WELCOME HOME ALUMNI

Working in the healthcare field is my passion! I want to be able to help others and make a difference in the world. I had a number of reasons for deciding to get my Bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration from PMI. My goals were to be an example to my children, gain knowledge in the field of healthcare management, and develop my leadership skills. My hope was to become a successful healthcare administrator in my own home health facility. It wasn't easy, working a full-time job and going to school full-time can be a huge challenge. I want to thank all of my PMI instructors who aided in my success. I appreciate the hard work, time, perseverance, and commitment that you contributed to both my academic and personal growth. Thank you all for always inspiring me and encouraging me to give nothing less than my best, and for teaching and providing me with the knowledge and skills that I need to become a successful healthcare administrator and owner. The BSHCA program and my instructors have instilled in me the confidence to face my fears and pursue my dream. As a result of this program, I am in the process of starting my own home health facility and I hope to have it up and running within the next year. Thanks PMI!

I started my career in education working as a kindergarten teacher for 25 years. About 8 years ago, I went to Pima Medical Institute's Medical Assistant program in Denver and for a while I worked as both a teacher and a Medical Assistant. But I've always had an infatuation with smiles and I felt like I was ready for a change, so a few years ago, after moving to Arizona, I came back to Pima Medical Institute and attended the Dental Assistant program at the Mesa Campus. PMI is one of the best schools out there and I learned so much in both of my programs! How did I get my job? I went in to get my teeth cleaned and ended up being offered a job by the dentist. It's a great fit for me. My dentist is always encouraging me to learn and offers opportunities for me to get more training. It's so good to have a mentor who is willing to teach or train while they're working with patients. I have been promoted to the Lead Dental Assistant. I enjoy the extra responsibility and it makes me want to strive for more. I appreciate the start PMI gave me in the medical field. I am always learning and am considering going back for the Dental Hygiene program in the future.

Both of my parents have careers in the medical field and my older sister was working as an X-ray technologist's assistant at the same hospital. I had many broken bones as a kid and recall getting many X-rays, but when my sister started talking about what happens behind the scenes in her department, I started considering a career as a radiologic technologist. Both my sister and my mom encouraged me toward the Radiography program at Pima Medical Institute. It is a robust program for sure. It was super challenging for me and required a lot of study. But, the instructors were very knowledgeable and encouraging. I formed great relationships with my classmates; we became quite close and helped each other get through the program. It was quite intimidating to walk into my clinicals. Although I was well prepared and had help from the technologists, it was quite overwhelming to be in trauma situations and be interacting with nurses and doctors in real life situations. I worked really hard in my final round of my clinicals at Sharp Memorial Hospital and a couple months after graduation, I was hired as a radiologic technologist. I spend the majority of my time in the ER and I really enjoy my current job, but may consider a position in mammography in the future. I want to thank Pima Medical and especially my instructor, Dr. Schmidt, who was so helpful and supportive. I was in a terrible car accident during the program and without her guidance I may not have been able to finish my program. I am 23-years-old, I have a career in the medical field and I am really proud of myself.

A person's journey to success is not without obstacles and I have had many. But, my family's unconditional love and motivation saw me through the hardships. In 2009 while a single parent, I graduated from the Medical Assistant program at Pima Medical Institute's Tucson Campus. I was hired at my extern site where I was fortunate enough to help people with neuropathy using cutting edge technology and also obtained experience in labor and delivery while working at St. Mary's Hospital. I moved back to New Mexico and reconnected with a childhood friend who is now my husband. With his encouragement I was able to continue my education and I enrolled in the Health Care Administration Certificate program at Pima Medical's Albuquerque Campus. Midway through the program the pandemic hit and my classes went online. I was pregnant and home with 11 children; all of us doing remote learning. It was not easy but I have triumphed over many struggles and I am stronger and more determined because of the obstacles. My instructor, Jessica Reindorp and other Pima Medical staff members were amazing and made a point to check in on me regularly. I was placed at a podiatry clinic for my externship where I was able to use skills from both my medical assistant and healthcare administration programs and as a result, they offered me a position. I know I have been an example for my children. In fact, my daughter is starting Pima Medical's LPN program and my son signed up for their Dental Assistant program. I am 46 years old, I have a great paying job that I love, a family that is proud of me and I just started PMI's online HealthCare Administration program in hopes of earning my bachelor's degree. Thank you Pima Medical!

My mother had a neuromuscular disease called Myasthenia Gravis, which resulted in her needing to be intubated and trached throughout her life, so I was familiar with respiratory. At age 19, I started my career path in the medical field as a transporter at Sunrise Hospital. As I worked with and observed the Respiratory Therapists (RT), I began to understand the importance of their profession. I knew then, this was the career for me, so I enrolled in Pima Medical Institute's RT program. I appreciated the support from both administration and instructors and their belief that I could become a productive member of the RT community. My classmates provided support throughout the rigorous program and there was a great camaraderie among us. I remember having study sessions, gatherings, and cookouts in the parking lot with the faculty, staff and students. Having the opportunity to work in professional clinical settings while in school provided the perspective I needed and upon graduation, I was promoted to a full-time Respiratory Therapist at my hospital. I also worked with University Medical Center (UMC). I continued my education in Pima Medical's Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) and then went on to complete my Master's Degree in Business Administration at Columbia Southern University. I am still employed with UMC as their Senior Respiratory Therapist and I have been a Clinical Instructor for Pima Medical Institute's Las Vegas Campus since 2016. My eventual goal is to move into hospital administration becoming a VP or COO. I am very thankful for Pima Medical Institute. Anything worth having is worth working for, and true education is what you are willing to put into it whether you're at Yale, Harvard or Pima Medical. Therefore, always attempt to set the standard of excellence in everything you do and everything you love.

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 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.

After 25 years in restaurant management, I always knew I wanted to go back to school, but life kept getting in the way. In 2017, everything changed when I got very sick and ended up in the hospital for 10 days. One nurse, an older, highly skilled woman, was so inspiring that I thought, "If she can do this, so can I." Though I didn't want to be a nurse, I knew my management background could help me run a medical office. However, when I tried applying for receptionist jobs, I kept hearing the same thing-I needed medical experience. That's when I decided to take a leap and enroll in Pima Medical Institute's Medical Assistant (MA) program. The nine-month program gave me the education I needed to get my foot in the door. It wasn't easy-after being out of school for 20 years, I had to relearn how to study and manage my time. But thanks to Pima Medical's support system and my fellow students, I got through it. I landed my first job as an MA through my externship at Pima Heart. I soon enrolled in the online Health Care Administration (HCA) program, while moving up in my job and then continued into the Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration (BSHCA) program. Upon completion, I applied to administrative positions and was humbled to have 15 interviews scheduled. After considering numerous job opportunities, I chose to join Banner Health as a Practice Manager, overseeing a staff of 20 (with eight providers and 40 residents). Pima Medical provided the education I needed to excel in the medical field. My instructors were there for me every step of the way. If you're considering going back to school, just do it! Choose Pima Medical and you will get the support you need.

Before going back to school, my life wasn't on the best path. After high school, I planned to become a nurse, but deep down I knew it wasn't what I really wanted. Eventually, I moved out on my own, but I found myself surrounded by the wrong people and making choices I wasn't proud of. It wasn't until I met my fiance that I seriously considered going back to school. He encouraged me to think about my future and what would truly make me happy. After some soul-searching, I decided to look for a Dental Assistant program - and for the first time, I felt excited about my future. I found Pima Medical Institute through an online search, and after seeing so many great reviews from alumni, I knew it was the right place for me. Enrolling was the best decision I could have made. My experience at Pima Medical was nothing short of amazing - the support from my classmates, instructors, and family kept me going. My instructor, Margarita, was especially supportive. In fact, I wouldn't have made it through without her guidance. I was excited for my externship at Associates in Family Dentistry and grateful to be hired upon completion. As I plan to move soon, I'm holding off on furthering my education for now, but I'm eager to explore my options. I am a proud graduate of Pima Medical and my ultimate goal is to build a successful career while growing my family with my fiance.