4 Best Paramedic Programs In Mesa, AZ (2022 Updated)

Mesa has a lot of great classes and opportunities but there are major issues. The sign up process for classes is confusing, many of the pathways online that are supposed to show you the courses you need for degrees are incorrect. Of course you should contact advisors to figure out which classes you need, but it is nearly impossible. There are so few advisors and very little availability. As of right now it asks you to make in person appointments with them and yet there are never any slots open. You can email advising which takes 2-3 days to get a response. You can try and call their office and wait on hold for an hour just to eventually get hung up on. It is in no way the advisors faults, anyone I have actually been able to contact has been as helpful as possible, but it is so hard to get a response or any help. I signed up for courses that the online pathway said I needed only to find out that they weren't actually necessary for my degree and others were. When I went to drop the courses and add the new ones it wouldn't let me because I owe money for the courses I am still enrolled in that haven't even started yet. So, I cannot sign up for the correct courses, have no clue which classes I actually need and cannot find advisors to help. I understand during the pandemic it is difficult for universities to find staff and help, but even before COVID Mesa was still just as inefficient. Mesa just needs to improve their communication and assistance with students, it would solve so many issues.Taylor Pouncey

MCC has a fantastic non-credit program for older adults: NFLL, or New Frontiers for Lifelong Learners. For an extremely reasonable fee, I sign up for as many of the program's classes as I please. They're online, in-person, or a mix of the two. There are also some field trips; we've just gone to a free day at the Desert Botanical Gardens, and next week there will be a trip to the new one in Queen Creek for a fee. A class on WW2 planes had a trip to Falcon Field, etc. Over the last few years I've taken classes in history, tech, health, music, and much more! There are also groups for discussion, playing games, hiking for 3 different levels, etc., as well as social and service activities. In-person classes are at MCC Mesa and Red Mtn campuses usually. Some classes have been through Great Courses, and many lecturers are former teachers/professors or experts in their field. Check it out–great program at low price! Update: on-campus classes are so easy to get to: it's a small campus (either Dobson or Red Mountain), and the free parking is ample and easily accessible.Natalie Satterthwaite

So I just signed up today.. I think which is the problem. There’s like 5 people sitting at a desk “helping” people get set up but they did absolutely nothing to help me get signed up they didn’t tell me I couldn’t sign up for my class the same day as I walked in and told them exactly what class I wanted and that I never attended college before. They don’t tell me it’s some weird 24 hour wait for the account to start working and they also did not at all clarify to make sure to take the student photo because now that I chose to skip that because NOBODY helped me I’m unable to finish my application lol hice apparently if I don’t finish in 48 hours will be deleted? They also didn’t tell me that. So this has been an absolutely awful experience thus far and I haven’t even been able to join a class yet.Ryan Jorgensen

I absolutely love the RT program here, the instructors are probably the best I have ever had. They have super high standards, but they also help you reach those high standards. The school is a bit pricey, but you get helpful instructors, with real experience, and who are ready to assist you whenever you need it. Plus, the hands on experience in class is a huge benefit. The only two downsides is not the program itself, but the food and beverage options in the school “cafe”, and the uniforms. For the price of the program, the uniforms are very stiff, and definitely nothing close to decent quality. So, if your enrolling, make sure to put some $$ aside to buy comfortable scrubs that actually fit you. As for the cafe, it would be great to have a real coffee machine (not instant coffee), so we don’t have the need to go off campus for caffeine. Overall though, I love my program, the instructors, and the new career PIMA is helping me prepare for. I definitely would recommend PIMA to anyone who wants to actually start a new medical career!Christina Romero

This school is easy to get started at. I was admitted to the RT program immediately after taking some brief tests and completing a mock study schedule. It is not a cheap option, but the wait list for cheaper schools is two years long…so I decided to get my schooling done rather than wait. I hope that the high price of education here all goes to the instructors, because they are the only worthwhile part of attending here. The admissions staff will make whatever promises they need to make to get you signed up, even if it is something they can’t deliver. The facility and equipment is old. The programs are fast paced and will leave you behind unless you are serious about learning the material.Derek Aaron

Choosing Pima Medical Institute and their Respiratory Therapy program was one of the best decisions my family and I have made. The program was very thorough and straightforward in the teachings. The thing I enjoyed the most was the constant engagement you were able to have with the instructors. Everyone is very open and willing to help in any situation whether it was school related or just life in general. The PD is amazing and she will do everything in her power to make sure you are not only a successful graduate but you are a successful RRT for many years to come. After completing the Respiratory program I passed my boards and I was offered multiple jobs on many different levels.Cody Morrow

This is not a day class, or a college course, or a scam. This is a Boot Camp led by a team who will force you to become a good EMT and have fun. Get up at 7 am to be there by 8, grab some coffee and start taking vitals and comparing homework or checking in with your group, attend lectures and complete assignments. Lots of demonstrations, videos, and the instructors tell tons of stories from their fields. I heard the most hilarious stories from Dan and Loren but everyone there has good humor and entertains while lecturing. Caleb was my favorite, the guy is so knowledgeable and concise and has a great voice. Everyone is pretty passionate about the subject matter and knows how to prevent boredom from setting in. We learn whole chapters and at a time during lectures and they give plenty of time to directly and thoroughly answering questions. After lectures, there's a lot of hands-on learning with mannequins\other people. At first it's just taking turns helping people stand up and learning how to take blood pressures or give epi but they get more and more realistic, by the end we'd get dispatched over the radio for a 911 call and have to push through a barricaded door into a dark room with music blasting and someone sobbing with open wounds or help a burn victim after an explosion. Maybe someone calls for a headache and I know that's just Nicole, but she's very good at her job so she's confused and losing consciousness and it 100% feels like a real patient having an emergency and sometimes we succeeded in saving the patient and sometimes we didn't. Every scene was a mystery and wrong decisions had consequences and it was designed to feel serious, everyone's rushing to set up the O2 tank or stop bleeds or figure out why the patient can't breathe. Jessa and Paige and John and the guy who looks kinda like Jack Black all gave us a hard time and really got in character with props and attitudes and as a theater kid myself I was impressed, they went the extra mile with everything. It was good information to have but it was fun, too. Class lasts around 12 hours but after the adrenaline and cramming and socializing, it often feels later. Get back to the hotel(a good discount is offered through Unitek) and study notes to pass your quizzes, do homework, type patient care reports. Or go to the bar with your new friends and talk about needing to study and end up getting a solid 3 hours of sleep. Tea, coffee, and hot cocoa are always available. There's always leftover lunches and dinners in the fridge as well. Lunch and dinner include a main dish, side dish, and sometimes a dessert. It's real food, too, the chicken might be kinda dry but it's no sack lunch. There's also vending machines and a nearby circle k in case you need another energy drink. It's an extremely challenging, stressful class and a lot of people wereconvinced at one point that they were going to fail or have to quit. It feels impossible to achieve everything expected for graduation and everyone has such a different background that it starts to feel hopeless at times, but the staff just push you through to the end and before you know it you're reciting all the acronyms and procedures and walking out with your certificate. The staff there are awesome, supportive, and trustworthy, everyone instructor was someone's favorite. Everyone cares a lot there. I would recommend this for anyone with determination and willingness to trust the process, regardless of skill level or experience, because they've seen it all and they've got your back. I already kinda miss it. 10\10 recommended, I'm lucky I came here.Green

It's very rare that you are thrown into a room between 40 other people who all have the same goal in mind, and who are all phenomenal individuals in their own right. Unitek was an incredible experience. The structure of the lessons and the pace of learning are very well researched and thought out. Each chapter was well involved, and the instructors left plenty of room for questions. This is, by far, the best EMT course in the nation. Everything combined made it the perfect way to learn and to push yourself. One of the other guys in the class had taken another EMT course, and had taken the NREMT, and said that he learned way more at Unitek than his other course. If you have the right attitude and determination, this course is for you.Sean Dickson

Incredible instructors. Each one has practical experience and shares that knowledge with the students. An intense course that prepares you for the EMS profession. Definitely prefer it over a longer and more drawn out course. They do an excellent job balancing lecture and hands-practice and you will come out of it prepared to work. I passed my NREMT exam on the first try because of the excellent job they do preparing you for the test. They also pay for your first two attempts and for a review service that was extremely helpful. Would 100% recommend, the instructors will do everything in their power to see you succeed and truly care about their students.Trey Holloway

Our daughter graduated from this school for EMT and she is now working full time as an EMT and is close to completing the paramedic program. We highly recommend this program not only for the first rate instructors, top notch education, but for how understanding they are of the schedules and life situations that the students have. I want to be clear the course is difficult, but with studying and effort, if you want to be a paramedic, this the best! Brief update. She finished the paramedic class and passed all her exams the first try. Great school!Karla Jensen

I just graduated from the EMT-B program and couldn't be happier with my choice to go to AAES. My lead instructor was fantastic and I learned so much in this school. When the time came to take the National Registry exam I felt extremely prepared. All of the instructors, proctors, and staff here want you to succeed. That much is obvious from day one. If you really want to succeed this is the school for you. (Also THANKS TANNER! Best teacher ever right here)Alex Moore

Beware graduation rate is very low. You don’t get much skills training which is so important when your work to save someone life. You won’t be prepared well if you graduate. Go to Phoenix college there you will get a good education.Valdez