About UMA

Supporting our students in healthcare education since 1994.

About UMA

Supporting our students in healthcare education since 1994.

Our nonprofit story continues.

Ultimate Medical Academy is a nonprofit healthcare educational institution with a national presence. For over 30 years, we’ve offered allied healthcare education, and now we offer content-rich, interactive online courses to approximately 14,000 students as well as campus-based training to hundreds of students. With more than 85,000 alumni, we are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (abhes.org).

To learn more about the healthcare programs offered at UMA, head to our online campus and ground campus pages.

Here for our students, every step of the way

With a mission to equip and empower students to excel in healthcare careers, the UMA experience includes individualized student services throughout all phases of the student journey, from admissions to assistance with the job search.

Our students have access to academic advising, one-on-one academic support, resume and interview coaching, job search assistance, technical support, and more. We support our alumni in finding new jobs, progressing in their current positions, and remaining competitive in the job market.

Student Services >

Valuable employer partnerships

We are proud to offer allied healthcare staffing solutions — in the form of skilled UMA healthcare grads — to our employer partners across the country.

Employer Partners >

Continuing medical education

We also provide Continuing Medical Education (CME) offerings that provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities to physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals throughout the U.S. annually.

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Our Culture

If you like helping others, you’re in good company here. UMA students and team members are not only passionate about healthcare, but also about making a positive impact on the community around them through community service and philanthropic activities that we support throughout the year. We respect a healthy balance of work life and play time. Learn more about what it’s like to work here.

Work Here >

Our History

1994

After being founded in Clearwater, Florida as Ultimate Learning Center, Inc., the institution was recognized by Florida’s Commission on Independent Education and started serving the Tampa Bay community’s need for trained nursing assistants and related roles. Over time, we recognized the growing need for trained professionals in other healthcare specialties and employers’ needs for multi-skilled staff, so the institution began to offer a wider range of programs focused on developing allied healthcare professionals.

2009

In 2009, now operating as Ultimate Medical Academy, we launched online allied healthcare courses to students throughout the U.S. Following the launch of its online programs, UMA later added a continuing medical education (CME) division that creates innovative programming to maximize the learner experience and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes.

2015

Clinical and Patient Educators Association (CPEA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, formed UMA Education, Inc. and acquired UMA. CPEA focuses on developing quality, innovative education for healthcare practitioners and the patient communities they serve.

Governance

UMA is led by Thomas Rametta, President, and governed by a board of trustees comprised of individuals with significant experience in education, medicine, nonprofits, law, information technology, and finance. The Board includes Chair Darlyne Bailey, Ph.D.; Vice Chair Theodore Polin; Stephen Burghardt, Ph.D.; Terence L. Byrd; Hugh Campbell; Christopher Hawk, M.D.; Sheila McDevitt; Karen Mincey; Thomas Rametta; and Saundra Wall Williams, Ed.D.

Our Mission

Ultimate Medical Academy is a dynamic educational institution committed to equipping and empowering students to excel in healthcare careers. We strive to provide a learning experience that maximizes value for our students in a professional, supportive and ethical environment.

Diversity and Inclusion

We recognize and value distinct life experiences and perspectives. Ultimate Medical Academy seeks to inspire our team members, and in turn our students, by creating a culture where diversity, inclusion, and respect for others are championed. Learn more about how we embrace diversity at UMA.

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Our Values

Act with Integrity

We operate honestly and ethically in a compliant fashion. We are fair and trustworthy in our interactions with all we serve. Our team members, at all levels, lead by example and strive to do the right thing for our students and for each other. We are disciplined professionals who strive to be straightforward and dependable.

Champion Student Outcomes

We live by a strong commitment to our students and are passionate about preparing them for meaningful careers. We are deeply dedicated to ensuring students’ educational and career success. We excel at building our students’ confidence and empowering them to reach their full potential.

Commit to Team Member Success

We are committed to our team members’ success. We strive to create an environment that attracts and retains the best talent while offering continuous learning, professional development and career growth opportunities. We recognize and reward our team members for their contributions to the organization and to our students.

Pursue Results with Purpose

We pursue results with a sense of purpose reflective of our student-centered mission. We take responsibility for supporting ambitious student outcomes and hold each other accountable to this end. We think strategically and critically, greet new ideas openly, and look for innovative solutions to challenges.

Have Fun. Build Energy.

Enjoying what we do is central to achieving our goals. Building energy, having fun, being optimistic, and creating a positive working environment are all critical to our success and that of our students. We strive to be inspired and to inspire others. We consistently show appreciation and celebrate our success, both large and small.

Work as One

We believe that diverse, inclusive teams produce breakthrough results. We strive to build and maintain positive relationships with team members from all types of backgrounds by showing respect and humility when interacting with each other and resolving conflicts in a constructive manner. By working together, we win together, ensuring that the goals of the institution are the focal point of our efforts.

Accredited? Yes.

Ultimate Medical Academy maintains the following accreditations:

UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (abhes.org), a national accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.

UMA’s Health Information Management program is programmatically accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Ultimate Medical Academy’s accreditation for the Health Information Management associate degree program has been reaffirmed through 2025-2026.

All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL 60601; by phone at 312-235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.

Licensed in Florida? Yes.

Ultimate Medical Academy is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education (CIE), Florida Department of Education.

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
Florida Department of Education