WELCOME HOME ALUMNI

I was 30 years old and my life was at a standstill. I had been working retail for 12 years and I was constantly taking random classes at the community college, but I had no direction or plan. That's when I saw a TV advertisement for Pima Medical Institute and made an appointment and met my admissions advisor, Robert. He was so pleasant and explained the process for a career in the medical field. I enrolled in the Medical Administrative Assistant program and I finally had a plan! It wasn't easy. I was working a lot and struggling with some personal issues, but my instructors helped and pushed me. One thing I loved about Pima Medical is that everyone encouraged me and no one would let me give up. My externship was challenging because it was something brand new. After all, I had only worked retail for 12 years and that's all I knew. But I got more comfortable as time when on and it was very rewarding. It was a great celebration when I finished and graduated. I enjoy my new career as a medical receptionist. Going through this program has stretched me so much! Now I am considering going back to Pima Medical to get my associate degree. I know I can do more. After years of wasting time trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I finally have a career. For anyone like me who is trying to figure out a career path, I suggest you come to Pima Medical.

Being Filipino, I felt like everyone expected me to become a doctor or a nurse and although I was interested in the medical field, I did NOT want to be a nurse. A friend recommended Pima Medical Institute and after speaking with my advisor, I enrolled in their Medical Assistant (MA) program. I had the best experience at Pima Medical! The structured set up helped me be organized and I became a straight A student who never missed a class. Everyone there was genuine and responsive and I received excellent hands-on instruction. I felt very prepared for my externship at University of Washington where I was able to get experience in several different specialties. They even offered me a position, but I had plans to move back to LA to be near family. Once there I had no trouble obtaining an MA position in pediatrics at Comprehensive Community Health Centers. I am in the third semester of my bachelor of science in nursing program at West Coast University. How did this happen you may ask? Well, I had a "moment". My visual picture of nursing has always been pushing a patient's wheelchair. I had this dramatic moment during the last week of my externship when I was asked to push a patient to another department which required crossing a sky bridge. As I was slowly pushing him over that bridge, I just stopped and thought, "Oh my gosh, I want to be a nurse!" This patient had no idea how he changed my future. Now, my actual goal is to be a missionary nurse for children in Southeast Asia. I'm so thankful for Pima Medical. Their guidance and instruction gave me a foundation for my medical career. I will always boast about my time at Pima Medical ... they really do change lives!

While in high school, I attended the Veterinary Assistant Program at the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT). Pima Medical Institute's partnership with EVIT provided a really smooth transition for me to go right from high school into their Veterinary Technician (VT) program. Being a student in the VT program was not easy. It is an accelerated program and beginning the program during COVID meant I had to adjust to virtual learning. It was a huge challenge but I'm so glad I did it. Being a veterinary technician is a fast-paced job that is not just petting puppies and Pima Medical helped prepare me for all aspects of the job. Even battling COVID regulations, they still worked to get us on campus and on field trips to get the hands-on experience we needed. Following my clinicals at Seville Veterinary Hospital where I had also done my EVIT internship, I was hired as a veterinary technician. I have been busy working and studying for my VTNE exam. I would absolutely recommend Pima Medical. It is not a program for the faint of heart. You must be committed and have a desire to learn. The instructors are dedicated to helping you succeed and they all push you out of your comfort zone to be your best self. I definitely feel prepared for my profession. I'm 19 years old, I have a brand new career and I'm making decent money at a job that I love!

My dad had a bout of pneumonia and ended up on a ventilator and I was fascinated watching the respiratory therapist control my dad's breathing. I'd been working in the auto industry, never thought I was college material, but I my family believed in and motivated me to look into the field. I set up a tour of Pima Medical Institute with the program director and as I saw the facility and listened to her, I fell in love with her passion for respiratory therapy. Being a student at Pima Medical was certainly challenging for me, but the support I had from instructors and classmates was amazing. Our class decided that no one was going to fail, so when someone was struggling with a concept, we all rallied around them. The instructors were always available for extra help and by the time I got to clinicals, I really felt prepared. Prior to graduation I obtained a position with Banner South, a hospital that had been part of my community since I'd been a child. While performing bedside care as a respiratory therapist, I recognized that healthcare doesn't stop at the bedside. I became interested in looking at how, for example, a patient's social economic situation impacted their outcome. Knowing I wanted to make a bigger impact and with the confidence I gained from my time at PMI I went on and continued my education earning my bachelor's in applied management and ultimately my MBA. I navigated my way throughout the healthcare system from beside care, care coordination, to quality improvement. Wanting to be more proactive than reactive, I took a position as Senior Manager of Medicare Administration. We not only looked at how we delivered advantage plan benefits, I'm proud to say we instituted a non-traditional innovative program for our patients. Recently, I accepted a position as Director of Care Delivery Operations for Banner Health Corporate. I recognize that in order for bedside staff to offer their best care, processes and supply have to be in place. I can now play a role in making that happen and that is very exciting! Pima Medical provided the necessary educational and support a guy - who didn't think he was college material - needed in order to have the confidence to be successful. Next step - CEO!

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!

After twelve-plus years as a personal trainer, I found myself needing a job with benefits like a 401K and insurance, so I transitioned to a desk job. However, I was miserable and knew I needed a career that left me feeling fulfilled. I reevaluated my passions and realized I still loved working with bodies and physical health. A co-worker who had attended Pima Medical Institute for the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program encouraged me to consider it. After researching and learning about the program, I decided to go back to school. Despite my experience, I wasn't initially accepted into the PTA program. Crushed but determined, I quit my desk job and worked as a rehab tech at an assisted living facility for a year. When I reapplied, I was accepted and I set a goal to graduate with honors. At 39, I was older than most of my classmates, but I felt more prepared for the professional aspects. My instructors were great clinicians and I was able to learn and draw on their experiences. My clinicals were challenging, especially when COVID hit, causing disruptions. Despite the added stress, our instructors ensured we gained the necessary practical experience. After graduation, I worked at a skilled nursing facility, which I enjoyed, but quickly experienced burnout. I accepted a Physical Therapist Assistant position at Rocky Mountain Physical Therapy, where I have been thriving. In fact, a year ago I was promoted to Clinic Director. I love my job, my patients and the challenges of managing the clinic. As a clinical instructor, I work with Pima Medical students, drawing on my experiences to engage them in hands-on learning. I'm proud to have graduated with honors and have even inspired a former client of mine to enroll in Pima Medical's Respiratory Therapy program. Now, both of us are medical professionals making a difference in people's lives. It's incredibly fulfilling!

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.

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.