A certified medical assistant is a medical assistant who is credentialed by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Employers recognize this title more since being a CMA means that the individual is more advanced clinically and administratively. You have to pass the AAMA examination to be a certified medical assistant.
What Is AAMA?
It is a standard certification body that offers certification for medical assistants. To be eligible, you must complete a medical assistant training program at a school recognized by Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). A CMA is assigned special tasks due to their level of training and is allowed to enter laboratories, radiology rooms as they person procedures. Their jobs include maintaining patient records and recording observations and treatment. CMAs work in clinics, hospitals and nursing homes.
You don’t require a specific license to become a medical assistant. However, according to state laws, you may need specific certification to execute certain clinical duties. Being certified shows that you are more knowledgeable and skilled in your profession, hence may get you employed in a professional environment. This certification needs to be updated every 60 months.
What are the education and training requirements?
For education: AAMA exam requires that the candidates have graduated post secondary medical assistant program recognized by the Council For Higher Education Accreditation or United States Department of Education. Also, graduates who have completed the medical assistant program accredited by ABHES are eligible to take the exam.
On Job Training: Candidates must work in an externship under the supervision of a certified physician.
What is re-certification?
Like other healthcare workers, CMA needs their practicing license updated. Maintaining the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant certification is done every 60 months either by examination or completing 60 credits across several fields; minimum of 10 points in general, administrative and clinical category and the remaining 30 points may be amassed from any of the three content areas.
