Cleveland State offers a staged route for students comparing medical assistant programs in Tennessee. Its certificate sequence runs through fall, spring, and summer, with two additional semesters of coursework available for the AAS.
The certificate and associate degree share a program home at the main campus, but they represent different academic commitments. Map the practicum and the additional degree courses before deciding which award to pursue first.
Edited by Taylor RupeB.A. Psychology, University of Washington · B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State UniversityUpdated
Compare Training Options in Tennessee
Compare Medical Assistant Programs in Tennessee
This page profiles a reviewed medical assisting option in Tennessee. Each card explains the reasons for its selection. The review methodology describes how training, credential fit, cost, and attendance shape our picks. Use the school’s linked requirements to check your fit before applying.
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Cleveland, TN · PublicCampus & Clinical Training
Cleveland State Community College
Medical Assisting Certificate and A.A.S.
Why We Recommend It
Cleveland State gives Tennessee applicants a certificate with a practicum and an identified continuation into the medical assisting AAS. We recommend that structure if you want to complete an initial award before adding degree coursework. The summer placement and additional associate semesters should both appear in your plan.
Award / Training Route
Certificate · Associate of Applied Science
Credits
39 Certificate / 63 A.A.S.
A Campus Certificate That Can Lead Into the Associate Degree
Cleveland State Community College's medical assisting sequence offers a 39-credit certificate and a 63-credit AAS. The certificate runs through fall, spring, and summer and includes a Medical Assisting Practicum. Two additional semesters add the coursework for the associate degree. Medical assisting, electronic health records, and healthcare legal and ethical issues appear in the published preparation. The program is based at the main campus and identifies CAAHEP accreditation for medical assisting.
The staged structure gives you a specific advising question: which award supports your current goal, and when would you complete any additional degree courses? Bring earlier college transcripts so the plan reflects the requirements you still need. Discuss the summer practicum before making seasonal work commitments, and request the weekly campus schedule for the academic terms. Compare costs through the actual award you intend to finish rather than stopping the calculation at the first certificate milestone.
A Good Fit For
Students who want a certificate with a documented continuation to the AAS at Cleveland State.
Plan Around
Summer practicum attendance and the additional associate-degree semesters need to be included in the overall calendar.
Accreditation:CAAHEP. The school identifies its medical assisting program as accredited by CAAHEP upon the recommendation of MAERB.
Compare Tennessee Certificate and Degree Milestones at Cleveland State
Cleveland State identifies separate credit totals for its medical assisting certificate and AAS. Ask an advisor to show you where the certificate ends, where the additional degree coursework begins, and how any previous college credits fit. This lets you compare the remaining time and cost of each award without treating a continuation as automatic completion. The Cleveland State medical assisting certificate and AAS page gives the published structure. Our certificate and associate-degree guide helps you connect the additional study to a specific goal. Decide which milestone you intend to reach before choosing a financial aid and course-registration plan.
Keep the Cleveland State Summer Practicum in the First-Year Plan
The Cleveland State certificate sequence continues through summer and includes a practicum. Ask when clinical placement begins, how its schedule is set, and whether any academic work runs alongside it. If your employment or childcare changes during summer, discuss the placement dates before enrolling in fall courses. The externship planning article provides questions to bring to the program, and the work-and-training calendar guide helps you assess the full year. The comparison methodology keeps practical requirements beside the award details because a certificate's completion plan includes the final supervised experience as well as the earlier classroom terms.
Medical Assistant Pay in Tennessee
$39,570Annual Median
$34,84010th Percentile
$48,54090th Percentile
BLS’s May 2025 survey counts 19,180 medical assistant jobs in Tennessee. The $39,570 median is the midpoint of occupation wages, with a 10th-to-90th-percentile range of $34,840 to $48,540. These figures cover workers across experience levels and employers, rather than the earnings of a particular program’s graduates. Read the BLS Medical Assistant Wage Data and Compare the National Salary Picture.
Tennessee Medical Assistant Program Questions
How Many Credits Are in Cleveland State’s Medical Assisting Awards?
Cleveland State lists 39 credits for the certificate and 63 credits for the AAS. An advisor can evaluate how prior coursework applies to each.
Does Cleveland State’s Medical Assisting Certificate Run in Summer?
Yes. The certificate sequence covers fall, spring, and summer and includes the Medical Assisting Practicum.
How Does the Cleveland State Certificate Continue Into an AAS?
The college describes two additional semesters of AAS coursework after the certificate sequence. Ask for the specific remaining degree courses.
Where Is Cleveland State’s Medical Assisting Program Based?
The published program is based at the main campus. Confirm the class timetable and clinical placement arrangements for your intended start.
Sources for This Comparison
School sources were reviewed in September 2026. Check current program and campus details before applying.
