PIMA MEDICAL INSTITUTE -
HOUSTON CAMPUS

A dental assistant has a variety of responsibilities, including helping patients feel comfortable and easing anxieties, assisting the dentist during treatment procedures and teaching patients the skills needed to maintain and improve oral health. This certificate can help you become a dental assistant, orthodontic assistant, oral surgery assistant or surgical dental assistant.

Health care administrative assistants are key members of the front-office medical staff. These assistants manage electronic health records, greet patients and ensure the office operates efficiently. With this training, you can become a medical administrative assistant, medical secretary, medical receptionist, medical office specialist, office manager or medical records clerk.

Medical assistants work closely with healthcare team members, including doctors and nurses. They treat patients from newborns to senior citizens. As a medical assistant, you may work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, clinics or outpatient medical facilities. You also may work in administrative support occupations, medical assisting education or office management.

A nurse aide or nursing assistant serves a vital role on the healthcare team, helping patients with daily activities and maintaining patient hygiene. With this certificate, you may work in clinics, hospitals, home healthcare agencies, long-term care facilities, retirement communities or assisted living facilities.

Patient care technicians work directly with patients and members of the healthcare team, providing support and performing procedures such as checking vital signs, conducting blood draws and wound care, as well as dialysis. Patient care technicians can work in emergency departments, in home healthcare, long term care and dialysis facilities.

A pharmacy technician works alongside pharmacists to help provide medications and healthcare products to patients. With this training, you might work in hospitals, retail or mail order pharmacies, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, in-home health environments or other healthcare facilities.

Phlebotomy technicians assist patients with the collection of blood and other clinical specimens. These techs can work in clinical labs, hospitals, independent laboratories, physicians’ offices, health maintenance organizations, public health agencies, nursing homes, research institutions, blood donor centers or mobile laboratories.

A veterinary assistant cares for animals in an animal hospital or clinic setting, under the supervision of a veterinarian or veterinary technician. With a veterinary assistant certificate, opportunities such as a laboratory animal caretaker or animal care and service worker will open up. You may work in private veterinary clinics, animal shelters, animal hospitals or even zoos.

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. They can find work in private dental offices, corporate dental practices, community health clinics, public health facilities and educational settings.

Diagnostic medical sonographers, often called "ultrasound technologists", create images of internal body structures to aid in making medical diagnoses. With this degree, you'll be prepared to work in hospitals, physicians' offices, medical and diagnostic labs, outpatient imaging departments or free-standing urgent care facilities.

Occupational therapy assistants help all ages of patients with all different types of disabilities and challenges to allow them to participate in everyday life activities. You could find yourself serving in public schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, mental health centers and nursing homes and other community settings.

Physical therapist assistants help patients who are recovering from injuries and illnesses, helping them to gain better movement and function. As a physical therapist assistant, you’ll have opportunities in the offices of physical therapists, hospitals, nursing care facilities, home healthcare services, outpatient clinics and school systems.

A radiographer, or radiologic technologist, performs diagnostic medical imaging examinations. These technicians work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, clinics, diagnostic imaging centers and outpatient care centers.

Respiratory therapists are specialists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, management and rehabilitation of patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. As a respiratory therapist, you could work in hospitals, specialty asthma or cystic fibrosis clinics, long-term care facilities, pulmonologists’ offices, sleep labs or air and ambulance transport companies.

Veterinary technicians gain specialized knowledge of animal behavior and care, laboratory testing, surgical assisting, and nursing procedures to nurture the health and well-being of animals. You can work in clinics, hospitals, laboratories, ranches, zoos, biomedical facilities or wildlife facilities, humane societies and animal control facilities or other professional veterinary settings.