Medical Assistant Schools in Nashville
Are you looking for a rewarding career with a positive job outlook? Becoming a medical assistant may offer you these benefits and more. The city of Nashville has more than 626,000 residents that use the services of local medical institutions. As a medical assistant, you may be able to lighten the workload of nurse practitioners, doctors, and other medical professionals.
There are several schools in Nashville to choose from. It’s recommended that you consider a variety of medical assistant schools in Nashville, TN before making a final decision. You can review programs and request information directly from our site, making your search for the right MA program fast and easy.
Schools and Jobs in Nashville
As you begin looking for medical assistant programs, Nashville, TN has several schools you can choose from. You may be able to choose between Associate’s degree, certificate, and diploma programs. An Associate’s degree is the longest program, requiring about two years of study. Certificate programs and diploma programs are fairly similar in nature, and generally take about one year to complete.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that there are 4,610 medical assistants currently working in the Nashville area. They earn an average salary of $33,020 per year (BLS, 2015).
In Nashville, there are many medical institutions that hire medical assistants. You may find job openings at nursing homes, community clinics, and hospitals. Major employers in this area include Cumberland Pain Associates, Heritage Medical Associates, and RHA Health Services.
Transportation and Networking in Nashville
Joining a professional organization like the Tennessee Society of Medical Assistants can help you further your career in many different ways. This group hosts several events throughout the year, including an annual conference, continuing education events, and networking meetings. You may also be able to learn about new job openings in the Nashville area.
The Nashville Metro Transit Authority can make it much easier for you to get to classes, your internship site, and clinical experience sites. The MTA contains bus routes throughout the Nashville area, so you can attend school anywhere in the city.
Getting a Medical Assistant Degree
As you start your education to become a medical assistant, Nashville, TN schools can prepare you for success in this field with a multifaceted curriculum. You may build a basic set of medical office skills by taking courses like Office Emergencies and Workplace Safety, Front Office Procedures, and Electronic Health Records. These classes prepare you for administrative positions and duties you may take on as a Medical Assistant.
Required theory courses include Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Terminology, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. These classes teach you about how the body works, the terms used by medical professionals, how disease affects the body, and different types of medication.
Many courses offer some type of hands-on experience. You may take Exam Room Procedures, Patient Communication, and Clinical Practicum classes. Your degree may end with an externship or internship that allows you to get real experience as a medical assistant.
Some medical assistant schools in Nashville aim to prepare you for licensure as a Certified Medical Assistant. CAAHEP-accredited programs can prepare students for the Certified Medical Assistant Certification Examination.
If you are ready to enter this worthwhile profession, request information from schools to learn more!
Salary numbers provided are from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.