7 Best PCT Schools in Tampa, FL

Erwin Technical College is a public technical college operated by Hillsborough County Public Schools.

Its Tampa campus offers one of the area’s most comprehensive programs specifically designed for Patient Care Technicians.

The program is suitable for beginners who want nursing assistant, home health aide, phlebotomy, EKG, and direct patient-care training in a single curriculum.

Programs Offered

The 600-hour Patient Care Technician program covers activities of daily living, patient mobility, vital signs, infection control, bloodborne pathogen safety, nutrition, geriatric care, restorative care, phlebotomy, specimen collection, and EKG procedures.

Students progress from foundational nursing skills into more advanced clinical tasks.

The program is structured to support preparation for CNA, CPCT/A, phlebotomy, and EKG examinations, although eligibility and examination requirements vary by credential.

Clinical requirements may include a physical examination, immunizations, background screening, and drug testing.

Tuition and Cost

The estimated complete program cost is approximately $3,500.

Students should confirm whether this estimate includes books, uniforms, laboratory supplies, screening requirements, BLS training, and certification examinations.

Financial aid may be available to qualifying students.

Program Length

The program includes 600 clock hours and takes approximately seven months.

Classes generally meet Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Hillsborough College offers short-term workforce training through its Institute for Corporate and Continuing Education.

Its Patient Care Technician course is based in Tampa and is considerably shorter than a traditional technical college certificate.

This option may work well for students who want concentrated training and preparation for several healthcare certifications.

Programs Offered

The 256-hour PCT program combines nursing assistant preparation with phlebotomy and EKG instruction.

Students learn vital signs, personal care, infection control, mobility assistance, patient communication, specimen collection, blood drawing, and electrocardiography.

The nursing assistant portion includes classroom and skills training.

An optional 40-hour clinical experience may be available for an additional fee.

Students completing the program may be prepared to pursue PCT, phlebotomy, and EKG technician examinations and challenge the Florida CNA examination. Separate testing and eligibility requirements apply.

Tuition and Cost

The published course price is approximately $2,599.

The optional clinical experience may cost an additional $200.

Students should also ask whether scrubs, textbooks, BLS training, certification exams, background screening, and health documentation are included.

Eligible Florida residents may qualify for short-term workforce scholarship funding when funding is available.

Program Length

The program includes approximately 256 hours and can generally be completed in about four months.

Class schedules vary between cohorts and may combine classroom, laboratory, and online instruction.

Florida School of Phlebotomy is a private healthcare training provider with a Tampa-area location.

Its hybrid PCT program is open to students with or without previous healthcare experience.

It is one of the shortest direct PCT programs near Tampa, although students should compare the amount of clinical experience with longer technical college programs.

Programs Offered

The curriculum covers direct patient care, vital signs, infection prevention, medical terminology, patient communication, phlebotomy, EKG procedures, and clinical safety.

Students attend live instructor-led sessions and complete additional online lessons, quizzes, and assignments.

Hands-on sessions provide practice with blood collection, EKG equipment, patient assessments, and vital signs.

Students must generally be at least 18 and possess a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Tuition and Cost

The total published price is approximately $1,600.

This includes a $100 registration fee, $800 in tuition, a $300 laboratory fee, $250 for supplies, and $150 for instructional materials.

Certification testing and optional clinical experiences may cost extra.

Program Length

The hybrid program takes 11 weeks.

Classes meet twice per week for four hours, providing approximately 88 hours of scheduled instruction.

Tampa Medical Assistant School is a private occupational school offering accelerated training inside working medical offices.

Its program is intended primarily for outpatient medical assisting but includes several skills relevant to PCT work.

The flexible format may appeal to students who need to continue working while attending school.

Programs Offered

Students practice vital signs, patient intake, phlebotomy, specimen collection, injections, EKG procedures, laboratory testing, medical documentation, and clinical communication.

The curriculum includes weekly hands-on instruction, BLS training, preparation for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant examination, and an 80-hour externship.

Students seeking hospital PCT positions should ask local employers whether CNA certification or previous bedside-care experience is required in addition to medical assistant training.

Tuition and Cost

Tuition is approximately $3,490.

Flexible payment plans are available. Students should verify whether the CCMA examination, scrubs, textbooks, equipment, screening requirements, and externship expenses are included.

Program Length

The program takes approximately 18 weeks and includes an 80-hour externship.

Concorde Career Institute is a private healthcare career college with a campus on West Spruce Street in Tampa.

Its Medical Assistant diploma provides substantially more laboratory and externship training than most accelerated programs.

This option is more expensive, but it may suit students who prefer a structured private-college environment with regular start dates.

Programs Offered

The curriculum covers anatomy, medical terminology, patient preparation, vital signs, venipuncture, EKG procedures, laboratory diagnostics, medication administration, medical records, and front-office responsibilities.

Students complete approximately 240 laboratory hours and 230 externship hours.

The clinical content overlaps with many PCT duties, although the program is primarily intended for outpatient medical assisting.

Concorde also offers a separate Phlebotomy Technician diploma for students who only need blood-collection training.

Tuition and Cost

The published total for the Medical Assistant diploma is approximately $20,848.

This includes about $19,875 in tuition, $673 for textbooks and digital materials, and a $300 technology fee.

The separate Phlebotomy Technician diploma costs approximately $1,595.

Additional health screenings, uniforms, transportation, and certification expenses may apply.

Program Length

The Medical Assistant diploma includes 800 contact hours and takes approximately nine months.

The Phlebotomy Technician program includes 128 hours and takes about three months.

Southern Technical College is a private career college with a Tampa campus.

Its Medical Assisting diploma provides clinical and administrative instruction, hands-on laboratory practice, and an externship.

The program may suit students who want a longer curriculum than an accelerated 18-week course but do not want to complete an associate degree.

Programs Offered

Students study patient preparation, vital signs, anatomy, medical terminology, phlebotomy, laboratory procedures, electronic health records, infection control, pharmacology, and clinical assisting.

Required textbooks and selected program materials are provided without an additional charge.

Graduates may be prepared to pursue the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant examination after meeting the certification organization’s requirements.

This is not a dedicated PCT program.

Students planning to work in hospitals should verify whether CNA registration, BLS certification, or inpatient experience is required.

Tuition and Cost

A recently published total program price was approximately $18,500.

Tuition can change between enrollment periods, so applicants should request a current cost sheet covering institutional fees, uniforms, screening requirements, certification testing, and externship expenses.

Financial aid may be available to qualifying students.

Program Length

The Medical Assisting diploma takes approximately 10 months.

Day and evening scheduling may be available.

Clearwater Medical Assistant School is located about 25 miles west of downtown Tampa.

It offers accelerated training inside a medical office and may be convenient for students living in western Hillsborough or Pinellas County.

Programs Offered

Students learn vital signs, patient intake, injections, phlebotomy, EKG procedures, laboratory testing, medical documentation, and assistance with clinical procedures.

The final weeks include an externship at a local medical office.

Medical assistant training does not automatically replace CNA preparation, so students interested in hospital PCT positions should review employer requirements carefully.

Tuition and Cost

Total tuition is approximately $3,650.

Weekly payment plans may start near $100.

Applicants should ask whether textbooks, scrubs, certification testing, BLS training, and background screening require additional payment.

Program Length

The complete program takes approximately 18 weeks.

The final three weeks focus on externship experience and applying clinical skills in a healthcare setting.