Vanderbilt University School of Medicine's website mentions that it was ranked 15th out of 126 accredited medical schools on U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of graduate education programs and health disciplines in 2009. It is a very competitive school; in 2009 it received 4,892 applications and only accepted 300 students. The school offers many graduate degrees on both the doctoral and master's level. Vanderbilt also offers a School of Nursing that was also ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report.
Meharry Medical College is the largest private, historically black institution for health professionals in the U.S., according to its website. Its mission is to improve the health care of minority and under-served communities; it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. There are more than 786 students who attend from all over the world. There is also a dental school on campus.
The Nashville College of Medical Careers focuses on specialized training in medical assisting, medical office specialists and medical coding. The school offers both day and evening classes, as well as job placement assistance and financial aid plans such as federal programs and work grants. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
The MedVance Institute of Nashville offers health care training such as information technology, medical assisting, medical office administration, radiologic technology and medical billing and coding. It is authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission as a post-secondary educational institute, and there are ten campuses across the Southeast. They offer job placement programs upon completion of a program.