Requirements Medical assistants are not required by law to be licensed or certified, but 90% of medical assistants opt to become certified. Most employers require certification and some states require certification to perform specific job duties such as performing x-rays or drawing blood. In order to become certified, you must graduate from a medical assistant program accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP).  Types of Certification Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) The American Association of Medical Assistants awards the Certified Medical Assistant credential. The CMA must renew the credential every 5 years. The AAMA Certification/Recertification Examination is offered in January, June and October. The application deadline for the January exam is October 1 of the preceding year. The application deadline for the June exam is March 1 of the same year. American Association of Medical Assistants 20 North Wacker Drive Ste 1575 Chicago, IL 60608 http://www.aama-ntl.org  Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) American Medical Technologists (AMT) awards the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential. AMT is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). AMT is the only medical assistant certification program accredited by NCCA. The RMA exam is a computerized test that is administered five days per week at testing locations throughout the US and Canada. Registered Medical Assistants of American Medical Technologists 710 Higgins Road Park Ridge IL 60069 http://www.amt1.com Why Become Certified? Certification means a professional edge. It means greater prestige among peers and employers. It means better job security and greater career advancement opportunities. The RMA and CMA credentials are national certifications recognized by employers across the country.  |