Patient Care Technician

What is a Patient Care Technician? Patient care technicians are dedicated and empathetic healthcare professionals who support doctors, nurses, and other staff members in providing compassionate care. This may include taking vital signs, completing lab work, helping patients bathe and move, performing administrative duties, and more. In UMA’s Patient Care Technician program, your experience matters to us. With offer a blended learning format that includes a campus environment with the added benefit of online learning features. You’ll attend labs on a weekly basis while also being able to access lectures and other course material from the comfort of your home. Patient Care Technicians are not a licensed profession in Florida and graduates can work as Patient Care Technicians in many settings without taking or passing the CNA examination. Working as a Patient Care Technician The Patient Care Technician Diploma Program at UMA's Clearwater Campus helps prepare you for entry-level positions in the field through a combination of online lectures and coursework as well as hands-on lab settings at the campus and an on-site externship. Through this approach, you'll focus on topics such as pathology, body systems, operating diagnostic equipment, and administering EKGs. Employment is projected to grow 2% from 2024 to 2034 and is projected to have 211,800 job openings each year, on average, over that decade.1 UMA graduates in this program have found entry-level patient care technician positions in the following environments: Dialysis clinicsHospitalsUrgent care clinicsNursing homes (long-term care)Physician offices Why UMA?

Ultimate Medical Academy was founded in 1993 to serve the Tampa community’s need to train healthcare professionals, launched its online campus in 2009, and since 2015 has been owned by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (now Vocate Education Solutions). UMA says it has supported more than 100,000 graduates.

• UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education.
• Many programs are fully online, and tech support is available 24/7.
• Standardized testing is not required to enroll: no SAT, GMAT, GRE or ACT.
• Tuition includes coursework materials (textbooks, e-books and software), online and on-campus libraries with librarian support, and externship or professional practice experience in select programs.
• Student support includes one-on-one academic assistance, a personalized student portal, committed advisors from start to finish, and laptops for those who qualify.
• Certification preparation, where applicable, with exam-focused material and support at no additional cost.
• Job search assistance that begins before graduation, resume and mock interview sessions, and ongoing alumni services.

General admissions requirements. Before enrolling, prospective students must have completed a valid high school diploma or equivalent (a standard diploma, official home-schooling, a GED, HiSET or TASC, a state-recognized equivalency certificate, or a DD-214 showing high school completion; special diplomas are not accepted), be proficient in verbal and written English, and be beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in Florida. Students in an entirely online program must pass an Identity Verification (IDV) check.

Enrollment steps. Applicants interview with admissions, complete all required admission documents and an Attestation of High School Graduation or Equivalent, participate in orientation before the program starts, and attend a financial aid appointment. A Level I background check must be completed satisfactorily by the eighth calendar day after the start (Level II for Patient Care Technician). Every new student is first registered on a provisional basis for the first module (the first two modules for Health Sciences - Pharmacy Technician); provisionally registered students do not pay tuition, and those who cancel during this period incur no tuition obligation. Standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT are not required.

Level II background check. A satisfactory Level II background check is required; UMA generally uses the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) background eligibility requirements, with decisions made before the last day of the provisional enrollment period. Another background check is run toward the end of the didactic and laboratory portion, before externship. A 165-hour clinical externship is required. The program is for Florida residents only.

Length. Instructional time is 42 weeks and normal time is 48 weeks for 31.5 semester credits (1,590 total clock hours (720 inside clock hours and 870 recognized outside clock hours)). Normal time is UMA’s more realistic completion estimate because it includes scheduled breaks; actual completion can vary with leaves of absence, transfer credit or repeated coursework.

Format. The program is blended (Clearwater and UMA Online): the didactic portion of courses is delivered online via distance education and the laboratory portion on campus, with the externship in a healthcare setting. Out-of-class work is required.

Courses and starts. Each course is a module of 5 to 16 weeks depending on the program, and attendance online is based on completing academically related activities such as discussion boards, assignments and tests. At Clearwater the programme runs in day classes. Externship hours are based on a minimum of 30 hours per week and are offered during the site’s regular business hours; UMA does not guarantee night or weekend hours.

Tuition. Tuition for the 31.5-semester-credit Patient Care Technician diploma is $14,962.50, calculated at $475 per credit hour, with books included, so the total cost is also $14,962.50 (published for both Clearwater and UMA Online). Tuition varies when courses are failed and must be repeated; retake fees are charged at full tuition equal to the original cost of the course. UMA tuition includes coursework materials (textbooks, e-books and software), online and on-campus libraries, student services and laptops for those who qualify.

Financial aid. UMA offers Federal Student Aid to those who qualify, including Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS loans for parents, and Federal Work Study at the Clearwater campus. Students apply by completing the FAFSA each award year, listing UMA’s school code 035493. UMA also participates in military and veterans’ benefits (Tuition Assistance, the GI Bill® chapters, MyCAA and the Yellow Ribbon Program, with special military pricing published in the catalog) and Florida state aid such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant and Bright Futures. Student Finance advisors help applicants understand their options.

The program prepares students for entry-level employment in hospitals, nursing homes, physicians’ offices and other healthcare facilities as Patient Care Technicians, Phlebotomists or a Medical Assistant. Patient Care Technicians work alongside doctors and nurses to provide the day-to-day care patients need, performing clinical, laboratory and office tasks and monitoring and recording patients’ basic vital signs.

UMA reports that graduates of this program have found entry-level work in these environments:

• Dialysis clinics
• Hospitals
• Urgent care clinics
• Nursing homes (long-term care)
• Physician offices

Certification. Patient Care Technicians are not required to obtain licensure or certifications to practice in Florida. Students receive course preparation to sit for the optional Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam offered through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) and the Patient Care Technician, Phlebotomy Technician and Electrocardiogram (ECG) Technician certifications offered through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT); graduates must meet eligibility requirements to sit for the examinations.

UMA’s Career Services advisors help graduates with resume reviews, job search strategy, interview preparation and the application process, and provide on-the-job support for a graduate’s first weeks of employment. UMA does not guarantee employment.

Support from start to finish. New Student Advisors help students adjust to UMA during their first 10-15 weeks, after which each student is assigned a Learner Services Advisor who stays with them through graduation. Academic Specialists answer questions about discussions, assignments and assessments and connect students with instructors, who can also be reached during office hours or by email.

Resources. The UMA Virtual Library holds thousands of peer-reviewed, full-text articles available at any time, with a full-time librarian for research help. The Student Success Center, Wellness Center and Puma Den Information Center offer on-demand webinars, instructor sessions and help with laptops and technical support, and the UMA Student Guidance Center provides confidential counseling 24/7 at no additional cost.

Externships and careers. In select programs the Externship Team helps students find real-world experience before graduation; Certification Services helps students register for certification exams; and more than 125 Career Services advisors offer resume, interview and LinkedIn coaching, with Alumni Services continuing after graduation.

Attendance and graduation. Online attendance is based on completing academically related activities such as discussion boards, assignments and tests; students absent for 14 consecutive calendar days are withdrawn. To graduate, students complete all required courses and any externship, clinical or PPE hours, earn a minimum CGPA of 2.0, and satisfy attendance requirements.