Pima Medical Institute - Renton

I wrote a review some years ago regarding what how terrible the teaching is within the respiratory therapy program. I currently am working in the field and run into recent graduates and sometimes current students. Nothing I have heard from them indicates that the program is better. It actually sounds like it has become worse. I see a couple a post about how the program has improved. Do not believe them. It is still an extreme waste of time and money. You will not be prepared to work in any fast paced acute care setting when you are done. I feel very strongly about this and hope anyone considering attending this program will do proper research. Go to hospitals and talk to respiratory managers. Ask to talk to staff RTs if they are available. Ask if they would recommend attending PIMA. Don't just do a few Google searches. You'll be investing a lot of money and time, do your research! See if you can sit in for a class at PIMA before giving them your money. They can put up all the fake reviews, or trick the few people dumb enough to think they are in a quality program. They can't fake a good classroom experience or force others within the respiratory therapy community to lie. Please, just attend a different school. You will not regret it. If you attend the PIMA Respiratory Therapy program you will definitely regret it. more

I enrolled in Pima and began classes at the Renton campus March 17, 2014. At the time of my enrollment, I was told that the credits I would earn at Pima would be transferable to a university. I intended to earn the "Associates in Medical Administration" degree. I dis-enrolled in classes at Pima in Renton, WA just one week after they began because I believe that I was cajoled under false pretenses. The only reason for choosing Pima, specifically, was to use the AA to transfer into an HR Administration program at a university. I have college credits that I earned earlier in life; the "admissions director" that I spoke with assured me that Pima was a faster-paced, easier way to finish my AA while still working at my current job. When I discussed this with my instructor, he was very concerned for me. He told me that he hoped they hadn't told me that the "credits" earned at Pima were actual, transferable college credits... He let me know that even though it would help me to get a different job, it would not transfer into a different college or university. After talking with an individual at the corporate call center, this fact was corroborated. I will forever be grateful to my instructor for saving me time, effort, and almost $25,000 for this "degree". As was confirmed to me from the individual at the call center, it really is nothing more than a professional certificate, and should be called such to prevent further confusion. I am certain that a lot of Pima graduates are respected in their industries, and go on to enjoy their professions. My instructor is a very interesting, knowledgeable man who obviously cares a great deal about his job and the students in his class. I was excited to attend class at Pima, but disappointed when I found out that it was not everything that it presented itself to be. Please be aware before you enroll. This is NOT about college credits, it's about a job. For $25,000, I demand a degree. more

This program has not been able to hire qualified instructors. One of the new instructors doesnt know what she is supposed to teach and is the most unorganized teacher I have ever had. If the new Director was any good, she would make sure her staff would know what they were supposed to do. They have had 6 different instructirs come and go in the last year. They have been neglegant in not being able to teach basics in very important classes. The students really suffer. The director of the school only has the bottom line on his mind and doesnt care about the students. just fill the seats and collect the money. Do your research before you choose, worst mistake of my life. Cannot find jobs in the local area due to the school reputation. more

This review is for the Renton Respiratory Therapy Program. There have been significant improvements to the RT program since the new director took over. In 10 months, she's increased clinical sites, modernized lab equipment, and the improved curriculum. This is still difficult academic material, at an accelerated pace, but at least now we have great leadership. Remember, your first clinical is almost a year into the program. The point being is that, for you, there will be that much extra time for clinical rotation fine tuning and improvement. Its expensive make no mistake, but if you're tired of continually retaking prerequisites for the community college programs and entering your name in a lottery to be excepted into a program, its another path for opportunity. The academic standards are the same as any accredited school and credits here do transfer to some Bachelors completion programs in RT and Public Health. Its amazing how things can change, drastically, for the better when the right person is in charge. more

For a current review: The Pima Renton RT program has made a complete 180 since the new director took charge last fall. She has negotiated new clinical sites, and created new opportunities for students. Curriculum has been updated, and fantastic new laboratory equipment has arrived. New instructors are teaching, and an air of optimistic professionalism is taking hold. Like renovating a house, these things take time. But I expect even more improvement as things progress. By no means is this an easy program. This remains difficult and expensive adult education, but it is an opportunity for those willing to work for it. As posted before, the community college programs demand extensive prerequisites, and accept only 4.0 students. When it comes to employment, both personal skill and reputation trump prejudice against ones particular educational background. In a small professional community, personal reputation is everything. As students out on clinical rotations, we are our own ambassadors. Our work ethic and academic merits decide our professional future more than anything else. more

For everyone that previous said how horrible the vet assisting program was it was probably your unwillingness to learn and horrible attitude that made it that way. My class was amazingly fun and I learned so much. I worked as an assistant in the field for 3 years before I came to pima and Ms.Tavenner still was able to make everyday in class fun and extremely educational. Ms tavenner is the best teacher I have ever had I've never met anyone as willing to bend over backwards to help you to succeed. Without her I would not have just graduated. However I do believe administration needs some work. Clinical directors either need more help or less students. more

I went to Pima for the Veterinary Assisting program. It was great. I learned a lot and felt fully prepared for my extern. I enjoyed the lectures and hands on learning, Mrs. T was amazing! I was hired on at my extern site halfway through and am planning on returning to Pima to complete the Vet Tech program. Thank you, Pima. more

After attending this school with perfect attendance and great grades, I made one complait to the administration dept then they became NO HELP... Over 4 months of waiting for an externship that was within a reasonable range from my home they now want me to QUIT or they will un-enroll me. Got paid all their money and now they do not care... This is a typical FOR PROFIT SCHOOL... GET THE MONEY AND THEN YOU ARE A NUMBER........... more

I went through their Vet. program this year it was horrificly awfull. You have Mrs. Tavenner. give you $1,ooo worth of books. Then,be carefull class is 10 months & they say your a vet tech.(a lie) to be 1 its 24. and before that you have a 74 yr. old teaching about stuff but yet little help from her Mrs. Gavener and the other Mst(theyre terrible/ you want another regret go to this hack schoil. more

This is an amazing school with great teachers. I started here in August in the Medical Assisting program and have been loving it ever since. I get any help I need and always have somewhere to go when I have a question. It is an advanced school, so be prepared for a fast-paced learning environment. The person who wrote "not personal school" was completely wrong. They weren't in Mrs. Devine's class because I was and it wasn't like that at all. She was a little scattered and changed her mind quite a bit but we learned everything we needed to know for our profession. I absolutely think I chose the right school to go to for a career in the medical field. more

im on 3rd week of ms.devines class. your grouped in w/ everyone. dental va, ma. part of finals is woeking w/ group very unorganuzed. be prepared 4 trust fund babies not letting you participate. and being lost in their curiculm. bad school r.t.c. is better more

I'm giving the program two stars because of the childish behavior displayed by the program director. He's managed to alienate the school from the rest of the local RT community. The dislike for him in the RT community and his egotisticle behavior is so bad, that students need to travel as far away as Walla Walla, Wa for clinicals. Only a few hospitals close to Renton and Seattle have a relationship with Pima's RT program. This adds an additional cost to the already $35,000 tuition. Be prepared to pay for a room and travel expenses for 20 weeks. There are some very bright people in my class that will be good respiratory therapists, and it's a shame that they're going to have to overcome his reputation to get hired after graduation. There are some positive things about the program. The teachers are very knowledgable, experienced, and care about the students. It's accelerated so you will be done in 22 months and the program has a high pass rate of the NBRC exam. So if you don't want it to take 3 1/2 years at a community college to get an associates degree, then I would recommend the program. more

On the positive side, the teachers and clinical director are excellent. They have a great deal of experience to draw upon, and remarkable focus on the important information. Superfluous classes are cropped down, and neccessary information is stressed and repeated. As with Nursing, this is challenging material set at an accelerated pace. The program takes 21 months to complete, vs 3 1/2 years at the community college level. Working with Pima Grads at my hospital, I can see firsthand that quality RT's are produced here. However, the challenges are considerable. Pima is 1 of 5 programs in the state, but creates triple its market share of RT's, and has corresponding disproportionate need for clinical sites and jobs. The natural alliance of community college programs has alienated many potential employers and clinical hours. This is compounded by the egotistical and megalomaniacle behavior of our director. Through arrogance, deceit and childish unprofessionalism he has created a stigma for our program and shut a great many doors. In a small professional community, this has far reaching consequences for the students. We are put in a position where we must succeed IN SPITE of his leadership. It follows that we must go far and wide to find programs that will offer us clinical hours, and this adds to the graduate degree-level of the programs cost. 20 weeks of room and board at the corners of the state adds a hefty price tag to the 35k tuition. Buyer beware. more

This barely qualifies for even one star. I have been nothing but disappointed with this program since after the 1st Semester. The instructors for the most part are extremely disorganized and unprepared for classes, the Lab classes are the biggest waste of time not much is learned from the lab days. Now to make things worse, there has been info to come about that a lot of clinical sites have been lost and quite a few hospitals will not hire PIMA students due to a staff memebers pride that he will not put aside for the better of the future for respiratory therapy. I cannot say that I will recommend this program to anyone in the future.. more

PIMA was an amazing experience!! I actually miss my class and the interaction with other students, studying and my externship! The instructors are the BEST!! Miss Wheeler has been teaching for like 9yrs at this school and is very knowledgeable and his high standards for learning. Miss Jane the lab nurse and CPR instructor really brings the fun into the classroom. She's been there for a few years too and tells stories of real life experiences that make learning and seeing hands on what can happen or how to solve problems. This dynamic duo is 10 stars!! Sure, there was some drama in the school but you're going to find that anywhere. The overall of PIMA is excellent. They have a great reputation in the field and from admissions to placement I always felt like I was important. I got a job in a local hospital and doing great! more

Before you listen to the people paid to make you drop $35,000 on this program talk to a student who has been here a while. This is the sloppiest school I have ever seen. Students constantly late, classes constantly late, instructors constantly unprepared, rampant cheating, and the teachers don't care. I don't know of one student who has put in at least 3 semesters who is happy with this program. If you attend PIMA, lower your standards and just consider it a $35,000 rubber stamp to take the CRT. more

I know for a solid fact, that the 3 written comments below are in fact from PIMA staff in Renton. The two supposed "students" are in fact "teachers" disgruntled with "joshs?" previous comments, and quite possibly their own miserable lives! I do not agree with the way in which the administration has chosen to respond online, however is further illustration of an obvious point... they suck. more

The Dental Assistant program is accredited through ABHES. Renton Voc Tech, Pierce, and Lake Washington are longer programs and are accredited by a different accrediting body. You can be certified by taking the Registered Dental Assistant certification exam through the AMT (American Medical Technologist). You can also take 2 parts of the DANB exam right after you graduate from Pima, then work in the field for 3500 hours to take the last part of the certification exam. The Dental Assistant program has a 73% placement rate. If you are looking for a job, you should be working with the Career Services department. People are finding jobs with their help. more

I am also a current student of the veterinary assisting program and i love it. The teachers are extremely helpful and will go above and beyond to help you succeed. I have read other reviews feom current students and am quite shocked my classmates would say such things. All i can say is you get what you put into the program. Do the work and the reading and it will be a great experience. Remember it is an accelerated program so it keeps you on your toes. Always come in with a great attitude, willingness to learn and some humility and you will succeed. more

Try not to listen to other student's reviews. There are plenty of students who love going to PIMA. We believe it is a great place to learn and you get what you put into the program. Previous reviews from students (veterinary) like Josh (who posted the beware from curent student) do not come in with a great attitude. Our teachers help us with whatever we need and sometimes go out of the way to help us succeed. Tutors are readily available if extra help is needed. This is a great place and just remember... It's all about what you put in. more