Breaking barriers: UTC pre-health students earn free CMA certification and paid experience at Erlanger

CMA students Riley Ottinger (left) and Skylen Casrill learn to use medical instruments. Photo by Noah Camacho.

For pre-health students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, finding time for unpaid hospital shadowing or volunteer work while holding down a job can be a challenge.

A new partnership between the UTC Center for Professional Education (CPE) and Erlanger Baroness Hospital is helping to eliminate that barrier, offering 10 students the opportunity to earn their Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) license for free with secure, paid employment at Erlanger.

Launched in August, the program is designed for students interested in pursuing medical or physician assistant (PA) school. The initiative is a response to Erlanger’s shortage of CMAs in conjunction with students’ need for paid medical experience.

Theresa Blackman, assistant director of pre-health student services at UTC, described the program as a game changer for students who want careers in health care.

“We have an unending supply of students; every year a student leaves for PA school or medical school, we’ve got more coming up in the ranks,” Blackman said. “It helps meet the community need because our students are helping people and they’re helping people in our community, which is really, really cool.”

According to Blackman, the students who can afford to volunteer full-time often have a more competitive edge when applying to medical or PA school.

“If you have someone who doesn’t have to work and can shadow and volunteer in a hospital and not worry about having to hold down a job, they’re probably going to have a more competitive application,” she said. “For the students who can’t afford that, this program gives them the chance to have paid experience and work in the field they enjoy.”

================================================================

Applications for the program’s spring cohort are now open. Learn more
about eligibility requirements and apply here.

================================================================

After the semester-long CMA certification process, students in the program will have two work arrangement options: they can either work full-time for one year in an Erlanger-run clinical setting—ideal for those planning a gap year before professional school—or work part-time for two years, allowing them to gain experience while continuing their studies. Students are required to complete a minimum of 1,095 hours within the one- or two-year period post-certification.

Among those in the CMA program is Carlie Epps, a sophomore pre-professional biology major from St. Petersburg, Florida.

“This opportunity has made the program so much more accessible and achievable for me as a student,” Epps said. “Becoming a CMA offers me the opportunity to not only deepen my knowledge of the medical field but also to engage in meaningful, direct patient care—a hands-on experience that can’t be learned in a classroom.”

After she receives her CMA license, Epps will participate in the two-year work program at Erlanger.

“It aligns well with my academic path as a sophomore, allowing me to immerse myself in both learning and practical experience without feeling rushed,” she said.

Skylen Casrill said that the experience would help her to be more prepared for medical school and her eventual career as a doctor.

Skylen Casrill (left)

“Being a medical assistant is becoming an extremely valuable job in health care,” said Casrill, a junior pre-professional biology major from Perry County, Tennessee. “I believe it will help me prepare by being immersed in the clinical environment, having the ability to take control of my future, and help a patient heal.”

Another pre-professional biology major, senior Ailene Le, said that—while her favorite part of the program is learning organ systems—the most valuable experience for her is learning the CMA’s administrative roles.

“It will help me understand clinical workplace dynamics, whether it be from CMA to CMA, CMA to physician or CMA to patient,” said Le, who hails from Franklin, Tennessee. “I believe that this experience will help me gain more insight into every person’s role in the clinic and gain a newfound respect for all those involved in patient care.”

With over 200 specialties in Erlanger-run clinics in the region, Blackman said there are plenty of opportunities for students to interact with different fields.

“Erlanger is a teaching hospital and there is a lot more access for students to learn things,” she said. “They can do everything from urgent care to pediatrics to oncology to sports medicine.”

CPE Workforce Development Specialist William Watson said the first half of the CMA program is online and covers medical law and ethics, terminology, anatomy and medical records management. The in-person training focuses on clinical skills such as taking vital signs, drawing blood, performing EKGs and learning pharmacology.

“We’re here to prepare them while they’re at school, but if you’re looking to go to medical school, UTC is really only a step in that journey,” Watson said. “I think it’s our responsibility to identify opportunities for UTC students to improve and set themselves apart from other graduates all over the country.”

Both Watson and Blackman emphasized the program’s ability to give students the head start they need in such a competitive environment, especially for those who otherwise would not be able to afford medical opportunities.

“They’re not sure that they’re going to be able to pursue health care,” Blackman said, “and not because they’re not capable; it’s because they can’t afford it. I’m going to do everything in my power to remove that financial barrier. If they can do it, then I want them to do it.”

Watson said the CMA certification process and the experience at Erlanger will provide students with the skills, confidence and expertise they need to succeed.

“I appreciate the students’ willingness to go above and beyond what any other traditional students would expect to do in their four years,” he said. “I think that shows a level of maturity, but it also shows a level of dedication and ambition.”

The Erlanger and CPE CMA partnership program is accepting applications for the spring semester. Find more information and apply here.