After completing a bachelor's degree, I was still left without a career. I worked the front desk at an eye doctor's office for 3 years and when the doctor decided to retire, I knew I needed to find a career. I was fascinated with x-rays so began looking into radiography programs. I heard a radio advertisement for PMI. When I learned I could begin almost immediately, unlike other programs I'd researched, I enrolled in their Radiography Program.
I found the program to be completely different than my university student experience. I had the same 30 classmates throughout the program, all with the same goal, and we became friends. The instructors made it fun to learn and the hands-on-experience was invaluable. I felt prepared and hit the ground running when I got to my clinicals. I had a great experience at Maricopa Medical Center and they called me about a job not long after graduation. It wasn't long before I became a clinical instructor and a lead. I am currently supervisor of diagnostic imaging and I look forward to coming to work every day!
I'm currently getting my master's degree in Public Health, which fits very well with this particular hospital as we service the underserved. I received a great education at PMI and I've come full circle in that now I help train new students just as I once was. Pima Medical Institute is well spoken of around here and I'm proud of that.
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When I first walked through the doors of Pima Medical Institute, life was a challenge! My husband was out of work, and we, along with our six-month-old baby, were living with his mother. Plus, I had dropped out of school at 5th grade and since my mother wasn't familiar with homeschooling, I taught myself at home through high school. Today, after completing four programs, we own a beautiful home, and our now eight-year-old daughter is thriving. Our lives have completely transformed. I'm a 5th grade dropout with a master's degree - nothing is impossible if you really want it.
I began with the nine-month Medical Assistant (MA) program. Balancing full-time work and school was tough-I cried many times on my drive to class-but I never gave up. I was determined to build a better life for my family. That determination drove me to continue my education, earning my associate degree in Health Care Administration (HCA), a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration (BSHCA), and eventually a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL).
Throughout this journey, I've worked and gone to school simultaneously. Thanks to the education and skills I gained at Pima Medical, I've never struggled to find opportunities. In fact, I've had the privilege of being selective about my career path. I've grown from being an MA to a referral coordinator, and now, I'm in my first management position-a role I secured a month before earning my master's degree. Each program at Pima Medical played a crucial role in my career progression. My master's degree, in particular, has been invaluable. As a clinic manager building a new practice from scratch, I've relied on the knowledge I gained every step of the way.
Thank you, Pima Medical Institute, for changing my life and helping me achieve my dreams. If only my first instructor, Ms. Lakeeta Garfield, could see me now. So often her words - "Be thorough," have run through my mind. I have strived to be thorough in everything I do and I have been successful.
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I was always that child who brought every animal I found home with me. I can still remember my dad trying to make a splint with toothpicks and straws for a broken wing on an owl.. My plan was always go to school to become a veterinarian, but instead I got married and started a family. I began working at Wal-Mart to help pay the bills. I wasn't happy and realized if I was going to work, I really should find a career I loved. My husband was very supportive of me going to school, in fact he was the one who did the research and found PMI.
I started in the Veterinary Assisting program, with the goal of completing it and moving right into the Veterinary Technician program. It wasn't easy, especially since my daughter was four months old when I started the Veterinary Technician program. I was also working three 12 hour shifts at a veterinary clinic on the weekends.
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I am a Medical Assistant at Children's Hospital of Colorado where I work in the pulmonary department, and I love my job! Believe it or not, I wake up every day excited to come to work. I can't wait to see the families and kids.
Way before PMI, I was trained in the animal science field, and later my husband and I ran an HOA management company for a number of years. Unexpectedly, two family members became very ill, and walking through this very difficult experience led me to desire a career in the medical field.
After finding Pima Medical Institute, I never hesitated. I thought of it one day, signed up the next, and started the Medical Assistant program a month later. It was not only the right timing, it was the right place, and it has been an amazing journey!
I had a great student experience at Pima, and the instructors were amazing. They cared about us and were available anytime any of us needed anything. To be honest, they actually became more like friends than teachers. My current job is a perfect fit for me, and I'm so grateful for my training at PMI!
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At a young age I had the opportunity to shadow a veterinarian, Dr. Katherine Parks, and my passion was ignited! Each spring break I continued to visit her clinic and during that time I made the decision to become a Veterinary Technician (VT). I had no interest in attending a four-year college as I was career driven and was anxious to get out and work in the field.
I loved the VT program at Pima Medical Institute! It was encouraging and exciting to be surrounded by fellow students who all shared my passion. I appreciated the atmosphere created by our instructors and the hands-on experience. Unfortunately, I was in a rollover accident, was bedridden and had to miss a whole sequence of classes. It was difficult being away from Pima Medical and all my classmates, but my instructors were so supportive when I was able to return. However soon after, COVID hit and we were forced to go remote. I was so discouraged, but I was able to begin shadowing at my future externship site while taking online classes and upon graduation they offered me a position.
I passed my VTNE exam in October of 2020 to become a certified VT. I am currently the second lead tech and am in charge of employee training and inventory; having assisted in establishing new protocols and the purchase of updated equipment. I attend every continuing education event I can get my hands on and I love learning. Veterinary medicine can take me anywhere and I am up for the challenge. Down the road I can even see myself as an instructor in a VT program.
I am grateful for Pima Medical and my instructors who provided me with an education that has led to my continued success and allowed my dreams to become reality.
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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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I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life after high school, but I knew I wanted to help others. I started college at 17, attending a community college for a while, but it just wasn't the path I was looking for. After researching online for a short program in the medical field, I found Pima Medical Institute. When the advisor described the role of a Medical Assistant (MA), I felt a spark and realized this program was for me.
My experience at the school was really pleasant. I had a fantastic teacher named Mrs. Bridgeman who was encouraging and made learning fun. She not only taught us the necessary curriculum information we needed to know as an MA, she shared her own work experiences which was both helpful and fascinating to us. She and the other instructors helped me to be where I am today. The Career Services department was helpful in locating a good job for me with many possibilities and I am still working there today. I decided to continue my education with Pima Medical and am enrolled in its online Health Care Administration (HCA) program and plan to continue into the bachelor's program (BSHCA). My future goal is to be a manager of a clinic or even a hospital and my overall life goal is to become a doctor.
I want to say - THANK YOU - to everyone at Pima Medical's San Antonio Campus. I am a successful medical professional because of all of you!
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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.
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After moving from Texas to Colorado for a fresh start, I was determined to build a stable career in the medical field. Research led me to Pima Medical Institute, and from the moment I began speaking with admissions, I knew it was the right choice. Despite facing many challenges, I embarked on the Medical Assistant (MA) program with unwavering determination.
I started living in my car three weeks after starting the MA program. I was juggling homelessness, school and a full-time job. I struggled finding safe places to park, hot and cold nights, and finding time between work and school to do homework, sleep and get to the gym to take showers. I found incredible support from caring and understanding instructors who became like family to me. They provided resources and encouragement, helping me navigate the toughest moments. As difficult as my situation was, school was my biggest motivation and the people at Pima Medical were my support and prepared me for my future. Thanks to great instructors and comprehensive training, I excelled at my externship at Advanced Urgent Care, impressing my supervisors enough to secure a job offer before even graduating.
To my instructors at Pima Medical, I owe a debt of gratitude. I am the person I am today because of you. Your unwavering support and belief in me kept me going when times were toughest. Thank you for never giving up on me. You've shaped me into the professional I am today and I will forever be grateful.
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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.
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After 12 years working primarily as a public health nurse at a Federally Qualified Health Center (BQHC) serving medically underserved populations, I became a supervisor at the Florida Department of Health. It was then that I realized that I needed to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to remain competitive in the job market. When I changed jobs, my new employer offered a deal I couldn't pass up; a FREE RN to BSN program, with the only contingency being that I remain with them 12 months after my degree attainment.
I was initially accepted at a much larger and well-known university for an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, but the communication between myself and their recruiters left a lot to be desired, and as an older student who had never taken online classes, it spooked me. I searched and found Pima Medical Institute's online BSN program. I applied and was immediately welcomed by a veritable squad of people helping ease my fears and walk me through a new-to-me online educational experience. The director even called me personally to ensure the program fit my needs for maximum success. I graduated with a 3.9 GPA this past May, and I couldn't praise my professors or fellow students more! I had access to kind and
helpful staff even at odd hours, and it has helped me become so much more confident in my current practice.
My positive educational experience at Pima Medical has me seriously considering the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) online program. This is something that was never on my radar before and I know I would only want to tackle this goal with Pima Medical Institute.
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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.
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