becoming a certified CMA

The CMA (AAMA) Exam: What You Should Know About Becoming Certified

If you want to become a medical assistant, you'll need to take the CMA exam upon graduation. Short for Certified Medical Assistant, the CMA exam provides the national credentials needed to be a practicing medical assistant.

The CMA exam tests knowledge in three categories, including general health, administrative information, and clinical practice. In addition to questions in each category, the exam tests your understanding of medical terminology, as well as human anatomy and physiology.

Eligibility for the CMA Exam

According to the American Association of Medical Assistants you must fall into one of three categories to be eligible to take the exam:

  • Completing students or recent graduates (within 12 months of graduation) 
  • Nonrecent graduates (12+ months after graduation)
  • Recertificants (Previously passed and applies to recertify)

To qualify in the first category, you must be a graduation candidate or a graduate of an accredited medical assisting program. If you're still finishing your courses, you may take the exam up to 30 days before completing your formal education. Upon graduation, you must take the exam within 12 months in order to qualify as a recent graduate.

If you are not a student or a recent graduate, you may also qualify to take the exam as a nonrecent graduate of a medical assisting program or a recertificant. No matter which category you fall under, you'll need to be recertified as a medical assistant every 60 months, either by taking continuing education credits or by taking the exam again. 

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Topics Covered on the CMA Test

A full outline of the topics covered on the CMA exam is available on the website for the American Association of Medical Assistants. Delivered in a computerized format, the exam covers more than 20 topics from the medical health field in categories mentioned above: general, administrative and clinical.

In the general category, you must demonstrate knowledge of a wide variety of topics. This portion of the exam covers everything from psychology to ethics, and communication to professionalism. There are questions on medical terminology, as well as questions on medical law and regulatory guidelines.

You'll be asked to answer questions about administrative topics, such as medical reception, community resources, and serving as an advocate for patients. You’ll also need to understand how to facilitate referrals and follow up on referrals.

The clinical portion of the exam covers the range of clinical practice, from patient intake to pharmacology. This section also covers infections, nutrition, specimen processing, diagnostics, and emergency management, in addition to other topics.   

CMA Exam Format and Scoring

The CMA exam is administered in a computerized format, and it includes 200 multiple-choice questions. The exam is given in four 40-minute segments, with an optional 20-minute break between segments. The maximum time allowed to complete the exam is three hours and 15 minutes.

Your performance on the exam is determined by the number of questions you answer correctly, as compared to the minimum passing score set based on a reference group.

According to the American Association of Medical Assistants, the Certifying Board establishes the minimum score required to pass the exam for each examination, based on a study conducted about every three years. In the study, CMAs who represent the profession are selected from across the country, and they are tested to identify the minimum passing score for entry-level medical assistants.

How Do I Know If I Pass the Exam?

If you pass the exam, you’ll know immediately following the exam when you receive the standard pass/fail notification. The official report of your score will be mailed within 10 weeks of the date when you took the exam. A certificate and wallet card will be provided about nine weeks after score reports are mailed.

What Do I do If I Fail the Exam?

If you don’t pass the exam, you may apply to retake the test immediately afterward. As long as you pass the exam by your third attempt, you could still qualify to receive the CMA credential. The American Association of Medical Assistants recommends that candidates retake the exam within 60 days of graduation in order to use the knowledge gained from the medical assisting program.  

Interested in Becoming a Medical Assistant?

Contact ECPI University today for information about the Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Science. The program will prepare you to take the Certified Medical Assistant exam. This could be the start to a rewarding career. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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