JACKSON, TENN. – This spring, Jackson State Community College (JSCC) partnered with West Tennessee Medical Group, a subsidiary of West Tennessee Healthcare, to provide specialized training for an inaugural 10-employee cohort to become Certified Clinical Medical Assistants through the college’s Workforce Solutions. This partnership provided the necessary training for employees to sit for the National Healthcareer Association exam, allowing them to complete the program to move up within the West Tennessee Healthcare organization.
Typically offered as a 21-week course, the program was transformed to offer the same training in 10 weeks, including 72 hours of classroom instruction and a 160-hour clinical rotation, equipping participants with the essential skills and hands-on experience needed to thrive in today’s healthcare environment.
“We are very proud of our team at West Tennessee Healthcare and want to support them in their future career goals. said WTH President and CEO Tina Prescott. “Investing in the success of our team ensures the very best care for the patients we serve across the West Tennessee region. Through our continued partnership with JSCC, we are able to grow our team and allow them with the very best training in order to succeed.”
Despite fast-tracking the coursework, the cohort achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the NHA certification exam, with one employee* earning the second-highest score Jackson State has ever received on the CCMA NHA exam. These national exam scores further reinforced the cohort’s dedication to excel in the program, along with the quality training offered by the instructors.
Employees that completed the program include:
- Katelynn Allen
- Anna Brooke Gates
- Kara Hawkins
- Anessa Inman Rosson
- Sonya Jones
- Tamara Love
- Kayla McClanahan
- Alyssa Melton
- Angela Morton*
- Pepper Parker
To enrich the learning experience for participants, the program visited the “Real Bodies Exhibition” at Discovery Park of America in Union City for an immersive experience that allowed their anatomy and physiology coursework to take shape before their eyes.
The cohort was pinned during a pinning ceremony on Tuesday evening, June 10, at the Jackson-Madison County General Hospital to honor the hard work, perseverance, and accomplishment of the now-graduates. Members of both JSCC and West Tennessee Healthcare were in attendance to celebrate the accomplishment along with families of the graduates.
“Getting to see the look of satisfaction and pride on the faces of these graduates makes everything we do worth it,” said JSCC President Dr. Carol Rothstein. “We get to see lives and careers transformed through the power of education, and it always puts a smile on my face to hear the families in the crowd cheer them on as they walk across the stage. This partnership is allowing these employees to progress in their careers, and I’m thankful we were able to help make that happen for West Tennessee Healthcare.”
Following the great success of this “grow your own” pilot initiative between the two organizations, West Tennessee Medical Group has committed to a new cohort this fall, continuing their shared commitment to employee development opportunities to provide the best in patient care.
This partnership was made possible through the college’s Workforce Solutions division, which offers workforce-focused educational solutions. This division works with local and regional industry to develop workforce training opportunities that include but are not limited to industry certifications, on-site skills training, leadership development, and more.
If you are interested in learning more about implementing your own employee development program or other specialty workforce development opportunities, visit //jscc.edu/workforce.