If you are exploring the job opportunities offered by becoming a medical assistant you might have heard mention that you can also become a certified medical assistant (CMA). Individuals working in the field of medical assisting can gain more professional recognition and job security and benefits by becoming certified.
A certified medical assistant is often confused with a registered medical assistant. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) certifies candidates for certified medical assistants and medical assistants who fill out an application and take an examination can become a registered medical assistant by the American Medical Technologist (AMT). AMT also provides the examination.
In order for a medical assistant to be eligible to take the certification exam the individual must have completed or be no more than 30 days away from completing formal education to become a medical assistant. The medical assisting program must be CAAHEP or ABHES accredited. Anyone who has graduated from one of these programs can take the examination even if not a recent graduate. Individuals who have previously taken the exam and passed may also apply to take the exam to be re-certified. Anyone not meeting the eligibility requirements may not take the exam. Anyone found guilty of committing a felony, or who has plead guilty of committing a felony may not take the exam unless a waiver is granted based on mitigating circumstances.
You may be asked to provide an official transcript of the courses completed at your medical assisting school and if being re-certified the CMA (AAMA) certificate number must be provided.
Once certified, the certified medical assistant will find many job opportunities including working in doctors offices, at medical universities, surgical units, and specialty offices like chiropractors, podiatrists, outpatient care facilities and obstetricians offices. Basically any medical setting that has doctors is job opportunities for certified medical assistants.
The duties can vary based on the medical setting and on size of staff but commonly include doing some administrative duties, such as filing paperwork, organizing patient files and handling patient scheduling of appointments. It is the role of the medical assistant to work closely with other medical professionals on staff assisting whenever needed. If the duties are mainly working with patients and doing medical procedures the job title may be clinical medical assistant.
There are many benefits to being a certified medical assistant including increased career opportunities due to the higher value the certification meets in the eye of the employer. Certification gives the medical assistant more chances to do medical duties because of the specialized training they have received. The certification tells an employer that this is a person they can trust has the skills and experience they need in their busy practice or office. A certified medical assistant can demand a much better compensation package when job interviewing than a medical assistant with little or no formal training and has not taken the time or put out the effort to become certified. A certified medical assistant cares enough about his/her future to become certified.
