Tennessee Accredited Medical Assistant Schools and Programs
Tennessee is steeped in American history – from old civil war battlefields to the country music legends of Nashville – this state has plenty of charisma. With a population of over 6.5 million, it also has many possibilities for prospective medical assistants. Recent listed salary rates for medical assistants started at about $26,000 to $33,000 depending on the facility. With the increase of baby-boomers approaching retirement throughout the State, the demand for well-trained medical assistants is continuing to grow.
Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville are the three largest cities in Tennessee. There are a variety of hospitals and medical facilities to start your job search in these cities. To supply the need for trained medical assistants, there are plenty of schools that provide you with the necessary skills to begin your career as a medical assistant.
The key to finding a good education program is to know where to look. By doing a little digging, you are taking the first step toward a rewarding career in the health care field. Training usually takes about nine months to two years to complete – depending on if you choose a diploma or associates degree program. Before you invest in your education, take a look at potential financial aid packages.
List of Accredited Tennessee Medical Assistant Programs
1. Tennessee College of Applied Technology
Campus Location: Knoxville
Students at Tennessee Center at Knoxville can earn a medical assistant diploma in 12 months. The program requires students to take 1296 hours of instruction. Curriculum includes courses in anatomy/physiology, medical terminology, keyboarding, pharmacology and clinical procedures.
Students, who are enrolled in the program, also take a specialized course that helps them prepare for the certification examination. Moreover, the coursework includes a hands-on externship program.
2. Cleveland State Community College
Campus Location: Cleveland
The two-year associate degree program at Cleveland State Community College provides students with a comprehensive education. Interested students must maintain at least a C grade point average and should meet with an academic advisor to discuss their options prior to enrollment.
Once students complete training, they can register for the certification exam. The college also has a career-services department, which provides job placement assistance.
3. Miller-Motte Technical Institute
Campus Location: Chattanooga
The medical assistant program at Miller-Motte Technical Institute offers a medical assistant diploma and a two-year associate of applied science degree for students.
The curriculum usually takes just over a year to complete for the diploma program, while the associate degree is a typical two-year program.
Prerequisite classes consist of health, science and laboratory coursework. The training includes courses in anatomy, physiology, laboratory procedures and curriculum concerning other administrative duties. The goal of this instruction is to arm future medical assistants with the ability to work independently and make decisions that will allow them to be productive in a medical environment. Successful graduates are eligible to sit for the certified medical assistant examination.
4. Daymar College
Campus Locations: Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Nashville
Daymar College is a for-profit, career training institution with locations across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. DC offers a Medical Assistant Certificate as well as a Medical Assistant Associate of Science program which prepares students for a future entry-level career as a medical assistant. Courses are offered during daytime or evening hours and can be completed in-class or online to ensure students working full or part time can be successful. The certificate program is composed of 64 quarter credit hours and takes 12 months to complete, whereas the degree program is 96 quarter credit hours and takes 18 months to complete. Both programs cover areas such as medical office and exam room administration and procedures, phlebotomy, cardiographic monitoring and procedures, electronic health records and more. Once students have completed their courses, they’ll be expected to complete a clinical externship at a local healthcare facility.
5. South College
Campus Location: Knoxville, Asheville
South College is a private, for-profit university which offers a Medical Assistant Certificate program and an Associate Degree in Medical Assisting. The certificate program, which takes nine months to complete, can be continued for another 3-4 quarters to complete the general education credits needed to earn an Associate Degree in Medical Assisting. Students will undergo a mixture of online instruction (all but three courses), hands-on lab courses, and a clinical externship at a local healthcare facility during the program. In 2018, students who finished the program at the Knoxville campus had an exam pass rate of 84.62 percent and an employer satisfaction rate of 100 percent.
6. Ross Medical Education Center
Campus Locations: Johnson City, Knoxville
Ross Medical Education Center is a private, for-profit medical career training institution with campus locations throughout the country. RMEC offers students Medical Assistant Certificate program that can be completed in 30 weeks if taken during daytime hours and 36 weeks if taken during evening hours. The program focuses primarily on the development of administrative and clinical skills. After students complete the six modules which cover topics like urinalysis, keyboarding, medical insurance coding procedures, hematology, and professional communication, their final task will be to complete a six-week clinical externship at a local healthcare facility.
Rachel Dennis works as both a professional writer and health care provider. She has been a licensed health care provider since 1998, with work experience as a medical assistant, certified nursing assistant and emergency medical technician. She has been writing since 1994 and has been published both on-line and in print.