Steps to Become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020) notes that aspiring medical assistants must typically attend a postsecondary education program lasting from one to two years, which includes instruction in subjects such as anatomy and medical terminology.
The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), which is offered through the National Healthcare Association, is reserved for medical assistants who can meet the following eligibility requirements and take and pass the CCMA examination: Must possess a high school diploma or the equivalent
Find Local Health Care Training Now! How Long Does Becoming A CMA Take? CMA certificate programs are among the shortest form of training, and may take up to one year to complete at your local school, but many can be completed in as few as 10 months. An associate degree in medical assisting takes 1-2 years to finish.
The National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) Credential. The National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA), which is offered through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCTT), is reserved for medical assistants who meet one of the following requirements and can take and pass the NCMA examination:
Medical Assistant Career PathStepsDescriptionDurationStep 1GED or High School Diploma3 Months to 4 YearsStep 2Post-Secondary Medical Assistant Training9 Months to 2 YearsStep 3Medical Assistant CertificationLess than 1 Year for AAMA Certified Medical Assistant
two yearsOnce you have passed the CCMA exam, you will receive your certification and can then use it to apply for positions. Your certification must be renewed every two years.
Although the exact amount of time can vary, it typically takes nine months to two years for most aspiring medical assistants. Becoming a medical assistant involves a number of steps, including graduating from high school, acquiring medical assistant training, and obtaining certifications.
Most master's degree programs will take an average of two years from start to finish – about half of the time it takes to earn your bachelor's degree.
According to the NHA website, the pass rate for the CCMA is 63%, or just over half. This doesn't mean the exam is incredibly difficult, but it does mean that no one should expect to breeze through without studying. Put in the time to adequately prepare and you can land in that 63% on your first try.
1. The Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Offered through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the CMA exam is perhaps the most popular and most widely recognized of the Medical Assistant Certifications.
The Medical Assistant may choose to be registered (R.M.A) or certified (CMA). These designations merely depend on the organization to which she or he belongs. There is no qualitative difference between the two credentials simply because one uses the "Registered" and the other uses the "Certified" title.
An Entry Level CMA with less than three years of experience earns an average salary of ₹10.2 Lakhs per year. A mid-career CMA with 4-9 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹22 Lakhs per year, while an experienced CMA with 10-20 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹4.7 Lakhs per year.
For students who want to perform both clinical and administrative skills, the CMA certification could better prepare them for a well-rounded career. For students interested in focusing specifically on clinical procedures, the CCMA certification is the better option.
Postsecondary nondegree awardMedical assistant / Entry level education
It is possible to work as a medical assistant without certification. If you are a new graduate, you may be hired to work as an uncertified medical assistant; however, your employer may ask that you earn certification in a certain amount of time after hire.
In some cases, you may be able to apply for a Masters without a Bachelors degree. This is usually only an option if you have extensive relevant work experience, however. For example, some MBAs accept applicants without an undergraduate degree if they have plenty of employment experience.
Many employers prefer certified medical assistants (CMAs) who have achieved AAMA certification or credentialing through another accredited organization (details below). In some cases, CMAs have additional specialized certifications allowing them to fulfill other clinical responsibilities. For example, a CMA with a specialization in chiropractic ...
To qualify, an applicant must submit the proof of the following: completion of a two-semester 560-hour postsecondary medical assisting program accredited by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA); a minimum of 160 practicum or externship hours or 1,000 hours of medical assisting experience after completing a postsecondary program; and an awards diploma, certificate or associate’s degree.
Aspiring CMAs must submit a completed application and a fee ($125 ). Also, CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited programs generally send official transcripts to the AAMA to verify the student’s candidacy for the certification exam.
The exam includes 200 multiple- choice questions, and candidates are allowed three attempts to pass. The CMA candidates receive an official copy of his or her scores approximately eight weeks after the exam, and the official CMA (AAMA) certificate arrives ten weeks after that, officially denoting his or her status as a CMA.
At this stage, students should focus on science and math courses that can help prepare them for a CMA career such as biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, algebra, and related electives. It may also be advisable to volunteer at a local clinic or physician’s office as this experience enhances a student’s candidacy for postsecondary school programs and exposes the individual to the rigors of working in a healthcare environment.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020) notes that aspiring medical assistants must typically attend a postsecondary education program lasting from one to two years, which includes instruction in subjects such as anatomy and medical terminology. While these steps may vary by certification desired and state of residence, here is one common route to becoming a CMA in the US:
As well, the postsecondary program curriculum must include courses in anatomy and physiology; pharmacology; infection control; applied mathematics; theory and techniques of intramuscular, intradermal, and subcutaneous injection administration; and theory and techniques of phlebotomy.
CET (Certified EKG Technician) – EKG technicians set up and administer electrocardiograms (EKG) to patients in order to test the activity of the heart
The CMA examination is a rigorous test that requires a thorough understanding of healthcare delivery.
Here, training in medical office techniques and laboratory procedures gives students the opportunity to then participate in a 160-hour externship in a doctor’s office, hospital, clinic, or laboratory.
So essentially, from the time you begin your education, it takes about one year to become certified.
If you attend school full-time, you can complete the medical assistant training program in as little as nine months.
CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) – administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) for medical assistants who are not involved in administrative duties
Furthermore, medical assistant certification is good for 60 months. Medical assistants also need to re-certify their credentials through testing or continuing education on or before the expiration date.
Clinical certified medical assistants : 1 Get patients up on the scale and note their weight 2 Take blood pressure 3 Ask initial questions during a visit for the doctor 4 Handle urine or stool samples 5 Tackle many other similar medical duties, like administering medicine, changing bandages, etc.
A CMA may do clinical and administrative tasks. Many times, you will be doing a mix of both, especially in smaller practices. In hospitals or specialized offices, you may find it more common to focus on one set role or the other. Clinical certified medical assistants :
How Long Does Becoming A CMA Take? CMA certificate programs are among the shortest form of training, and may take up to one year to complete at your local school, but many can be completed in as few as 10 months. An associate degree in medical assisting takes 1-2 years to finish. Earning a medical assistant certificate can take as few as 10 weeks ...
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the pay for medical assistants ranges from $26,930 - $50,580, with the 2020 average pay at $36,930 (bls.gov). Earning your certification through a program that lasts less than 12 months adds a few thousand dollars more to your annual income.
Earning a medical assistant certificate can take as few as 10 weeks at some online schools, but that is an extremely accelerated pace. These programs may only cover the medical billing and coding aspect of medical assisting. Be careful with the legitimacy.
Bls.gov also states that employment of medical assistants is projected to grow, and faster than the average for all occupations— 19% through 2029. It’s a career in high demand, meaning finding a job can come easier for you than those in a more stagnant field.
Certified medical assistants are medical assistants who have completed training and met the requirements to earn certification. This process generally requires graduation from an accredited medical assistant program in addition to passing a certification exam.
There are several certifications available to those who have completed their medical assistant training. Common nationally accredited options include:
To be an effective medical assistant, you’ll need a variety of medical, administrative, and interpersonal skills. In some cases, you may be able to learn these skills on the job before getting certified. In other cases, though, completing an approved training program may provide a more expedient path to becoming a CMA.
Working as a certified medical assistant can be deeply rewarding. It could also be a stepping stone to other medical roles. Medical assistants can go on to specialize in medical areas such as cardiology, pediatrics, or emergency medicine.
Medical assistants are part of the staff in health clinics. They work together with doctors and provide various health-administrative services.
So, we can understand from all this that the job of a medical assistant is actually a multidisciplinary job – and that candidates can be employed in different healthcare institutions. However, you will most often find them in dispensaries, smaller clinics, doctor’s offices, and other outpatient facilities.
If you have been thinking of building your further career in this direction, then you are surely interested in how long it takes to educate yourself for this job. Although it’s a bit of a tough question because the timing can vary – we can still say it’s a period between one and two years.
To become a medical assistant, you must complete one of the medical assistant training programs. However, some candidates opt for on-the-job training. However, the reality is that employers value more candidates who have completed the medical care program and have a certificate.
You can’t get a job as a medical assistant without fulfilling the basic conditions. Here are the conditions you must meet to study and practice this profession.
Of course, without finishing high school or having a GED, you can’t even apply for a medical assistant program. It is recommended that during secondary education you focus more on natural sciences – such as biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics.
Completing a post-secondary program depends on where you are studying and where you will be working. For example, the American Association of Medical Assistants requires a completed post-secondary program before you can take the certification testing.
Prometric provides computer-based testing services for the CMA Certification Examination. The CMA must be renewed every 5 years, and recertification depends on either the completion of the CMA Certification/Recertification Exam or the completion of continuing education.
Professionals in fields such as accounting, nursing, engineering and law all have association associations that certify members based on their level of expertise. A professional who holds a national credential demonstrates to employers that they are committed to their profession.
The National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA), which is offered through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCTT), is reserved for medical assistants who meet one of the following requirements and can take and pass the NCMA examination:
Certification provides a means for both the employer and employee to validate required training. Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities are established by credentialing organizations that review their content annually based on input from industry experts. Changes in technology, new techniques or regulations are incorporated into exam content, and answers reflect changes in medical terminology, drug administration and abbreviations. This assures the candidate they will be prepared to begin work in a medical assisting career or take it to the next level.
The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Credential. The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), which is offered through the National Healthcare Association, is reserved for medical assistants who can meet the following eligibility requirements and take and pass the CCMA examination:
Finally, certification protects the public from incompetent individuals who have not been adequately trained and educated in the medical field.
The Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Credential. One of the most widely recognized national certification for medical assistants is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Due to the litigious nature of the United States, many employers now seek medical assistants who possess ...