Starting a career as a medical assistant in the booming health care industry isn’t difficult, but it’s become harder than ever to stand out among the many applicants who are seeking employment in hospitals, private clinics, and other health care institutions. There are many ways to boost your competitiveness in the medical assisting job market, the most basic being education. Earning a certificate or associates degree in medical assisting demonstrates solid training and commitment to the field that employers look for in prospective hires. However, to ensure the highest earning potential and career mobility, consider pursuing national certification as a medical assistant.

The benefits to becoming certified are numerous. Besides setting you apart from other candidates, certification has become the preferred credential for most large-scale employers all over the country. Currently over 90% of medical assistants choose to become certified by the American Association of Medical Assisting (AAMA) in order to more readily rise to the top of their industry. Achieving certification is very easy and if you’ve completed a certificate or associates degree program, you’ve already done half the work! You can choose to pursue different types of certification, based on what your field of interest is. Currently, you can choose to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA), or a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA).

Why Become Certified?

Certification is the gold standard of medical assisting. Certification assures future employers that the candidate meets the guidelines set by the AAMA, which oversees the quality of education, training, and extent of work experience for medical assistants. Although certification is not currently required by law in order to be hired as a medical assistant, most employers prefer to work with individuals who have demonstrated mastery of their field on a national level. It is generally accepted that the highest compensation, benefits, and positions are given to medical assistants who are certified.

To work as a clinical medical assistant, certification is almost always compulsory. In order to assist the physician with such tasks as drawing blood, suturing wounds, and administering medicine, certification is advisable, if not mandated by State law.

How To Become Certified

Certification to medical assistants is granted by a few different associations. The most recognizable is the American Association of Medical Assisting (AAMA), although there are also other organizations such as the American Medical Technologists (AMT) and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) among others. Each association has different requirements for certification, so be sure to investigate the guidelines before applying for certification. You should also be aware of what type of certification you wish to earn. If you want to earn certification as a clinical medical assistant, the pre-requisites will be different than if you simply want the basic CMA credential.

Generally, all medical assistants who wish to become certified must first complete some form of education at an institution accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The AAMA requires that all candidates for certification complete courses in the following subjects: anatomy, physiology, pathology, medical terminology, keyboarding, accounting, laboratory techniques, first aid, pharmacology, diagnostic procedures, medical ethics, law, office management and patient relations, among others. Accredited degree and certificate programs will meet the requirements of the AAMA, making it easy for students to pursue certification immediately after graduation.

After completing their education, medical assistants must pay an enrollment fee and sit for an exam. This exam is usually computer based and includes multiple choice questions. The certification exam is offered year-round by the AAMA. Passing the exam results in national certification as a medical assistant (CMA). To remain certified, medical assistants must re-take the exam every 5 years in order to prove mastery of new medical knowledge. Other associations offer different credentials and may require passage of one or more exams. The best way to learn about certification is to check out the websites of the different associations and speak with representatives to determine which credential will serve you best in your career as a medical assistant.