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I am sharing my husband’s story as fair warning to anyone considering attending PMI (Pima Medical Institute) either as a nurse or in any of their other classes.
My husband made a mid-life career change in 2008 and wanted to get into the medical field. He didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do, so it took an expensive Medical Assistant course at PMI. He graduated top of his class, received much praise from all his instructors for his positive attitude and extra efforts to make everyone attending the classes love being there. He quickly landed a position at Cigna.
After working for approximately one year as an MA, he decided to further his education and wanted to pursue the nursing field. He was encouraged to take a 1-1/2 year long course schedule to build upon his MA and get an associates degree in Healthcare Management (which he was told would give him all the pre-reqs to apply for the nursing program at PMI). Again he graduated head of the class. Then went onto apply for the nursing program with a 97% on his HESI test. The counselors said he was the poster child of PMI.
Today he went for his final interview with the Nursing Director at Pima, Mesa. He got an angry instructor that had NOT read any of his file, she seemed pissed-off she was even doing the interview. She talked DOWN to him about all his education being just from PIMA (the school she is teaching at) and said she didn’t see any other college transcripts in his file. She had no clue that he had been working in the medical field for 2+ years, and only seemed to focus on his MA course, not the additional course load to get his associates degree. Additionally, she was asking canned questions and seemed to have no interest in getting to know a possible wonderful student that would do great things – just doing the basics to get through the interview.
He was then told by the nurse instructor that unfortunately his classes with Pima were not valid as prerequisites for Pima’s own Nursing Program - that Pima does not issue enough credit hours in those classes to make them acceptable as prereqs.?!?
Pima had encouraged my husband to take the HC associates, indicating it would be helpful to get him into the nursing program for 7k, while he could have just taken the pre reqs. they offer for 2.5k.
We feel cheated by Pima. For the last 3 years, my husband gave the best of himself to the school getting exceptionally good grades and paid their outrageous tuition … For what? Obviously nothing they promised to sell these classes to the husband turned out to be true.
Be warned.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I was a victim of a technical school in Houston where I chose to enroll in a 17K program to become a medical assistant, back in early 2010. I have been a state certified medic since early 2003, and my experience in healthcare dates back to 1995. I was an honors student, I was raised to be a model student and observe proper conduct in the classroom. After I started this program, to my horror, it was full of ex-convicts, drug addicts, inner city drop outs with GEDS, and other people NOT QUALIFIED TO EVER WORK IN HEALTHCARE. Having been in advanced placement classes my ENTIRE life, in addition to attending the University of Houston, I was horrified at the lack of respect, discipline, and classroom management. By the time we were two weeks into the program, I already had a target painted on my back for harassment and bullying from students I had no quarrel with. They didn't like me because I was smart, and made the highest grades, asked questions in class, and made repeated complaints that there be some semblance of discipline in the classroom. I felt like I was living in the movie "Dangerous Minds." Eventually I was threatened (to be shot), and was the victim of an attempted attack while on break (the supervisor had ORDERS to guard me from these students), which was in direct retaliation to a police report I was urged to file. THAT is a crime in and of itself. I also have concrete evidence (printouts) of a group of students who used a facebook thread to plan a way of drawing me off campus so they could kick my (butt) without consequence. Ultimately, the adminstration found their own way, despite an overabundance of documentation of all actions against me, to expel me with an outrageous claim that I threatened a teacher and a student with a weapon, which was a total lie. In addition, the students that I proved (and have on camera), were exhibiting violent behaviior towards me, were not expelled. They were allowed to continue. I still had the highest grade in the class. The instructors, angry that I had told the administration that they were not teaching the course material, turned a blind eye.
The worst thing that happened was when i had a life threatening allergic reaction. I have had a latex allergy since 2003. It has NEVER been an issue at any healthcare job because I wear sleeves and carry my own gloves, and remain aware of my surroundings as to not come into contact with it. This was AFTER i filed a report that certain bullies were waving latex gloves in MY FACE in order to make me take a step back to "get out of the way". Someone put a latex glove in a drawer, and despite all of my precautions, I touched it. I was given the crappiest first aid EVER by three medical assistants, including the program director, and my privacy rights were violated because instead of taking the class back to the room, they were allowed to look on in delight, EVEN AFTER THE AMBULANCE GOT THERE AND HIPAA WAS ATTACHED. Thanks to that, I now carry an epi pen.
This was ATI Technical School, on the east side of Houston. I am so sorry for what your husband is going through, because it sounds like he, like me, had the best of intentions in becoming the best healthcare worker out there, and wanted t0 make a difference, and instead was shunned, and you were taken for a sum of money you shouldn't have to pay.
I am filing a lawsuit against my technical school. the Houston BAR association has a hotline where you can call and talk to a lawyer free of charge for advice regarding legal issues. If you have a case, make a case. And e-mail Randy Wallace with FOX 26 Investigates-- because after i file my suit, he's investigating the bullying angle, why the cops never filed charges, and that I was fraudulently admitted into this program. He checks his email and reads what people have to say. Don't sugarcoat a thing.
Please contact me.
Regards,
SJ
onerocknation@live.com
I agree with the last 2 bad reviews. They will lie and tell you anything to get you into their school and take your money. Made complaints to the DOE. They said in the beginning that their credits are accredited and can be transferred to any college including CSN. 3 months into it, after many teachers and staff gossiping, I questioned CSN directly of the transfer of credits and they told me basically "That school is a real joke, we had have many students here fall victim." I confronted the director about the accreditation and I was told "TECHNICALLY its college accredited at ONE college located in NEBRASKA" seriously?! So they just generally claimed they were accredited by national colleges because this ONE college in Nebraska would take it. I've asked them to credit back my student loans and returned most of my items that they provided because I felt cheated and wronged. I've yet to hear from anyone from the DOE to help but I'm pretty sure there are many more out there who have had fallen victim to this atrocious school. If anyone wants to join in and do something about this, then shoot me an email at againstpima702@gmail.com SOMEONE MUST MAKE A STAND
I too am a graduate to Pima Medical Institue. I am working on a civil suit for any one who wishes to file a claim. I am doin all the leg work and have already spoken to a lawyer who says that if i get as many people to join the civil case he will go further in taking action and calls it the 'bait and swich'. I can be reached by email if you would like to join this class action suit at amaya4223@yahoo.com. please email me class action in the heading and tell me about you and the degree you graduated from as well as the experiance you had with PIMA.
Be careful about attending PIMA medical institute in Houston.There are allowing ghetto thugs into the program who are bullying other students. The teachers blame the victims for not standing up to the bullies and they support the bullies. PIMA has NO anti-bullying program and disrespect, rudeness and unprofessional conduct and bullying goes unpunished. Stay away from this school the teachers don't support the good students if they are victims of bullying.
This school.is a joke, as they called themselves professors. They looked down on students. tell students to stop wasting theirs time when they have questions. wash cloths and clean the tables after the semester, when you paid 50k and have to cleaned tables at school?.
I am a very recent graduate from pmi in Houston. Everything that has been mentioned happened to me. From the bullying of which no one including the staff, was willing to stop, to saying anything to get your money. I took the vet assistant program of which finding out later, anyone off of the street can honestly do. Please don't waste your time or money on this socalled college.