A certified medical assistant is a medical assistant who is credentialed by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Employers recognize this title more since being a CMA means that the individual is more advanced clinically and administratively. You have to pass the AAMA examination to be a certified medical assistant. A CMA is assigned special tasks due to their level of training and is allowed to enter laboratories, radiology rooms as they person procedures. Their jobs include maintaining patient records and recording observations and treatment.
What are the characteristics of a CMA?
1. An ideal candidate should be empathetic and compassionate. The job involves helping people, hence should have the ability to make people feel better.
2. To become certified, one must ensure that they are devoted to this field.
3. A CMA should be willing to learn and grow every day. In getting certified, they are exposed to advanced knowledge in the field; hence their previous skills will change.
4. A CMA should be obedient and maintain confidentiality regarding the patients and their interactions.
How do I maintain certification?
Like other healthcare workers, CMA needs their practicing license updated. Maintaining the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant certification is done every 60 months either by examination or completing 60 credits across several fields; minimum of 10 points in general, administrative and clinical category and the remaining 30 points may be amassed from any of the three content areas. You can enjoy affordable CE credits whether you are a member of AAMA or not. Members enjoy discounts to recertify, while nonmembers can choose to earn about 30 credits from AAMA and the rest from other sources that are approved as per AAMA guidelines.
Being a certified MA provides profitable opportunities for employees. With the growing population, the need for health care facilities and professionals has risen in recent years. An employer is more likely to pick a certified MA over a regular MA due to the difference in knowledge levels. If you are in this field and want to advance in this career as a medical assistant, take the opportunity and get certification by AAMA.
