WELCOME HOME ALUMNI

My husband and I have six children and I have been a stay at home mom for the past 10 years. When the pandemic hit, we were concerned it might negatively impact my husband's businesses. Since I had been thinking about going back to school, we decided it was time to train for a career that we could fall back on. Little did I know when I enrolled in Pima Medical Institute's Dental Assistant program, that I would be completing my whole program during the pandemic. Since I hadn't been in school in a while it was challenging, but failure wasn't an option. My instructor was so good! We learned so much from her explanations and when we were finally able to participate in campus labs, our hands-on work came quite naturally. We live on the Tulalip reservation and I wanted to complete my externship at our health clinic where I could help my people. There are very few Native American healthcare providers and this causes a mistrust and disruption in care because of cultural and language differences. I had a wonderful experience, my patients appreciated me and I ended up with a job. The day after my externship everyone was invited to come for COVID vaccinations because a storm had caused power outages and there were concerns the vaccines would go bad. I drove past the clinic, saw the long line of cars, grabbed scrubs and my PPE and spent the day helping check in patients. We vaccinated over 750 people in one day, including my over 80-year-old grandmother. That was a pretty special moment for our community. I'm so appreciative to my instructors at Pima Medical. Everyone was so kind and helpful and cared about each student. I love my new career and my new job.

My daughter is a neonatal nurse and an associate director at Banner Hospital. I've always said I wanted to be just like her when I grew up! I was just 16 years old when I had my daughter and spent the next 32 years working in the grocery industry while raising my kids. It wasn't until last year when my sister passed away that I experienced firsthand just how short life can be. I decided to take that tragedy and do something positive with it. My sister had always told me I could do anything and was smarter than I thought, so I decided to be like my daughter and obtain a career in the medical field. My daughter had originally attended Pima Medical Institute for her CNA, so I boldly made the call and set up an appointment. Coming in as a 56-year-old mother who hadn't had any education since getting my GED in 1989, was intimidating. But from the person who welcomed me in the lobby, to the admissions advisor and then my instructors - everyone was kind and encouraging. I loved my instructors and I learned so much from them. It was a wonderful experience and it empowered me. I feel like I can do anything! I thought it would be fun to work with babies and young parents, so I pursued and obtained a position working in the neonatal intensive care unit at Banner Health. My plan is to absorb as much information as I can and then continue my education. This is such an open field with so many opportunities. I'm so thankful for my new career and everyone at Pima Medical. You can do anything you set your mind to and you're never too old to take the risk to start over!

I entered Pima Medical Institute's Radiography program back in the 80's right after I'd graduated from high school. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, but a friend suggested Radiography and Pima Medical had the most recognized program in the state and didn't require prerequisites. I had some challenges while in the program as I got married and my wife became pregnant with twins. But, I found I loved radiology, I had great instructors and it was completely worth it. I was hired at my clinical site, Presbyterian Hospital, after graduation and spent most of my career working in interventional radiology and the cardiac cath lab. I was able to raise a family on one income while living in Southern California by being on call almost every night for 25 years. I advanced all the way to Director of Imaging Services at a large hospital in Los Angeles, CA with just my associate degree, but I always knew I wanted to get my bachelor's degree. So once my kids were grown, at age 52, I decided to go back to school. I was researching programs and found Pima Medical had a BSHCA (Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration) program and, even though it had been 30 years, they accepted all of my credits and I was able to complete the program in 20 months. The BSHCA program not only opened my eyes to thoughts of pursuing an executive position (like COO) at the hospital, it's given me the confidence to apply. I found such success at Pima Medical that both my mother and sister later attended the Medical Assistant program at the ABQ Campus and my sister, seeing my success, enrolled in a Radiography program in North Carolina. I encourage others to go into this field. It has been a wonderful journey for me over the last 30 years and I'm not finished!

After several years of working as a LIMITED scope radiologic technologist for my orthopedic group, it was time to figure out a way to make the transition into a FULL scope radiologic technologist. I knew the doctors were planning on expanding our practice, including opening an MRI center, and I wanted to be qualified to be part of the growth. I needed a program that would allow me to continue working while attending school and also provide the education I would need to become fully certified and earn my MRI certification. That's why I chose Pima Medical Institute's online advanced placement radiography (now called RAD Bridge) program. My experience in the program was great. The admissions department did a great job detailing the highlights of the program and the financial aid office thoroughly explained the cost. I felt supported by everyone during the didactic portion of the program, all the way through my externship, and even after graduation. One thing I appreciated about the program was that the material is so relevant to what you see out in the field. I can't think of anything we learned where I thought, "I'm never going to need to know this." Since graduating, I've spent the last seven years working as an MRI technologist. I had such a positive experience and outcome with the first Pima Medical program, I enrolled in the Bachelor's in Radiologic Sciences program and just finished last year. I would certainly recommend Pima Medical to others. These programs can help you advance and take advantage of opportunities while you are working at your job.

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.

I have always had an interest in the medical field, but had no idea where to begin. My brother went to Pima Medical Institute for the Veterinary Technician program, which led me to look into the school. After my first tour, I knew it was the place for me and I enrolled in the Medical Assistant (MA) program. My student experience was amazing! I had fantastic instructors and got so much hands-on experience in such a short amount of time. At first, it was difficult to balance full-time school while working, but I loved what I was learning so much that putting in the work was something I was more than willing to do. I loved getting to practice my hands-on skills with my classmates. Doing things like injections and blood draws on real people truly prepares you for real patients. I graduated from Pima Medical with a 4.0 GPA, and as soon as I started to apply for jobs, the offers were rolling in! I ultimately chose to work at University of Washington Medical Center because it seemed like the best opportunity for me, and it definitely has been. Since graduating, I have been working at UW for the last year. I have learned so much and have never been more confident in a job. Getting my education at Pima Medical Institute was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made. It prepared me so much for my future and made stepping into a new role a piece of cake. I would highly recommend Pima Medical to others seeking to change their lives.

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.

I always knew I wanted a career in healthcare but wasn't sure which path to take. While working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), I met a patient receiving Occupational Therapy (OT). I had never heard of OT before, but it intrigued me. After some research, I discovered the wide range of opportunities in the field, especially working with children. I was hooked! That's when I found Pima Medical Institute's Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program. My time at Pima Medical was incredible. My cohort was fun and supportive, and the instructors were knowledgeable and kind. There were challenges along the way, like COVID delays during clinicals, but I never regretted my decision. The hands-on learning experiences truly prepared me for the field. After graduation, I pursued my dream of working with children and was hired at Piller Child Development. Knowing I wanted to eventually attend graduate school, I enrolled in Pima Medical's Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration (BSHCA) program. The program was quick, flexible, and allowed me to balance work, school, and life. Now, I'm working as a Pediatric Occupational Therapy Assistant with Mariposa Therapy Services, supporting children in schools, while attending Northern Arizona University to earn my Doctor of Occupational Therapy. I've developed a passion for feeding therapy, including sensory-based treatments and lactation consulting. My ultimate goal is to open my own feeding therapy practice. I'm so excited for the future, and I'm grateful to Pima Medical for giving me the foundation to build a career I love.

My mom spent more than 25 years as an instructor at the Tucson campus and encouraged me to explore what Pima Medical Institute had to offer. I was initially drawn to Physical Therapy, but as I learned more, I discovered Occupational Therapy. During my entrance interview for the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program, everything about the profession resonated with me. Ten years later, I have no doubt that this is my calling. The OTA program demanded a high level of self-accountability. I had to learn when to use the resources available, how to ask for help and how to grow through discomfort. The growing pains were worth it. My cohort became my biggest support system and those relationships have turned into lifelong friendships. I truly appreciated being held to a higher standard throughout the program. The structure and expectations prepared me to deliver quality healthcare right out of school. The professionalism required of every student helps ensure graduates are not only ready to pass certification exams and succeed as clinicians, but also stand out when applying for jobs. Thanks to that preparation, I was offered a position during my second fieldwork rotation and hired as soon as I completed my certification requirements. Since then, I've been fortunate to explore many settings, roles and opportunities throughout my career. I've worked primarily with pediatric and young adult populations, serving my community through outpatient clinics, home health and school settings. I'm currently continuing my education with a bachelor's degree and plan to become a licensed Occupational Therapist (OT). I would absolutely recommend Pima Medical to others. The OTA program prepares you to be more than just job-ready. It gives you the foundation to build a meaningful and lasting career in healthcare.