Going back to school can be intimidating. New students struggle with confidence for a variety of reasons, but at Pima Medical Institute, every effort is made to quell their fears and encourage them to reach for their career goals.
When they first begin classes, certificate students at Pima Medical take a six-week career preparation sequence before beginning their program curriculum. Part of that career preparation involves studying math, anatomy and physiology, computer skills and CPR and First Aid. The sequence is fast-paced and can at times feel intimidating for the returning student.
To help inspire and encourage them during the beginning stages, Pima Medical has included a new feature in its career preparation book, which students use during the first few weeks of school.
“This newest edition of our custom-published Career Prep textbook is special because it includes Pima Medical success stories throughout the math content, which we believe will inspire and encourage students to forge ahead in their selected programs,” said Pima Medical Institute Education Assistant Director, Jean Vanderzee.
“Placing our own success stories within a publication is a first for Pima Medical, and we look forward to doing more of this type of customization in other textbooks.” Students enrolled in the Central Sterile Processing, Dental Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Patient Care Technician and Veterinary Assistantcertificate programs take the Career Preparation sequence. It helps them build a foundation of knowledge that they will need to succeed in their fields, along with developing strong, supportive relationships with one another.
“The career prep sequence supports a student’s understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of the medical field right from the start. The Study Skills course helps students learn to set goals and establish study patterns early on that will support their success in the program,” she said.
“With this newest edition of the career prep text, we believe our students will benefit from not only the course content that the usual textbook includes, but also from the added value of personalized stories of other Pima Medical students who can serve as constant reminders that they too can be successful—and perhaps they too can one day share their own success stories with future students through similarly customized texts,” Vanderzee said.
The Anatomy & Physiology/Medical Terminology course introduces students to the basics of how to construct, define and apply the types of medical terms they will use throughout their career. In the Computer Basics course, students work within the Blackboard LMS to practice and apply computer skills that are expected of them when they enter their professional careers. The CPR & First Aid training they receive leads to CPR certification, which fulfills another requirement for their roles in the healthcare field. Rounding out the career prep sequence is the Math Fundamentals course, where students review math concepts and begin to see the ways these concepts can be applied in a medical setting.
