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Patient care technicians give hands-on bedside care and support nurses in hospitals and clinics — a fast, affordable entry into Arizona healthcare where a certificate, not a four-year degree, gets you hired. Here's the roadmap, with the Arizona training, certification, and employers that matter.
Where to train in Arizona
Many Arizona PCTs start as a CNA, then add skills. The Maricopa Community Colleges across metro Phoenix (GateWay Community College is the health-careers campus) and Pima Community College in Tucson run nurse-aide and allied-health programs, alongside hospital and private career-school training.
Certification in Arizona
In Arizona the CNA step is regulated by the Arizona State Board of Nursing, which keeps the state nurse-aide registry and requires a competency exam. There is no separate Arizona PCT license — employers look for national certification like the NHA CPCT/A plus current BLS/CPR.
Where the Arizona jobs are
Arizona hospital systems — Banner Health, HonorHealth, and Dignity Health (CommonSpirit) — hire PCTs across Phoenix and Tucson, alongside dialysis providers (DaVita, Fresenius), long-term-care facilities, and clinics. Steady demand makes it a reliable way in.
Ready to start? Browse live Arizona opportunities — internships, training programs, and scholarships across the state.
A certificate and clean technique are the credential — reliable, compassionate care gets you hired
PCT work rewards compassion, stamina, and careful technique, not a four-year degree. Take a PCT program (often after CNA training), learn vitals, phlebotomy, and EKGs, and earn a CPCT/A credential plus BLS/CPR. Reliable, compassionate care is what lands work in hospitals, dialysis centers, and clinics — and makes a strong step toward nursing.
Keep going: see whether a nursing degree is worth it, compare becoming an EKG technician, and check if it will pay off.