How to Become a Certified Medical Assistant

If you’re thinking of a career in the medical field, you might be wondering how to become a certified medical assistant

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Introduction

A medical assistant is a key player on any healthcare team. They are the professionals who make sure that everything runs smoothly in doctor’s offices, clinics, and hospitals. If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in medical assisting, you’re probably wondering how to become a certified medical assistant.

The answer is not as complicated as you might think. In most states, you can become a certified medical assistant (CMA) by completing an accredited training program and passing a certification exam. Some states have additional requirements, such as completing a certain number of clinical hours or passing a state-specific exam.

Let’s take a closer look at the steps you need to take to become a certified medical assistant.

What is a certified medical assistant?

A certified medical assistant (CMA) is an allied health professional that provides support to physicians and other members of the healthcare team in outpatient or ambulatory settings. As a CMA, your responsibilities will include patient care, clinical support, administrative duties, and management of medical records To become a CMA, you will need to complete a medical assistant certification program and pass the Certified Medical Assistant Exam (CMAE).

Duties of a certified medical assistant

A certified medical assistant is a multi-skilled health professional who supports the work of physicians and other health care providers. Medical assistants perform a variety of administrative and clinical tasks to keep the office running smoothly.

Clinical duties might include taking patient medical histories and administering basic tests like blood pressure readings. Medical assistants often prepare patients for examination, assist the physician during the exam, and collect and process lab specimens.

Administrative duties might include scheduling appointments, maintaining Medical records billing and coding insurance forms, and handling other office tasks. Many medical assistants have excellent customer service skills and maintain a professional and courteous demeanor with patients at all times.

Medical assistants must be able to perform both administrative and clinical tasks with precision and accuracy. They must also be able to handle confidential information with discretion.

Qualifications of a certified medical assistant

In order to become a certified medical assistant, you must first complete a medical assistant training program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

Once you have completed an accredited program, you will then need to pass the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Once you have passed the exam, you will be a certified medical assistant and will be able to use the CMA credential.

How to become a certified medical assistant

Becoming a certified medical assistant is not as difficult as one might think. There are several ways to become certified, but the most common way is to attend an accredited school and complete a certified medical assistant program. Once you have completed the program, you will then need to pass the certification exam.

Steps to becoming a certified medical assistant

There are several steps to becoming a certified medical assistant. The first step is to complete an accredited medical assisting program. Once you have completed the program, you will then need to take and pass the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Once you have passed the exam, you will be a certified medical assistant and will be able to use the CMA designation after your name.

Exam and certification requirements

To become a certified medical assistant, you must first pass an exam administered by either the American Association of Medical Assistants or the National Healthcare Association. In order to be eligible to take the exam, you must have completed an accredited medical assistant program or have at least five years of experience working as a medical assistant.

Once you have passed the exam, you will be awarded either the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential, depending on which organization you took the exam through. You will need to renew your certification every few years by taking continuing education courses and paying a renewal fee.

Renewing your certification

If you are a certified medical assistant, you must renew your certification every few years to ensure that you are up-to-date on the latest medical practices. The renewal process is relatively simple and can be done online.

In order to renew your certification, you will need to:

1) Login to the certification renewal website
2) Enter your certification number and personal information
3) Pay the renewal fee
4) Answer a series of questions about your continuing education and work experience
5) Download and print your new certification

Career outlook

A career as a medical assistant can be both personally and financially rewarding. In addition to a competitive salary, medical assistants enjoy good job security and opportunities for advancement.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of medical assistants will grow much faster than the average for all occupations between 2016 and 2026, driven by the increasing number of aging baby boomers and their need for preventive medical services.

The best way to take advantage of this growing demand is to earn certification as a medical assistant. Certification not only demonstrates your commitment to your chosen career, but also gives you an edge over the competition when applying for jobs.

There are several ways to become certified as a medical assistant. The most common way is to attend an accredited school and then pass the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

Alternatively, you can attend a non-accredited school and then take the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam offered by the American Medical Technologists (AMT).

Once you have passed the exam, you will need to renew your certification every 60 months by either retaking the exam or completing continuing education credits.

Conclusion

While the steps to becoming a certified medical assistant may seem daunting, remember that many people have successfully completed the process and are now working in the field. You can do it too! Just take things one step at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be a certified medical assistant.