“Quitters never win.”
This is one of the most important lessons Denise has ever learned. It’s an important message her parents taught her, and something Pima Medical Institute only reinforced.
“I grew a lot at Pima,” she said. “The instructors encouraged me to go out and do what I wanted to do – to try, and not give up.”

Denise enrolled at Pima after working for years at several retail jobs. She decided to leave that industry for the medical field because of her deep desire to help others.
“I wanted to work with people,” she said. “More importantly, I wanted to help them.”

Denise enrolled in the Dental Assistant certificate program at the Albuquerque campus in 2002. While she appreciated the knowledge that would eventually jump-start her career, she also enjoyed the camaraderie of the students and teachers.
“My experience at PMI was wonderful. The teachers really cared for us,” she said. “They were always patient and always answered our questions. Being there was just like being part of a family.”

Toward the end of her 30-week study, Denise accepted a position as a dental assistant at a local Albuquerque-based dental office. It was just one of many job offers that came her way while she was a student at PMI.

Once Denise was in her new job, it became clear very quickly that attending Pima gave her a big advantage over her colleagues.
“The curriculum is what makes Pima Medical Institute different,” she said. “Other dental assistants don’t seem to know even half as much as what I learned, and these people even went to school longer than I did.”

Today, Denise continues to learn and grow more in her new career. After learning the ropes as a dental assistant, she would eventually like to become a dentist, she said.

What started as a simple lesson when she was growing up has turned into a way of life for Denise. She hasn’t quit, and she won’t give up on her dreams to become a dentist, either. Denise’s never-say-die attitude gave her the motivation she wanted, but her education at Pima Medical Institute provided the experience she needed to achieve just the first of many career goals.
“My experience at Pima was wonderful,” she said. “It gave me confidence to do what I wanted to do.”