If you’ve ever been to the doctor’s office for any reason, there’s a good chance that you were seen by a certified medical assistant (CMA). These healthcare professionals play an important role in many medical facilities, ranging from physicians’ offices and outpatient clinics to hospitals and nursing homes.
If you want to break into the medical field and make a difference in the lives of patients without spending years in school, then a career as a CMA may be right for you. With a better understanding of what the work of a CMA entails and how to become a CMA, you can make this decision for yourself.
What Is a Certified Medical Assistant?
When answering the question of “what is a certified medical assistant?” These medical assistants are professionals responsible for a combination of administrative and clinical tasks within a healthcare facility. These are also medical professionals who have gone above and beyond the ‘required’ diploma to complete a rigorous certification exam.
Exact certified medical assistant duties can vary from one job to the next, but some common administrative and clinical responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Scheduling appointments
- Taking patients’ vital signs
- Keeping track of medical and office supplies
- Entering basic patient information into medical records
- Assisting doctors with examinations
Ultimately, the role of a certified medical assistant is to help healthcare offices run more smoothly while improving the patient experience with compassionate care.
How to Become a Certified Medical Assistant
So, what exactly does it take to become a certified medical assistant? All CMAs must take and pass the American Association of Medical Assistants’ CMA examination, though there are some requirements you’ll need to meet before you can even take the exam.
Necessary Educational Background for Certified Medical Assistants
There are essentially two different ways in which a person can be eligible to take the CMA examination. The first is to possess a high school diploma or equivalent and have also completed a medical assistant education program, such as a postsecondary diploma program, within the last five years.
The other option is to possess a high school diploma or equivalent and have 1-2 years of experience in the medical assisting field within the past 3-5 years.
Vocational Schools and Training Programs
For many aspiring CMAs, completing a diploma program through a postsecondary or vocational school is the most practical way to become eligible for the CMA exam. Typically, these diploma programs can be completed in a relatively short amount of time and provide students with the training and education they will need to prepare for the exam itself.
Overview of Certification Exams for Medical Assistants
The most common certification exam for medical assistants is the CMA exam, which is offered through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
This exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions administered in 40-minute segments. Typically, these exams are offered online using a secure connection, though on-site testing may be available in some areas. The test can be retaken for those who don’t pass the first time around, but additional fees may be charged.
Recognized Certification Organizations
In addition to the AAMA, there are some other recognized certification organizations, including the National Certification Medical Association (NCMA) and the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). To sum it up, you’ll want to do your own research to determine which certification organization is best suited to your needs.
What Does a Certified Medical Assistant Do?
So, what does a certified medical assistant do, exactly? Now that you have a better idea of the key medical assistant certification requirements, you may be wondering more about what the everyday life of a CMA looks like. Ultimately, the exact roles and responsibilities of a CMA can vary greatly from one medical office to the next. In some offices, CMAs take on more of an administrative role, whereas other offices may have CMAs interacting more with patients in a clinical setting.
Taking Vital Signs
One of the most crucial responsibilities of a CMA is often taking a patient’s vital signs when they arrive for their appointment. This may include getting their weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation. From there, they record vital signs in a patient’s medical records for the physician or another medical professional to review.
Drawing Blood
In some cases, CMAs may also be responsible for drawing blood or obtaining other specimen samples for testing. However, the laws and regulations regarding this can vary from one state to the next. In some states, CMAs may need to take additional phlebotomy training to be able to perform this clinical task.
Administering Medications
Medical assistants may also be responsible for administering some medications or even injections, although this varies by state as well. In states where CMAs can administer medications, CMAs must check that the dose is correct, that the correct medication is being administered, and that there are no drug interactions with any other medications the patient is currently taking.
Managing Patient Records
In numerous medical offices, CMAs are also responsible for managing patient records. This includes taking the time to enter notes and vital signs from each appointment into a patient’s chart and ensuring that the information is saved onto a secure server. CMAs who handle patient records must have a solid understanding of data privacy laws, including HIPAA regulations. Failure to comply with these laws could result in hefty fines, penalties, and even legal problems for the healthcare facility.
Scheduling Appointments
Another essential clinical role that CMAs may handle is that of scheduling appointments, which may be done in-person, over the phone, or online. CMAs must schedule appointments at dates and times that work for patients while also handling cancelations and requests to reschedule.
Handling Billing and Coding
In some medical offices, CMAs also handle billing and coding. This includes making sure that all procedures performed in the office are properly coded and billed to patients’ insurance plans. Often, CMAs will also be responsible for answering patients’ questions about billing and insurance.
Benefits of Being a Certified Medical Assistant
What does a certified medical assistant do? Understanding this can highlight the several advantages of earning your certification, including better job prospects, opportunities for professional development, and career advancement.
Better Job Prospects for Certified Medical Assistants
While you may technically only need a postsecondary diploma to work as a medical assistant, the reality is that taking the extra step to obtain your certification can improve your job prospects in the field. This can help your job application stand out among other applicants who may not have their certification.
Potential Job Settings (Hospitals, Clinics, Private Practices)
Another notable benefit to having your certification as a medical assistant is the ability to work in a wide range of settings. This makes it possible for you to explore and pursue your own interests, whether that means working in a fast-paced hospital setting or sticking with a smaller clinic or private practice.
Continuing Education and Specialty Certifications
Even once you have earned your certification as a medical assistant, you can continue to grow your skill set and build your knowledge by pursuing continuing education and specialty certification opportunities. For example, some CMAs might consider getting certified as phlebotomy technicians to help with collecting and processing blood samples. The more you advance your education and training, the more valuable you can be in your role as a CMA.
Long-Term Career Advancement
Being certified as a medical assistant can also set you up for long-term career advancement. CMAs can work their way into a wide range of other roles with the right education and training, including:
- Medical records manager
- Surgical technologist
- Supervisory roles
Many CMAs also go on to pursue additional degrees or certifications in the medical field, and the experience of working as a medical assistant can be extremely valuable in transitioning to other roles.
Why Certification Matters in Healthcare
What is a certified medical assistant? Going through the medical assistant certification process does take some additional time and effort, but there are many reasons why certification can be worth it for this role.
Why Employers Prefer Certified Medical Assistants
Often, employers looking to hire medical assistants prefer candidates certified because this means that they’ve gone through more rigorous training and testing. Because CMAs have to pass a comprehensive examination and complete continuing education hours to keep their certifications active, employers tend to prefer certified candidates over those who have only completed a diploma program.
Medicare and Medicaid Requirements
In some states, medical assistants working in facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid are required to be certified. If you wish to work in a state or facility where this is a requirement, then you will need to obtain and maintain your certification. In this sense, earning your certification can expand your job prospects.
Ensuring High Standards of Care
The rigorous and comprehensive nature of the CMA examination is designed to make sure that medical assistants have the in-depth skills and knowledge needed to provide the highest standard of care to patients. By earning your certification as a medical assistant, you’ll be able to enter the workforce with a greater sense of confidence and pride in your work.
Importance of Competency in Patient Safety
The extensive education and training that comes with a CMA program can also enhance patient safety. When you have an in-depth understanding of the ins and outs of medical assisting and what the work entails, you can perform your job as competently as possible. This can improve overall patient safety and satisfaction.
Maintaining Certification
Even once you have obtained your medical assistant certification, you will still need to maintain it by renewing every so often. For most certifications, you will need to recertify every 60 months or five years.
Need for Ongoing Education to Maintain Certification
Part of renewing your certification as a medical assistant is continuing your education and professional development in the field. With AAMA certification, 60 recertification points must be earned every five years to renew. This includes 10 points in administrative topics, 10 points in general topics, and 10 points in clinical topics.
Continuing education credits can be earned in a number of ways, such as by attending workshops, demonstrations, or classes. Proof of continuing education must be provided to recertify, so be sure to keep all records.
For those who obtained certification through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), such as the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA), different recertification requirements apply. Typically, NCCT certification also requires continuing education credits and the exact number and type of credits may vary. Be sure to review the specific requirements for the NCMA credential to maintain your certification.
Examples of Continuing Education Topics
There are many topics that qualify for continuing education credits, though it is important to note that the AAMA does require a minimum of 10 credits each in administrative, clinical, and general topics.
Some examples of common topics explored in CMA continuing education events include:
- Personnel management
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Medical nutrition
- Coding and billing
Steps to Recertify
The process for applying to recertify can vary depending on your exact certification. However, for AAMA CMA recertification, you’ll need to complete an online application that includes your AAMA ID number and other contact information. From there, you also need to submit copies of your continuing education documentation to earn your points.
For those certified through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), the recertification process involves completing continuing education credits and submitting an online application with your NCCT ID number. Fees for recertification with the NCCT may vary, so it is important to check their website for the most current information.
You will also need to pay to recertify. Through the AAMA, the cost is $80 for current AAMA members and $160 for nonmembers. If your certification has already expired, you may also need to pay an additional $50 reactivation or reinstatement fee.
Staying Updated With Industry Standards
The purpose of requiring medical assistants to recertify every five years is to ensure that these professionals are staying up to date on the latest industry news, innovations, and best practices. The medical field is very dynamic and can change frequently. To provide the best standard of care and protect patient safety, medical assistants need to stay on top of changes in the industry. The best way to do this is to complete continuing education credits in the form of attending workshops, completing additional courses, and the like.
In addition to completing these continuing education credits, medical assistants can stay up to date on industry trends and innovations by reading publications, medical journals, and similar news sources.
Ready to Pursue a Medical Assistant Technician Diploma?
Working as a medical assistant can be a great way to interact with patients and make their visit a little better while putting your own skills and training to use. Looking to get the ball rolling toward this exciting career path? If so, then it may be time to pursue your Medical Assistant Technician Diploma from Florida Technical College (FTC).
This program provides students the opportunity to build the foundational skills and knowledge that can prepare you to sit for the NCMA exam by NCCT. Meanwhile, FTC’s medical assistant technician diploma program offers plenty of opportunities to practice their skills in a supervised setting. Get in touch to learn more or start your online application today!
These examples are intended to serve only as a general guide of possible employment opportunities. There are many factors that determine the job an individual may obtain and Florida Technical College cannot guarantee its graduates any particular job. Some positions may require a license or other certifications. We encourage you to research the requirements for the particular position you desire.
Sources
https://ftccollege.com/programs/healthcare/medical-assistant-technician-diploma/
