Is PIMA Medical Institute Worth It?
PIMA San Marcos is a medical school in North City, San Diego. Although it has accreditation from the Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and offers affordable education, some people still doubt, is PIMA Medical Institute worth it?
PIMA has several program-specific and state licensing and approval. It is an employee-owned private medical college. Stay with us to learn more about PIMA and the interesting things you can do in San Marcos while studying.
All Required Info on PIMA San Marcos
Location
PIMA Institute San Marcos is a 45,000 square feet (4180.63 square meters) facility located in North City, north of San Diego County, California. North City is a multipurpose neighborhood featuring 12.12 hectares (30 acres) of parks, over a mile (1.6 kilometers) of urban trails, restaurants, medical facilities, entertainment, retail, and outdoor activity.
Physical Address: 111 Campus Way, San-Marcos, CA 92078-8702
How Many Students are Accepted Per Year?
PIMA Institute has a total enrollment of 567 students with an acceptance rate of 100%. The college accepts about 50 to 60 students each year.
Admission Criteria for US Students
An applicant’s likelihood of getting admission to this college can increase by having a better GPA. Additionally, most colleges and universities consider it a critical element in admissions. Pima Medical Institute, however, deviates from this norm.
The applicants must also be aware of the prerequisites for admission, including the paperwork needed and the factors taken into account by Pima Medical Institute when making admissions choices, among other things.
Applicants should have a high school diploma or the equivalent in a certified GED program. Applicants must provide a high school transcript or proof that they successfully did a GED test before they can enroll in classes.
Also, applicants who are not of legal age must provide a parent’s or legal guardian’s written consent. The minimum requirement for enrollment for students of obligatory school age is a high school diploma.
Every applicant needs to take and pass an admission exam. Except for California, applicants who can provide authentic academic transcripts or certificates proving they have completed an associate degree or higher may have this criterion removed. All candidates for medical degrees and certificates must have an interview before acceptance.
Students may request that Pima Medical Institute send them their ACT scores even though it is not necessary for admission. Except in California, the campus director accepts late enrollments in some cases.
Here is how to apply:
Step 1: Contact the College
Speaking with an admission officer is the first step toward your career in healthcare at PIMA. The officer will get in touch with you as soon as possible to get you started once you submit the request for more information form on their website.
You can also call customer support straight away: 1-800-477-7462. Someone will guide you through the online admissions process after identifying the best program for you.
Step 2: Complete an Interview
In order to assess whether the program is a good fit for you, one of PIMA’s online admissions consultants will meet with you to review your career objectives, educational history, and program specifics.
Step 3: Transfer Your Credits
An admission agent is always available to assist you with transferring prior academic credits from Pima Medical or other institutions and, if necessary, reviewing licensure criteria.
While applicants with primary healthcare education may be able to apply those credits for quicker program completion, their Health Care Administration Associate Degree does not require the transfer of credits.
Step 4: Reviewing Financial Aid Options.
When you enroll, a member of the admissions team will put you in touch with a financial counselor to discuss your funding choices.
Step 5: Meet Your Program Director
Following enrollment, students have a virtual one-on-one introduction with their program director. This is a special chance for the college team to learn about your learning objectives, go through your timetable, and get any questions answered before you begin your program.
Admission Criteria for Foreign Students
Admission criteria for international students who want to study in the United States cut across all educational institutions. PIMA Institute is no exception. Here is how to go about it:
International applicants are welcome at Patt College from all around the world, but they must first satisfy the following requirements:
- Submit an online application for admission.
- Look through the catalog, then select the program of your choice.
- Provide your I-20 visa and a copy of your passport.
- Provide your financial information. This proves that you have enough money to cover your living expenses while abroad for at least one academic year. Also, proof you can afford to buy books, supplies, and other educational expenses. The current requirements are in the I-20 application.
- Provide a current, authentic, and approved bank statement. This demonstrates that you have a year’s worth of funding. If you are a sponsored student, your sponsor may give you an official bank statement and a letter of support from the person controlling the finances.
- Take your English test from an approved provider. Remember there is a minimum score each applicant must pass before admission into the college.
Educational Opportunities (Which Programs They Offer)
Whether you are just starting your degree/ diploma or hoping to advance your existing medical career, PIMA provides a wide range of options. They provide accelerated campus programs with a genuinely hands-on learning style so you can enter the workforce quickly and confidently.
The college offers a total of 10 certificate and associate’s degree level programs. Health education is the predominant program. Here are the education programs offered at PIMA Medical Institute San Marcos:
- Veterinary Technician
- Veterinary Assistant
- Dental Assistant
- Respiratory Therapy
- Healthcare Administration
- Pharmacy Technician
- Phlebotomy Technician
- Medical Assistant
- Nursing Assistant
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Ophthalmic Medical Technician
- Physical Therapist Assistant
Other Educational Opportunities
Online Learning
PIMA Medical Institute’s online section offers 100% online and flexible top-notch courses. You can balance work, school, and life, thanks to them. You don’t gain less experience just because you’re taking classes online. There are eight online degree programs.
Project-based learning is essential for adaptable coursework to provide practical, useful learning outcomes. Whether new to the healthcare industry or looking to advance in your existing position, the programs will prepare you for the next career phase.
Online programs are:
- Bachelors of Science in Respiratory Therapy
- Bachelors of Science in Radiologic Sciences
- Health Care Administration
- Radiography
- Bachelors of Science in Physical Therapy
- Bachelors of Science in Nursing
- Bachelors of Science in Health Care Administration
Academic Planning
PIMA San Marcos has a team of academic planning experts available to help students plan and make schoolwork a priority. This is an essential program, especially for first-year college students.
Tutoring
At PIMA, when students need more help, a ready team arranges for them to meet with a tutor on campus. Tutoring is available for students who struggle with academics at no additional fee.
Clinical Internship
It is imperative to complete several of PIMA’s on-campus programs before you graduate. A clinical internship is among them. It is an excellent learning opportunity and an opportunity to practice what you already learned in class.
You will have the chance to improve your classroom abilities. You’ll also be able to learn more through interacting with actual patients and healthcare professionals.
Internship rotation may be a part of some programs; this will allow students to learn new skills, broaden their knowledge of various approaches, hone their customer service abilities, and confront difficulties that may arise in the workplace.
Some advantages of clinical internship for students include:
- Getting employment support.
- Increasing their resume’s core skills.
- Learning about job opportunities.
What Else Do They Offer Other Than Education
Student Services
A team of experts in student services is available at Pima to help students with any difficulties they may encounter while pursuing their academic goals. They provide direction and resources to develop medical professionals who are ultimately employable.
Career Services
PIMA helps graduates find employment and advance their careers, and we support students in their professional growth. Their devoted staff of career services experts has a toolset of materials to help undergraduates and recent graduates.
The college supports students long after they graduate and throughout their professional lives. Tools consist of:
Professional Development
Career Services will run courses during a student’s degree that address a range of professional subjects, such as creating cover letters and resumes, nailing a job interview, networking techniques, and more!
Job Placement Assistance
After students finish their training program, the Career Services staff helps them find employment. Every graduate is eligible for this service, including assistance with job placement, cover letters, resumes, and interview techniques.
Externship Placement
The career services division handles the last course most students take before graduating, externship placements. More than 15,000 organizations collaborate with Pima Medical to offer students practical training during their studies’ externship and clinical components.
Pima Medical graduates have employment prospects thanks to these productive partnerships. Many of the companies that hosted their clinical externships hire our graduates.
Housing Resources
Pima Medical does not provide on-campus housing; however, we may give our students services to help them find accommodation.
Food and Nutrition Assistance
It’s PIMA’s priority for their students to focus on learning rather than their next meal. For this reason, the administration links needy students to neighborhood services and provides a campus food pantry.
Mental Health Resources
PIMA Institute, in collaboration with AllOne Health, assists students with mental health issues.
This program offers access to mental health counseling from professionals. It also has round-the-clock support via a mobile app.
Departments/ Centers/ Institutes
Financial Aid Programs
At PIMA San Marcos, financial aid comes in many different forms. If you meet the requirements, their group of skilled professionals can guide you through the procedure. In compliance with federal laws, all Title IV financial aid money received by the university goes directly to the student’s account (except for Federal Work Study).
Here are the types of financial aid available at PIMA Institute:
General Financial Aid
- Federal Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Federal Direct Student Loan Program
- Federal Work-Study Program
Campus-Based Funding
- Interest Rates and Fees for Federal Stafford Loans
- Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans
New Interest Rate Cap for Military Members
- Veterans Benefits
- Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
- Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership
- Federal PLUS Loans
Scholarships
- Alumni Online Education Scholarship
- 50th Anniversary Scholarship
- Pacific Dental Services® Foundation’s Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship
Student to Faculty Ratio
Pima Medical Institute – San Marcos has a student-to-teacher ratio of 15 to 1, which is approximately normal given that the national average is also 15 to 1. While this does not directly relate to class size, it is a reliable predictor of the amount of one-on-one time professors will have with their students.
Some people consider the percentage of full-time academic staff as a measure of how much time they will have to spend with their students. This is because part-time teachers may spend less time on campus than their full-time counterparts.
33% of the faculty at Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos work full-time. Compared to the 47% national average, this is lower.
Students Retention Rate
The retention percentage for new students at Pima Medical Institute in San Marcos is 74%. It’s encouraging that full-time students want to continue attending the institution and working with their instructors for another academic year. Additionally, it shows that the admissions committee did an excellent job of selecting candidates who were a good fit for the institution.
Things to do in San Marcos
San Marcos, approximately 30 miles from Austin, is home to a sizable amount of green space, a historic downtown, and the biggest outlet mall in the country.
Visitors or students can enjoy a variety of hip stores and warm cafes. Still, those who like the outdoors are well cared for—the neighboring San Marcos River offers opportunities for activities like fly-fishing and kayaking.
Even though the city is more than just a day’s drive from Austin, here are the top things to see and do while you’re there. Before your visit, we advise calling the restaurants and attractions to confirm the most recent opening hours.
Bobcat Stadium
At Texas State University, the spectacular football stadium known as Bobcat Stadium seats 30,000 spectators. It is, of course, the Texas State Bobcats’ home field, and attending a game here is undoubtedly one of the top things to do in San Marcos.
The Bobcat Stadium is an exciting and enjoyable location for sports lovers and those looking for leisure time. It is in the city’s downtown district. The stadium occasionally hosts other events and has even served as the backdrop for several films, like The Ringer, and other TV shows, including Friday Night Lights.
Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force
This facility is inside a vintage wooden airplane hangar constructed in 1942. This facility is an establishment meant to preserve World War II aviation history.
The museum has a collection of vintage airplanes, a military museum, and a library with lots of military literature. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to board an authentic World War II aircraft and experience real flight services with pre-reservation.
Glass-Bottom Boat Cruises at Meadows Center
Meadows Center Glass-bottom Boat trips’ instructional glass-bottom boat tours enable guests to discover Spring Lake’s natural beauty. Visitors will get a close-up view of turtles, prawns, several varieties of fish, and other aquatic critters as the guides discuss the lake’s distinctive ecological and archaeological significance.
The half-hour boat rides operate routinely from 30 minutes after opening to 30 minutes before closing, though hours vary depending on the season. Visitors are welcome to explore the center’s gift shop after their boat trip, stroll through the grounds, and take in the educational exhibits.
Hill Country Fly-Fishing
Founded on the principle that anyone, regardless of ability level, can enjoy fly-fishing, Hill Country Fly-fishing provides a variety of guided fishing trips and seminars tailored to each customer’s needs and interests.
The Llano River, the Blanco River, and the San Marcos River are half-day and full-day guided tour destinations. They provide all essential fishing equipment, so you don’t have to worry about buying them. Also, the trip cost includes food and beverages.
Hill Country Fly-fishing is happy to sell specially made flies and offers individualized and group casting workshops.
LBJ Museum
The LBJ Museum of San Marcos is one of your greatest selections if you’re seeking more activities to satisfy the history enthusiast in you. The late 36th President Lyndon Baines Johnson was in office from 1963 to 1969. However, this extraordinary museum doesn’t concentrate on those years.
Instead, the LBJ Museum celebrates President Johnson’s time as a college student, a teacher, and an educator, as well as how those years shaped and influenced the passage of the historic Great Society legislation that still has an impact on America today.
Various artifacts from the man’s presidency are in the permanent exhibits, which concentrate on historical periods beginning in 1930. These include vintage photos, paintings, statues, and sample voting machines.
One of the city’s free activities is visiting the LBJ Museum. Through personal objects like his Stetson hat and cowboy boots, you can learn about President Johnson’s career and life and get an insight into his Hill Country upbringing.
Longhorn Racing Academy
The Longhorn Racing Academy is a sports car enthusiast’s paradise, with a collection of elite automobiles. Visitors can either join in on a ride-along with a professional driver at the close-by Harris Hill Raceway or get behind the wheel and drive one of the vehicles around the race track for a few laps.
Drivers can receive both classroom and on-the-road instruction, and insurance and helmet rentals are inclusive of the price. A high-performance driver education course consisting of two classrooms and four track sessions is an additional choice.
Paddle SMTX
Paddle SMTX offers a variety of trips for people wishing to get out and enjoy some time on the river. The San Marcos River is a fantastic location for paddle boarding and kayaking. The Glow Light Night Excursions is ideal for anyone searching for a wonderful experience in the dark. The paddles have waterproof LED lights that light the water creating a brilliant display.
Daytime choices include paddleboard yoga lessons and adaptable guided tours. Additionally, the business rents out equipment, including kayaks, paddleboards, and a “supzilla” board that can accommodate up to 5 people.
Purgatory Creek Natural Area
The Purgatory Creek Natural Area is the largest designated natural area in the vicinity of San Marcos, covering more than 283.28 hectares (700 acres). The 3.6 hectares (9-acre) Prospect Park has walking routes and a learning center that provides educational opportunities for people of all ages.
The Purgatory Creek Natural Area is one of the most well-liked elements of the San Marcos neighborhood. It has two territories: Upper Purgatory and Lower Purgatory.
While Lower Purgatory has 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) of trails popular with mountain bikers and trail runners, Upper Purgatory has a limestone cave and a network of trails popular with birdwatchers and environment lovers.
Rio Vista Dam
In 1998, a flood severely damaged the Rio Vista Dam; however, it has since experienced restoration and transformed into a 5.26-hectare (13-acre) park with artificial rapids and a deep swimming hole ideal for cooling off in the sweltering summer months.
Anyone interested in floating down the rapids can rent tubes from the park. At the same time, those looking to travel further down the river can borrow canoes and kayaks at the neighboring Olympic Outdoor Center. Visitors can take advantage of many facilities, including picnic tables, tennis courts, hiking and biking routes, and a city pool.
Snorkel TX
San Marcos offers some amazing snorkeling, but not many people know it. Snorkel TX is glad to show tourists its stunning underwater world. There are both self-guided and guided tours available; the one-hour Olympic Tour, which takes visitors along a length of the river with immaculate clarity, is the most well-liked choice.
There are discounts for students and veterans on all tours, and participants may anticipate seeing turtles, sunfish, and a wide variety of other aquatic life. Personal movies are available for anyone who wants to relive their experience, and wetsuits are available for lease at additional costs.
Texas State Tubes
The San Marcos River is the closest river to Austin that permits recreational tubing. Texas State Tubes takes pride in offering a cost-effective and hassle-free service for anyone interested in spending the day on the river.
The business provides parking areas at the start and conclusion of the float and a one-way shuttle service to make it simple for guests to travel to and from their cars. For groups of at least ten individuals, private float excursions are available. Texas State Tubes also provides public beatbox floats. It takes about three hours to do either kind of float.
Wonder World Cave and Park
It is an incredibly special, wholly original natural theme park. It is America’s only accessible earthquake cave and the first show cave in Texas.
Wonder World Cave and Park started its operations a decade earlier and became a tourist attraction in 1903. It is one of the most enjoyable locations to visit in the city. The Wonder Cave, the first dry-formed cave, is without a doubt the theme park’s main attraction, even though there are many other things you may enjoy there.
You can see the fault in the cave ceiling, formed naturally by the same earthquake that caused the Balcones Fault. Tours of the cave take you beneath, where you can learn about the area’s fascinating geological past and numerous distinctive rock formations.
After finishing your Wonder Cave tour, you can ride the Stratavator up to the park’s viewing tower, which is 120 feet above the ground. As you look out over the cave and fault line, the uplift of Hill Country, and the diving points of the Gulf Coastal Plains, you can observe the state’s geological features from this vantage position.
After having fun in the cave, you can explore the remaining 70,000 square feet of the amusement park. An Anti-Gravity House, a trackless motor train into an animal and wildlife park with its petting zoo and waterfall, and an exhilarating gem mining adventure are all available.
We’ve Got You Covered
PIMA Medical Institute-San Marcos is a private medical school in San Diego. It is a two years+ academic institution offering certificate and associate degree courses. You will gain practical experience as a PIMA student and develop professional skills necessary for career success.
One great thing about this college is that they offer flexible programs and schedules ranging from on-campus daytime classes, evening and weekend sessions, and distance learning via online courses. Certificate programs at PIMA college take as little as nine months to complete, while associate degrees take two years.
If you consider pursuing a medical course anywhere around north San Diego county, think about PIMA Medical Institute-San Marcos. Read our article and find out Pima Community College: A Superb Institution in Tucson, AZ.