to practice my skills in a variety of settings, from a rural hospital to an orthopedic clinic, a large hospital, and even special procedure rotations. These experiences not only helped me decide which areas of radiography I enjoyed most but also pushed me out of my comfort zone, honing my skill set.
My first job was in urgent care, where I was the only tech on site. This role was invaluable for my growth. I had to rely on my education and critical thinking skills to obtain the best images possible. After years of working in different disciplines, I discovered my passion in Interventional Radiology and the Cath Lab. I became the lead tech in a Neuro Endovascular Lab, a role that eventually led me to join Rapid Medical Inc. as a Clinical Specialist. This position has been one of the best things to happen in my career, allowing me to travel, expand my knowledge, and contribute to patient care in a new way.
I'm incredibly grateful to Pima Medical Institute for their RAD program and the online Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences (BSRS) program. Both provided a strong foundation that has allowed my career to flourish.
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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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When my children were heading off to college, I realized it was my turn to invest in myself. I wanted a career that aligned with my passions-health, fitness and helping people-while also offering job stability and global opportunities. Becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) checked all the boxes, and after researching different programs, Pima Medical Institute stood out as the perfect fit for my timeline and lifestyle.
Going back to school after 15 years as a stay-at-home soccer mom was the hardest thing I've ever done. The fast-paced, condensed program challenged me academically, and the commute from Tacoma to North Seattle meant long days followed by even longer nights of studying. But Pima Medical provided endless support-faculty were always available, and I took advantage of every extra lab and hands-on practice session. They held us to high standards because patients deserve the best, not just someone getting by.
After graduation, I started at an orthopedic outpatient clinic, later transitioning to Olympic Sports and Spine, where I earned my orthopedic sports certification and became a Certified Lymphatic Therapist. Eventually, I sought a setting that allowed more personalized patient care, leading me to a private practice where I now enjoy one-on-one treatment sessions. I plan to retire here.
Pima Medical gave me the knowledge, confidence, and professionalism to succeed. Even after graduating, I've stayed connected with my instructors, who were always honest, supportive and dedicated. My career allows me to keep learning and growing, and for that, I'm forever grateful.
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