Pima Medical Institute's Medical Assistant certificate program prepares students for an entry-level role working alongside physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Because the responsibilities of a medical assistant span both clinical and administrative functions, the program is designed to develop a well-rounded skill set that supports high-quality patient care across a variety of settings.

The program takes approximately 9 months to complete and is available at 16 campuses across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington.

What Medical Assistants Do

Medical assistants support the daily operations of healthcare facilities by handling both patient-facing clinical tasks and behind-the-scenes administrative work. Graduates of this program are prepared to work in physicians' offices, hospitals, clinics, and outpatient medical facilities, with additional opportunities in administrative support and office management roles.

What the Program Covers

The curriculum progresses through a structured sequence of coursework covering both the clinical and administrative sides of medical assisting, including:

• Anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology
• Medical office management and professional documentation
• Insurance, billing, and coding fundamentals
• Physical examination techniques and surgical procedures
• Pharmacology, medical law, and ethics
• Phlebotomy and laboratory procedures
• Medical specialty procedures and office communication

Pima Medical Institute's Dental Assistant certificate program prepares students for an entry-level role as a valued member of a dental care team. The program covers the clinical, administrative, and communication skills needed to assist during treatment procedures, support patient comfort, and keep the dental office running smoothly.

The program takes approximately 9 months to complete and is available at 15 campuses across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington.

What Dental Assistants Do

Dental assistants work alongside dentists and other dental professionals in a variety of settings. Graduates of this program are prepared to pursue roles such as dental assistant, orthodontic assistant, oral surgery assistant, and surgical dental assistant. Career opportunities exist across solo practices, group practices, hospital dental clinics, dental school clinics, and specialty practices.

What the Program Covers

The curriculum builds foundational knowledge and hands-on skills across all core areas of dental assisting, including:

• Anatomy, physiology, and terminology
• Anatomy and pathology of the head, neck, and oral cavity
• Fundamentals of dentistry and chairside assisting
• Dental radiography
• Dental equipment and materials
• Dental office administration and charting
• Dental therapeutics and emergency procedures
• CPR and first aid

Pima Medical Institute's Veterinary Assistant certificate program prepares students for an entry-level role supporting veterinarians and veterinary staff across a range of clinical and administrative functions. The program covers both the hands-on and operational skills needed to care for animals in a professional setting.

The program takes approximately 9 months to complete and is available at 14 campuses across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington.

What Veterinary Assistants Do

Veterinary assistants work alongside licensed veterinarians and technicians to support animal care from exam room to recovery. Graduates are prepared to pursue roles such as veterinary assistant, laboratory animal caretaker, and animal care or service worker in settings including veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, animal shelters, and zoos.

What the Program Covers

The curriculum develops both clinical knowledge and practical skills across all core areas of veterinary assisting, including:

• Veterinary anatomy, physiology, and terminology
• Clinical laboratory procedures
• Animal life stages, nutrition, and husbandry
• Animal nursing and radiography
• Pharmacology
• Aseptic technique and surgical assisting
• Veterinary office procedures
• CPR and first aid

Pima Medical Institute's Pharmacy Technician certificate program prepares students for an entry-level role supporting pharmacists and patients in a variety of pharmacy settings. The program combines hands-on lab training with professional skill development, covering everything from prescription preparation and drug inventory management to customer service and patient safety.

The program takes approximately 9 months to complete and is available at 12 campuses across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington.

What Pharmacy Technicians Do

Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists with the preparation and dispensing of medications while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and a positive patient experience. Graduates are prepared to work as pharmacy technicians, pharmacy clerks, and IV-certified pharmacy technicians across a range of environments including hospitals, retail and mail-order pharmacies, assisted-living facilities, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings.

What the Program Covers

The curriculum builds both technical knowledge and practical skills across all core areas of pharmacy practice, including:

• Anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology
• Pharmacy math across multiple levels
• Pharmacology and drug classifications
• Inventory maintenance and drug supply management
• Pharmacy laws, ethics, and patient safety
• Prescription preparation and pharmacy technician duties
• Customer service principles
• Pharmacy computer applications and laboratory skills

Students also train on PioneerRx Pharmacy Software, a real-world pharmacy management system used in the field.

Pima Medical Institute's Medical Billing and Coding certificate program prepares students for an essential behind-the-scenes role in healthcare. Medical billing and coding professionals serve as the connection between healthcare providers and insurance companies, ensuring that patient records are accurately documented and claims are processed correctly.

The program takes approximately 9 months to complete and is currently offered at the East Valley, Arizona campus. The curriculum combines on-campus and online instruction.

What Medical Billing and Coding Professionals Do

Graduates work in a variety of healthcare settings including hospitals, physicians' offices, nursing care facilities, home healthcare services, and pharmacies. The role focuses on translating medical procedures and diagnoses into standardized codes used for billing, reimbursement, and record keeping.

What the Program Covers

The curriculum builds a thorough foundation in both the technical and administrative aspects of medical billing and coding, including:

• Anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology
• Insurance, billing, and coding fundamentals
• Clinical and hospital diagnostic medical coding
• Procedural medical coding
• Electronic health records
• Medical billing and reimbursement methods
• Claims management
• Medical law and ethics
• Professional documentation and medical office management

The program concludes with a certification review and capstone course to prepare graduates for professional credentialing exams.

Pima Medical Institute's online Health Care Administration (HCA) associate degree program prepares students for non-clinical administrative roles across a wide range of healthcare settings. The program is designed for those looking to start a career on the business side of healthcare, as well as current healthcare professionals looking to expand into administrative or management roles.

The program is completed entirely online and takes approximately 20 months. Students with prior healthcare education may be eligible to transfer credits and complete the program in as few as 12 months.

What the Program Covers

Coursework covers both the business and healthcare-specific skills needed to manage non-clinical operations effectively, including:

• Medical terminology and anatomy
• Electronic health records
• Office management and business communications
• Health care economics and accounting
• Human resources management
• Introduction to project management
• Medical law and ethics
• Introduction to insurance and health care systems

Where Graduates Work

Graduates are prepared to pursue a range of non-clinical roles including front desk supervisor, scheduling coordinator, medical office specialist, patient representative, insurance coordinator, and office supervisor. Career opportunities exist across hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, long-term care organizations, insurance companies, and other healthcare environments.

Pima Medical Institute's online RN to BSN program is designed for registered nurses who are ready to advance their careers by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Built specifically for working nurses, the program is delivered entirely online, allowing students to balance continuing education with their professional and personal commitments.

The program takes approximately one year to complete and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

What the Program Covers

In addition to advanced nursing coursework, the program incorporates leadership and management training to prepare graduates for expanded responsibilities in clinical and administrative settings. Topics covered include:

• Pathophysiology and integrated health assessment
• Legal and regulatory healthcare requirements
• Ethics in a diverse healthcare environment
• Healthcare informatics
• Nursing research and evidence-based practice
• Healthcare management, policy, and quality improvement
• Community, transcultural, and global health issues
• Interprofessional leadership in healthcare

Where the Degree Can Lead

Registered nurses who hold a bachelor's degree are positioned for a broader range of career opportunities including leadership and management roles, clinical faculty positions, community and public health roles, research and quality improvement teams, and entry into specialized nursing settings.

Pima Medical Institute's Sterile Processing Technician certificate program prepares students for an essential behind-the-scenes role in healthcare. Sterile processing technicians are responsible for cleaning, sterilizing, and preparing the surgical instruments and medical equipment that healthcare teams rely on every day - making them a critical part of patient safety across a wide range of clinical settings.

The program takes approximately 9 months to complete and is available at campuses in Phoenix, AZ, Denver, CO, and Seattle, WA.

The curriculum progresses through a structured sequence covering both the technical and procedural aspects of sterile processing, including:

• Anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology
• Principles and practices of sterile processing
• Surgical instruments and surgical terminology
• Microbiology and infection control
• Sterilization procedures and practice
• Decontamination procedures and practice
• Storage and distribution
• Medical equipment
• CPR and first aid

Students complete a supervised externship in a real healthcare setting as part of the program, followed by a certification review course preparing graduates to sit for the CRCST (Certified Registered Central Service Technician) credentialing examination.

Graduates are prepared to work in a variety of clinical environments including hospitals, operating rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units, surgery centers, dental and eye care practices, plastic surgery offices, and medical laboratories.