| Medical assistant certification is voluntary, as it is not | | | | processingo Laboratory techniqueso Clinical and |
| required by law for a working medical assistant to be | | | | diagnostic procedureso Pharmacologyo Medication |
| certified. Some employers do require certification as a | | | | administrationo First aido Office practiceso Patient |
| pre-requisite for employment. Additionally, some of the | | | | relationso Medical law and ethics |
| job tasks of medical assistants require certification by | | | | Once you complete a training program you can |
| some states. These may include performing x-rays | | | | schedule and complete the certification exam. |
| and drawing blood. | | | | The AMAA website has helpful information about |
| There two separate types of medical assistant | | | | finding an accredited program and everything you |
| certification. One is Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) | | | | need to know about the exam. |
| or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA). | | | | The American Medical Technologists (AMT) awards |
| Both of these certifications require graduation from an | | | | RMA's. To receive an RMA you must have the |
| accredited medical assistant program. The program | | | | pre-requisites, submit an application to take the RMA |
| must be accredited wither by the Accrediting Bureau | | | | exam, and of course pass the examThe pre-requisites |
| of Health Education Schools (ABHES) or the | | | | are: |
| Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health | | | | 1. you must be of good moral character |
| Programs (CAAHEP). | | | | 2. meet one of the 3 following requirementsa. applicant |
| The American Association of Medical Assistants | | | | must be a recent graduate from an accredited |
| (AAMA) is the institution that awards CMA's. In order | | | | medical assistant program or a formal medical |
| to obtain a CMA (AAMA) you must graduate from an | | | | services training program of the United States Armed |
| accredited medical assisting program and pass the | | | | Forces;b. applicant must have been employed as a |
| CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination. | | | | medical assistant for 5 years; orc. applicant has |
| An accredited medical assisting program will include | | | | passed a generalist medical assistant certification |
| training in the following areas:o Human anatomy, | | | | examination offered by another medical assisting |
| physiology and pathologyo Medical terminologyo | | | | certification body. |
| Keyboarding and computer applicationso | | | | For more detailed information about the receiving RMA |
| Recordkeeping and accountingo Coding and insurance | | | | (AMT) certification, visit AMT's website. |