Medical Assistant Jobs in Nashville, TN
Medical assistants in Nashville earn a median of about $21.45 an hour, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center will even pay you to train for the job. Below are the current openings, followed by who is hiring across Metro Nashville and the suburbs and how to get certified.
Current medical assistant Openings in Nashville, TN
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Medical Assistant Work in Nashville
Healthcare is Nashville's signature industry, and medical assistants keep its clinics moving. The densest cluster is the West End and Midtown medical district around Vanderbilt, where VUMC staffs a long list of specialty and primary care clinics, but the work spreads out along every interstate: physician groups in Grassland and Mt. Juliet, hospital-owned specialty offices in Gallatin, and Premise Health centers in Brentwood off I-65.
What sets the Nashville market apart is how much training the employers do themselves. VUMC and Nashville State Community College run a paid medical assistant program, and Tennessee Oncology and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center in North Nashville have both partnered with Nashville State on certification courses. If you have no healthcare background, employer-paid training is a real way into the field here.
Top Nashville Employers Hiring Medical Assistants
These Nashville-area employers hire medical assistants, each confirmed on its own careers site:
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center - the academic medical center hires MAs across its clinics and runs an MA Trainee Program and an MA clinical ladder.
- Heritage Medical Associates - the physician group posts MA roles in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Grassland and Pediatrics in Mt. Juliet.
- Highpoint Health - Sumner - the Gallatin hospital, run with Ascension Saint Thomas, hires certified MAs for its specialty practices.
- Premise Health - the health center operator hires full-time MAs for health centers in Nashville and Brentwood, and welcomes new graduates.
Medical Assistant Salaries in Nashville
- Entry level: about $17 to $19 per hour for new graduates and trainees.
- Experienced: roughly $20 to $23 per hour for certified MAs with a few years in a clinic.
- Senior: about $23 to $25 per hour or more for lead MAs and specialty clinic staff.
These are estimates based on federal 2025 wage data for the Nashville metro, where the middle of the market sits near $21.45 an hour. Certification, specialty experience such as cardiology or oncology, phlebotomy skills and a move into a lead or clinical ladder role all push pay up, and hospital systems generally offer stronger benefits than small practices.
How to Become a Medical Assistant in Nashville
Tennessee does not issue medical assistants their own license. You work under delegation from a supervising physician licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, and the credential that matters is national certification such as the CCMA, CMA or RMA. Local employers enforce it: VUMC requires certification from an accepted body within 120 days of hire, and Highpoint Health asks for a CCMA, CMA or RMA up front. The fastest local route is the VUMC Medical Assistant Program with Nashville State Community College, a 12-week program of four weeks in the classroom at Nashville State and eight weeks of clinical training at VUMC, with tuition covered, hourly pay while you train and a one-year VUMC work commitment. Nashville State's main campus sits on White Bridge Road in West Nashville.
What the Job Involves
Medical assistants room patients, take vital signs and histories, update the electronic health record, give injections and draw blood when trained, collect specimens, set up exam rooms and assist providers during procedures. Many also handle front-office tasks such as scheduling, insurance checks and prescription refill calls, especially in smaller practices.
Skills Employers Look For
- National MA certification (CCMA, CMA or RMA)
- BLS (CPR) for healthcare providers
- Vital signs, injections and specimen collection
- Phlebotomy and EKG skills
- Comfort with electronic health records
- Clear, calm communication with patients
Career Path and Advancement
Many Nashville MAs start in a trainee program or a primary care office, then move into specialty clinics where pay runs higher. VUMC's clinical ladder rewards experience inside one system, and from there the path leads to lead MA, clinic coordinator or practice manager. VUMC also offers tuition assistance, and some MAs use it to go on to LPN or RN school at TCAT Nashville or Nashville State.
Related Careers in Nashville
If medical assisting interests you, these related Nashville roles are close matches:
- Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs
- Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs
- Medical Receptionist Jobs
- Phlebotomist Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a medical assistant in Nashville?
No. Tennessee does not license medical assistants, but nearly every Nashville employer expects national certification. VUMC gives new hires 120 days to get certified, while others such as Highpoint Health require it before you start.
How much do medical assistants make in Nashville?
Federal 2025 wage data puts the Nashville metro median at about $21.45 an hour. New MAs typically start around $17 to $19, and experienced specialty MAs can reach $23 to $25 an hour.
Can I get paid to train as a medical assistant in Nashville?
Yes. The VUMC Medical Assistant Program with Nashville State covers tuition and pays an hourly wage during training, in exchange for a one-year commitment to work at VUMC after you finish.
How long does it take to become a medical assistant?
The VUMC and Nashville State program takes about 12 weeks. Longer certificate and degree programs take several months to two years, and you can sit for a certification exam once you finish.
What hours do medical assistants work in Nashville?
Most clinic roles are weekday daytime jobs, often Monday to Friday from about 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some urgent care, specialty and hospital-based clinics add evening or weekend shifts.
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