CCMA Practice Test — Tennessee 2026

Tennessee does not license medical assistants at the state level. The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners regulates physicians, but medical assistants are not a licensed profession in Tennessee. MAs work under physician supervision with no state certification requirement. The NHA CCMA credential is voluntary in Tennessee — but HCA Healthcare (headquartered in Nashville and one of the largest hospital systems in the US), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Ascension Saint Thomas all list CCMA (NHA) or CMA (AAMA) as a preferred qualification. The CCMA is especially attractive for Tennessee MAs who trained through work experience — HCA's large network of outpatient surgery centers and clinics employs many MAs who certified via the work-experience path. Certified MAs in Tennessee earn $4,000–$5,500 more per year than uncertified MAs in comparable roles.

CertPrepAcademy offers a free CCMA practice test in NHA style — 35 questions for a quick warm-up or 70 questions for a full simulation — with detailed explanations for every answer. No account required. Start immediately — your progress is saved automatically. For targeted prep, use the topic quizzes to drill individual domains: Clinical Procedures, Patient Care, Pharmacology, and more.

The CCMA exam is administered by PSI on behalf of NHA. Schedule at any PSI testing center in Tennessee through the NHA candidate portal at nhanow.com after eligibility is confirmed. Major PSI testing center locations in Tennessee: Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Murfreesboro, Jackson. Two eligibility paths: • Path 1: Graduate of an NHA-approved or CAAHEP/ABHES-accredited medical assisting program. • Path 2: One year of full-time clinical work experience as a medical assistant (no formal program required). Must be 18+ with a high school diploma or equivalent. Photo ID required. Results available immediately at the PSI testing center; official NHA certificate follows.

CCMA and CMA (AAMA) pay is very close in Tennessee — most employers treat both credentials as equivalent. Tennessee's lower cost of living means absolute salaries are below the national median, but the certification premium as a percentage of base pay is comparable to higher-cost states. Nashville offers the highest wages, boosted by HCA's corporate presence. The certified MA salary premium in Tennessee is $4,000–$5,500 per year over uncertified pay.

Tennessee's healthcare market is anchored by HCA Healthcare in Nashville, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and a network of regional systems across Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The CCMA credential is accepted interchangeably with CMA at all major systems. Top Tennessee employers where CCMA is listed or accepted: • HCA Healthcare — Nashville HQ; largest for-profit hospital system in the US with multiple hospitals and outpatient centers across Tennessee; CCMA and CMA listed as interchangeable in most MA postings. • Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville academic medical center; CCMA accepted in outpatient and specialty MA roles. • Ascension Saint Thomas — Catholic system with hospitals in Nashville, Memphis, and Murfreesboro; CCMA and CMA accepted interchangeably. • Ballad Health — dominant system in the Tri-Cities (Bristol/Johnson City/Kingsport); CCMA accepted in most outpatient MA postings. • Regional One Health — Memphis safety-net academic medical center; CCMA and CMA both accepted. • LifePoint Health — Brentwood-based system with hospitals across rural Tennessee; CCMA accepted.

No. Tennessee does not license medical assistants. There is no state board exam, no mandatory certification, and no registration requirement. You work under physician supervision. Most major Tennessee employers — including HCA Healthcare, Vanderbilt, and Ascension Saint Thomas — prefer or require CCMA (NHA) or CMA (AAMA) certification, but that is an employer standard, not Tennessee state law.

No. The CCMA is a national exam administered by NHA through PSI testing centers. The same 180-question exam is used in all 50 states. Tennessee has no state-specific MA exam. You schedule through nhanow.com. PSI has centers in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Murfreesboro.

HCA Healthcare's Tennessee job postings — across hospitals, surgery centers, and physician practices in Nashville, Knoxville, and other markets — typically list CMA (AAMA) or CCMA (NHA) as a required or preferred credential for medical assistant roles. In practice, both are accepted interchangeably. HCA is the largest employer of MAs in Tennessee by a significant margin, and obtaining either the CMA or CCMA before applying is the strongest way to move to the front of HCA's hiring queue. For experienced MAs already working in the field who did not attend an accredited program, the CCMA's work-experience eligibility path is the more practical route.