Pima Medical Institute - El Paso

Our Dental Assistant program provides students with the personal traits, communication, office and assisting skills needed to perform as an effective entry-level dental assistant. In California, graduates will be prepared to take the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) License Exam.

As a student at Pima Medical, you will take courses designed to help you gain a solid combination of both soft and hard skills. You will go to school for pathophysiology, ultrasound scanning techniques and protocols, patient care, medical communications and professional medical ethics. You will gain hands-on experience in our real-world labs in the very first semester. These skills will teach you to:
prepare patients for procedures by taking their medical histories and answering any questions about the procedures
prepare and maintain diagnostic imaging equipment
operate equipment to obtain diagnostic images or to conduct tests
review images or test results to check for quality and adequate coverage of the areas needed for diagnoses
recognize the difference between normal and abnormal images and other diagnostic information
analyze diagnostic information to provide a summary of findings for physicians
record findings and keep track of patients’ records

Through our courses, you will gain hands-on experience and upon graduation be prepared to:
work within electronic health records with current software technologies
verify medical insurance
perform medical billing and coding tasks
prepare correspondence
assist physicians with reports, articles and conference proceedings
triage appointments

The specific duties of a medical assistant vary by practice type, specialty and applicable state and local laws. Generally, however, a medical assistant serves as a liaison between a doctor and their patients. They help receive these patients, answer their questions, ensure they’re comfortable and perform a range of clinical duties.

Here are just some of the common tasks that a medical assistant might perform:
Medical assistant clinical duties:
Prepare patients for examinations
Take patients’ medical histories
Go over treatment procedures with patients
Assist physicians or nurses during exams
Collect/prepare lab specimens
Perform basic lab tests
Facilitate prescription refills
Inform patients about medications
Remove sutures
Change dressings Medical assistant clerical duties:
Welcome and sign in patients
Answer phones
Schedule patient appointments
File patient records and ensure they’re current
Fill out insurance forms
Handle billing
Navigate different computer programs and applications

At Pima Medical, students will take courses in anatomy and physiology, growth and development, kinesiology and occupational therapy for mental and physical health. In our real-world labs, you will learn to:
provide treatment interventions to infants, children, adults and geriatric patients
help and encourage patients to complete therapeutic activities, stretches and other exercises
lead children who have developmental disabilities in play activities that promote coordination and socialization
record patients’ progress and manage treatment plans under the supervision of an occupational therapist

Pharmacy technicians are the liaisons between medical professionals, doctors, pharmacists, insurance companies and patients. They’re crucial in pharmacy settings because they have the knowledge needed to work with patients regarding their medications while also performing administrative tasks when needed. Their job involves:
Mixing intravenous solutions
Counting tablets and labeling bottles
Receiving electronic prescriptions from medical offices
Handling computer order entry of prescriptions
Receiving written prescriptions and requests for patient refills
Verifying complete and accurate prescriptions
Taking inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications
Completing patient purchase transactions using point-of-sale systems

In just a three-month program you will gain hands-on experience and learn to:
draw blood from patients and blood donors
put patients at ease during procedure
verify a person’s identity to ensure proper labeling of the blood
label the drawn blood for testing or processing
enter patient information into a database
learn to process specimens for testing

At Pima Medical Institute, you will take courses on anatomy, examination techniques, equipment protocols, radiation safety, radiation protection and basic patient care, gaining the hard and soft skills often required to be successful in the workplace. Pima Medical Institute uses the same industry equipment found in hospitals and clinics and students will receive skills including:
accurately positioning patients, ensuring that a quality diagnostic image is produced
administering examination and equipment protocols, radiation safety, radiation protection and basic patient care
performing imaging techniques such as bone densitometry, cardiovascular-interventional radiography, computed tomography, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, quality management, sonography or general diagnostic radiography

These credentialed professionals are passionate about animal care and are dedicated healthcare professionals who nurture the health and well-being of animals through education focused on specialized knowledge of animal behavior and care, surgical assisting, laboratory testing and nursing procedures. Veterinary Technicians are qualified to work closely with veterinarians in the areas of surgery, lab procedures and radiography.

Upon completion of the program, you will be prepared to:
observe the behavior and condition of animals
provide nursing care or emergency first aid to recovering or injured animals
bathe animals, clip nails or claws, and brush or cut animals’ hair
restrain animals during exams or procedures
administer anesthesia to animals and monitor their responses
collect laboratory samples, such as blood, urine, or tissue for testing
perform laboratory tests, such as urinalyses and blood counts
take and develop X-rays
prepare animals and instruments for surgery
administer medications, vaccines and treatments prescribed by a veterinarian
collect and record patients’ case histories