Pima Medical Institute - Houston

Pima Medical Institute prepares its students to be effective, qualified dental assistants by teaching them the following skills:
Preparing patients for examination and treatment
Taking X-ray examinations (radiography)
Sterilizing and disinfecting instruments and equipment
Preparing tray setups for dental procedures
Providing postoperative instruction
Educating patients in proper oral healthcare
Preparing materials for making impressions and restorations
Performing clerical, laboratory and other duties

Dental hygienists work directly with patients, helping them properly care for their oral health. They clean and polish teeth and take X-rays and molds. They also perform some administrative duties, such as recording patients’ dental histories and updating charts. Dental hygienists encounter a variety of people every day and contribute to their improved oral health.

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

You will offer patients compassion and patience while assisting them with tasks such as dressing, bathing and feeding. You may also support doctors and nurses in diagnostic procedures and technical treatments. Certified nursing assistants or nurse aides (CNAs) also typically assist in patient charting and instruction, documenting any care that is given and reporting significant observations to the nursing staff.

Our hands-on training and specialized courses will teach you how to:
draw blood and insert intravenous catheters
perform urinary catheterizations and nasogastric tube removal
provide wound care, including the removal of sutures and staples
operate dialysis equipment and readjust treatment parameters as defined by protocols and patient prescriptions
perform emergency room skills such as splint and cast immobilizations, crutch training, throat cultures, urinalysis and oxygen therapy

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

As a physical therapist assistant student at Pima Medical Institute, you will take courses in specialized techniques that will help improve a patient’s mobility, relieve pain and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities. The program offers a large amount of hands-on experience and knowledgeable instructors have years of experience in the industry. You will learn to:
treat patients through exercise, gait and balance training, and other therapeutic interventions as directed within the physical therapist plan of care
observe and monitor patients before, during and after therapy, noting the patient’s status and reporting it to a physical therapist
utilize equipment to help improve patient mobility and function with daily activities

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

Your education at Pima Medical Institute will prepare you to use quick problem solving combined with compassion and care to treat patients in a multitude of different situations. Whether you’re on the front lines of an emergency room or assisting a patient with solutions for a chronic disorder, you’ll have learned from instructors with years of real-world experience.

Additionally, you’ll put your skills to use before you graduate with hands-on opportunities in medical facilities. Here are some of the things you’ll learn through the program:
Monitor, manage and modify life support equipment, including resuscitating patients
Interview and assess patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders
Consult with physicians to diagnose lung diseases and develop patient treatment plans
Perform diagnostics to measure lung function and assess the severity of diseases
Administer breathing treatments and other adjunct therapies to improve lung function
Educate patients about their condition and how to properly use medication and equipment
Be a valuable and active part of the team in end-of-life and palliative care
Pima Medical Institute’s Respiratory Therapy program offers courses in advanced respiratory care techniques, including neonatal and adult special care procedures, general and advanced pharmacology, cardiopulmonary disease, patient assessment and therapeutics.

The objective of the program is to provide students with educational and clinical training in preparation for entry-level employment in animal care. Students have the opportunity to develop professional skills as well as learn in-office procedures, animal nursing, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and surgical procedures.

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