The Tampa City Council issued a special commendation during its
meeting on Thursday, June 20, recognizing and celebrating Ultimate
Medical Academy’s 30th year of preparing learners to fill
much-needed jobs in healthcare.
Councilman Luis Viera, District 7, initiated the
commendation, which was then endorsed by all members of the
Council.
“A community’s strength depends on the health
and well-being of its people,” said Councilman Viera. “As Tampa’s
population continues to scale and demand for healthcare services
outpaces the current supply, we need more well-trained, caring
individuals to pursue careers in healthcare. That’s where Ultimate
Medical Academy comes in.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects there
will be nearly 17 million new and open healthcare jobs between 2021
and 2031.
Founded in Tampa Bay and operating since 1994,
UMA is a non-profit, accredited, higher education institution with
the mission of equipping and empowering learners to excel in
healthcare careers. It specializes in programs for allied health
positions like phlebotomists, nursing assistants, medical
assistants, mental health assistants, emergency medical technicians
(EMTs) and more.
According to a 2022 survey by AMN Healthcare,
85% of healthcare facilities are currently facing a shortage of
allied health workers.
“These are the essential workers who can check
your vital signs, take blood samples, prepare your medication, or
respond to your call for an ambulance,” said UMA President Tom
Rametta. “They make up the backbone of our nation’s healthcare
system, and we desperately need more of them. At UMA, our team
members – more than 1,000 of whom live in the Tampa Bay area – are
deeply passionate about preparing and supporting learners to meet
that growing need.”
In its 30 years of operation, UMA has grown from
a small ground campus in Clearwater, Florida, to an institution
serving more than 18,000 students nationwide across multiple campus
locations in Tampa Bay and other parts of the country, as well as a
robust online campus. The school has more than 85,000 graduates
across the country with more than 13,000 in Tampa Bay who have gone
on to work for hundreds of healthcare employers in the community
including organizations like Tampa General Hospital, BayCare,
Bayfront Health and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
UMA works directly with healthcare employers to
understand their talent requirements, match qualified graduates to
open roles, and develop programs to meet their most pressing
needs.
For example, in partnership with the Crisis
Center of Tampa Bay, UMA launched a new apprenticeship program in
2022 to help meet an urgent need for EMTs in the community. In its
first year, the program put 50 new EMTs on the roads in Tampa, and
it is on track to add another 100 this year.
The majority of UMA’s students are adult
learners with some workforce experience in other industries who
have decided to pursue a new career in healthcare. As
non-traditional learners, many are working full-time and managing
family responsibilities while pursuing their education.
UMA’s model is especially designed to support
these unique learners through accessible, asynchronous programs
that allow schedule flexibility and through wraparound support
services to help students navigate obstacles outside of the
classroom that can interfere with academic success.
“We believe in a Ripple Effect of Care,” said
Rametta. “It starts with care for our team members who are
empowered to care for our students who then go on to care for
patients in our communities. We’re excited to be celebrating 30
years of impact, but that ripple effect is just beginning. There’s
a growing need for healthcare workers, and we are committed to
meeting that need as much as possible, now and well into the
future.”
About Ultimate Medical Academy
The need for skilled healthcare workers in the
United States continues to grow. Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) is
an accredited, nonprofit educational institution that helps to meet
that need by equipping and empowering students to do vital work at
the heart of healthcare. In addition to offering diploma and degree
programs, UMA works closely with healthcare companies to connect
students directly to job opportunities.
Based in Tampa, Florida, and operating for 30
years, UMA offers hands-on learning at its main campus in
Clearwater, Florida as well as content-rich, interactive programs
through its online campus. The institution supports students
through every step of their journey with access to academic
support, interview and resume coaching, job search assistance,
technical support and more.
UMA has more than 85,000 alumni and more than
14,000 students nationwide. The institution also provides certified
continuing medical education (CME) through ongoing training and
professional development opportunities to physicians, nurses and
other medical professionals throughout the U.S. annually.
UMA is institutionally accredited by
the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES,
www.ABHES.org). The continuing medical education programs are
individually accredited and are not included within the
institution’s grant of accreditation from ABHES. Learn more by
visiting www.ultimatemedical.edu
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- Tampa City Council Recognizes UMA's 30th Anniversary
- Tampa City Council Recognizes UMA's 30th Anniversary
Crystal L. Lauderdale
Ultimate Medical Academy
media@ultimatemedical.edu