1. 1 Medical Assisting: The Profession Lesson 3:
Certification and Career Opportunities for the MA

2. Lesson Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, students should be able to:
Discuss the professional organizations that certify medical assistants.
Identify career opportunities available to medical assistants, and give examples of areas in which you may choose to work.

3. Professional MA Certifying Organizations
AAMA
American Association of Medical Assistants
AMT
American Medical Technologists
NCMA
National Certified Medical Assistant
NHA
National Healthcareer Association

4. Critical Thinking Question
Should medical assistants become certified, and if so why?

5. American Association of Medical Assistants
National certifying agency
Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois
Offers CMA (AAMA) credentials
Sponsors events to assist MAs in remaining current in their field

6. FIGURE Becoming a Certified Medical Assistant may demonstrate your commitment to the profession and the continuing education required to maintain the CMA credential.

7. Critical Thinking Question
What qualifies an individual to sit for the CMA exam?

8. AAMA Certification Exam
Offered to graduates of programs accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES

9. AAMA Certification Exam
Upon successful completion of certification examination, candidates receive a CMA (AAMA) certificate, which confirms them as certified medical assistants.
To learn more about the AAMA Certification exam, click here or visit

10. American Medical Technologists
Certifying agency for medical assistants, phlebotomists, medical technologists, medical administrative specialists, and dental assistants.
Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) (AMT) credential awarded to candidates who pass AMT certification examination.

11. American Medical Technologists
RMA certification examination parameters:
General Medical Assisting Knowledge
Administrative Medical Assisting
Clinical Medical Assisting

12. FIGURE The AMT provides a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification for those who meet their requirements and pass a written exam.

13. Critical Thinking Question
What would qualify an individual to take the AMT certification exam?

14. Qualifications for RMA Certification
First – be of good moral character!
Graduate of:
MA program accredited by ABHES or CAAHEP OR;
Post-secondary school or college accredited by the Regional Accrediting Commission OR;
National accrediting organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education

15. Qualifications for RMA Certification
Graduate must have completed a minimum of 720 clock-hours or equivalent of training in MA skills or formal medical services training in U.S. Armed Forces
Applicant must also have recent MA experience

16. General Medical Assisting Knowledge
Anatomy and Physiology
Medical Terminology
Medical Law
Medical Ethics
Human Rights
Patient Education

17. Administrative Medical Assisting
Insurance
Financial Bookkeeping
Medical Secretarial – Receptionist

18. FIGURE Helping maintain accurate patient records is a critical part of the medical assistant's work. Hero Images/Getty Images

19. Clinical Medical Assisting
Asepsis
Sterilization
Instruments
Vital Signs
Physical Examinations
Clinical Pharmacology

20. Clinical Medical Assisting
Minor Surgery
Therapeutic Modalities
Laboratory Procedures
Electrocardiography
First Aid

21. Certified Medical Administrative Specialist
A medical assistant can apply to become a Certified Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS) (AMT) through American Medical Technologists (AMA) organization.
For more information on the AMT RMA certification exam and the CMAS AMT credential visit the website:

22. National Center for Competency Testing
Issues the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) credential
A candidate must have a high school diploma, have completed a medical assisting program, or documentation of two years experience.
Continuation of certification requires 14 hours per year of continuing education

23. National Certified Medical Office Assistant
NCMOA
Offered by the National Center for Competency Testing
Applicants for exam must have at least one year experience as an MA or be a graduate of an approved MA program
For more information on the NCCT visit the website:

24. National Healthcareer Association
Founded in 1989
Grants the following two credentials:
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
To learn more about this organization visit

25. National Healthcareer Association
Qualified applicant must:
Be over 18 years of age
Have a high school diploma
Have two years of work in the field in which they certify
Pass a professional examination
To learn more about this organization visit

26. Critical Thinking Questions
What do you think the job outlook in the future for MAs might be?
What factors might impact the growth of the field of medical assisting?

27. Statistics on Jobs in Medical Assisting
According to U.S. Dept. of Labor Statistics
Employment expected to grow faster than average, ranking MAs among fastest growing occupations over 2010–2020 decade.

28. Statistics on Jobs in Medical Assisting
According to U.S. Dept. of Labor Statistics
Employment of MAs projected to grow 31 percent in decade following 2010.
For more information on these statistics visit

29. Job Title Opportunities for MAs
Data processing clerk
Billing or collections assistant
Insurance claims processor
Clinic aide
Unit clerk
Patient care technician

30. Job Title Opportunities for MAs
Insurance claims coder
Medical records clerk
Clinical assistant
Medical receptionist
Multifunctional technician

31. Job Title Opportunities for MAs
With additional education and credentials:
Medical laboratory assistant
Electrocardiography (ECG) technician
Phlebotomist
Medical administrative specialist

32. Questions?