About the Profession
Medical assistants provide essential clinical support activities such as taking patients' vital signs and scheduling appointments. They work in hospitals, physicians' offices, outpatient clinics, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities.
About the Program
Earn while you learn! Not only will VUMC cover the cost of your tuition, you will receive an hourly wage throughout the program with the expectation that upon program completion, you commit to a full-time position as a Medical Assistant at VUMC and continue in that role for one year. VUMC also requires that graduates become certified within 120 days of program completion. Students take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam on the last day of class.
The Medical Assistant Program is a partnership between CPiAH and Nashville State Community College (NSCC). At NSCC, students take courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, clinical procedures, and administrative management. Coursework is reinforced through supervised, hands-on clinical training at VUMC. Students learn to take vital signs, assist with clinical examinations, and perform certain medical laboratory procedures.
Watch our brief video to learn more.
Program Structure
- 12 weeks (full-time)
- 4 weeks of classroom instruction at NSCC
- 8 weeks of clinical training at VUMC
- Certification test preparation
Admission Requirements
- High school diploma or GED
Application Process
Following are anticipated dates for 2026 cohorts:
Cohort 15
- 10/20/25 Application opens to internal VUMC candidates
- 1/20/26 First day of class
- 4/09/26 Last day of class
Cohort 16
- 1/26/26 Application opens to internal VUMC candidates
- 4/20/26 First day of class
- 7/09/26 Last day of class
Cohort 17
- 4/20/26 Application opens to internal VUMC candidates
- 7/13/26 First day of class
- 10/01/26 Last day of class
Cohort 18
- 7/06/26 Application opens to internal VUMC candidates
- 9/28/26 First day of class
- 12/17/26 Last day of class
Applications for the January 2026 cohort opened on 10/20/25 to internal VUMC applicants only at this time. Use Workday to access the application using the search term "Medical Assistant Trainee Program." For interested external applicants, reference Workday on 11/12/25 using the same search term. If you do not see the application, we will not be accepting external applications for this cohort. Reference this web page for future cohorts.
If you have any questions about applying for a future cohort, email the MA Educational Coordinator at sherry.hows.1@vumc.org.
Contact Us
LaQuana (Q) Pollard, MBA
Program Director
laquna.d.pollard@vumc.org