Degrees / Florida / Associate Degree

Ultimate Medical Academy

Associate Degree in Health Information Management in Tampa, FL

CAHIIM Continuing Accreditation Online Enrollment: Active

Program information

Address: 9309 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL, 33612
State: Florida (FL)
Degree level: Associate Degree
Subject area: Health Information Management
Content delivery: Online
Program Director: Lynnette Hessling , RHIA, CHTS-PW, CHTS-TR
Phone: (813) 594-9461
Email: lhessling@ultimatemedical.edu
Last accreditation date: 11/29/2023
Next review cycle: 2033-2034

What this means

Ultimate Medical Academy is accredited and your degree counts.

Because Ultimate Medical Academy holds Continuing accreditation from CAHIIM, graduates of this associate degree are eligible to sit for AHIMA's RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) exam. That eligibility is the whole reason CAHIIM accreditation matters: without a CAHIIM-accredited degree, the exam is closed to you.

"Continuing Accreditation" is the standard status for established programs. The next scheduled review is 2033-2034.

The Florida picture

Where Ultimate Medical Academy sits among Florida's 18 CAHIIM-accredited programs.

Florida has 18 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 11 of them at the associate degree level. 16 of the 18 offer online delivery, and this one is fully online.

We score every Florida program on a seven-factor methodology covering accreditation maturity, director credentials, pathways, delivery, employer pipeline, cost, and reputation. See how Ultimate Medical Academy compares in our ranking of the best HIM programs in Florida.

FL programs

At this level

Online capable

21,490

HIM jobs in FL

What the work pays

Medical records specialist pay in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro.

The occupation most RHIT-track graduates enter is Medical Records Specialist (SOC 29-2072). In the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro the median is $48,560 a year, 5% below the national median. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro

Median annual: $48,560
10th percentile: $36,650
90th percentile: $89,220
Employed: 2,210

National (for reference)

Median annual: $51,140
Florida state median: $45,760
90th percentile: $81,150

Accreditation history

Recent CAHIIM actions on this program

November 2023

Grant seven years of Continuation Accreditation. The program is compliant with the 2018 Standards. New Degree Program Search New Certificate Program Search

Source: CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Ultimate Medical Academy. Refreshed quarterly.

FAQ

Ultimate Medical Academy HIM program: common questions.

Is the Ultimate Medical Academy health information management program CAHIIM-accredited?

Yes. The associate degree in Health Information Management at Ultimate Medical Academy holds Continuing accreditation from CAHIIM, most recently affirmed 11/29/2023, with its next review scheduled for the 2033-2034 cycle.

Does Ultimate Medical Academy qualify me to sit for the RHIT exam?

Yes. Graduating from this CAHIIM-accredited associate degree makes you eligible for AHIMA's RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) exam. CAHIIM accreditation is the eligibility gate; without it the exam is not available to you.

Is the Ultimate Medical Academy program online?

Yes. CAHIIM lists this program as fully online, so you can complete it from anywhere in Florida or out of state.

What do medical records specialists earn in Tampa?

Medical records specialists in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro earn a median of $48,560 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025), 5% below the national median. The national median is $51,140.

How many CAHIIM-accredited programs are in Florida?

Florida has 18 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 11 at the associate degree level. 16 of them offer online delivery. See our full Florida ranking for how they compare.

Keep going

Next steps.

Best HIM programs in Florida, ranked

How Ultimate Medical Academy stacks up on our seven-factor methodology.

Associate degree in HIM guide

Curriculum, cost, and what the degree actually gets you.

RHIT certification guide

The exam this degree qualifies you for: structure, prep, wage impact.

Also in Florida

Other CAHIIM-accredited programs in Florida

Same degree level

Other associate degree programs in health information management

Data on this page is sourced from the official CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Ultimate Medical Academy, last refreshed May 13, 2026, and BLS OEWS May 2025. Accreditation status can change between refreshes. Always verify directly with CAHIIM before enrolling.