Apex Clinical Training Institute · Portsmouth, Virginia
Virginia Board of Nursing-approved · 68 hours · $925 all-inclusive · Next cohort October 5
Hampton Roads’ medication aide program built for caregivers with real schedules
Hampton Roads has a large senior population, a large caregiving workforce, and a lot of people balancing shifts with a military family’s calendar. Our Portsmouth location serves CNAs and PCAs across the Southside and the Peninsula with live online classes and in-person clinical days in Portsmouth, so the training fits around deployments, duty schedules, and second jobs.
We serve students from Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, and Newport News.
Who this cohort fits
- CNAs and PCAs at Southside and Peninsula assisted living communities who want to move onto the med cart
- Military spouses and veterans building a healthcare career that can travel with them
- Caregivers who need the evening cohort because daytime belongs to kids, a spouse’s schedule, or another job
How the program works for Portsmouth students
- 40 hours live online classroom over Zoom. Day cohort: Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Evening cohort: Monday to Saturday, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
- 20 hours supervised skills practice in person in Portsmouth, one instructor per 10 students.
- 8-hour insulin administration module, in person.
- Exam preparation in every unit. You’re eligible to test as a Medication Aide after completing the program.
Prerequisite: an active Virginia CNA, PCA, or Direct Care credential. Full curriculum, instructor bios, and student reviews are on the Virginia program page.
Your clinical days in Portsmouth
Your in-person skills practice, the insulin module, and the final exam day take place at a Commonwealth Senior Living partner community in the Portsmouth area. You pick Portsmouth as your location when you enroll, and we confirm the site, dates, and what to bring before your first in-person day. In-person days run during daytime hours for both cohorts.
Hampton Roads employers
Communities in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach can reserve seats for their CNAs in the October cohort or run a private cohort for their team. Communities that host clinical hours get first access to graduates. Talk to us about an employer cohort.
One fee. Everything in.
$925 covers all 68 hours of tuition, training materials, clinical coordination at the Portsmouth partner site, your certificate of completion, background check, and instructor access with exam-prep support. Pay in full or split with Klarna. The credential typically lifts hourly pay $3 to $6 over a CNA rate in assisted living, so most students recoup the fee within one to two months of starting the new role.
Portsmouth Medication Aide FAQ
I’m a military spouse and we move every few years. Is this credential portable?
The Virginia Medication Aide registration is a Virginia credential; other states run their own programs and registries. Apex is building programs in New Jersey and South Carolina, and the training you complete here is a strong foundation for whatever your next state requires. See our state-by-state page.
My CNA certification is from another state. Can I enroll?
You need an active Virginia CNA, PCA, or Direct Care credential to enroll. If your CNA is from another state, contact the Virginia Board of Nursing about certification by endorsement before applying.
Is Portsmouth the only Hampton Roads site?
Yes. Portsmouth is our Hampton Roads location and serves students on both the Southside and the Peninsula. Because classroom hours are online, most students only make the trip for a few in-person days.
Can I use tuition assistance or veteran benefits?
Ask us before you apply. Eligibility depends on the program and your status; we’ll tell you what we can document and what to request from your benefits office.