Chula Vista , CA - The only Respiratory Therapy program in the South Bay area is now accepting students who are interested or currently employed in California 's growing healthcare field. The new program will be offered at Pima Medical Institute, 780 Bay Blvd. #101 in Chula Vista . Registration is underway and classes begin April 19, 2004 and end Jan. 23, 2006 . Prospective students can call 619-425-3200 to set up an appointment.

Graduates of the 88 credit-hour Respiratory Therapy program receive an Associate of Occupational Science degree. The program consists of classes in medical ethics, mathematics, chemistry, physics, human anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, advanced respiratory care techniques (including neonatal and adult special care procedures), general and advanced pharmacology, cardiopulmonary disease, patient assessment and the therapeutics that are required to function at the patient's bedside in the hospital setting.

Respiratory Therapy is one of the fastest growing occupations according to newly released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS also states the Respiratory Therapy profession is expected to add some 37,837 new jobs between now and 2012, an increase of 35 percent. Entry-level employment opportunities are available in hospitals, medical centers, medical equipment companies, home health agencies, sub-acute, and extended care facilities. This San Diego technical private school is helping to train and advance qualified students into fulfilling careers.

PMI is one of the premiere medical vocational institutes in the western United States . The privately owned, accredited school provides students with a well-rounded education embracing theoretical classroom studies, as well as on-site training at medical facilities that mirror the working environment they will pursue after graduation.

PMI has been serving students since 1972, with campuses in: Albuquerque , New Mexico ; Mesa , AZ ; Denver and Colorado Springs , CO; Seattle , WA ; Las Vegas , NV , as well as their Chula Vista location near San Diego in Southern California . Additional information is available at http://pmi.edu.