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By: Kendall Upton
The short answer? Yes. Several medical assistant certifications provide multiple eligibility pathways to sit for their exams. For some, it may be possible to obtain certification without any formal education beyond a high school diploma.
But just because it’s possible doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the smartest move for your career. Let’s explore how medical assisting certifications work and whether you should consider attending a medical assisting program.
Medical assistant certification overview
Medical assistants have the option to pursue certifications from several different industry organizations. Certification is not universally required to work as a medical assistant, but many healthcare employers do prefer or require it. Employers may even specify which certification(s) they require.
In order to obtain a certification, medical assistants must meet the organization’s eligibility requirements and then pass a certification exam. Eligibility requirements vary by organization, so some certifications may be easier to obtain than others depending on your specific education and experience.
Medical assistant certifications that require schooling
The Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA)® credential from the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) is arguably the most recognized medical assistant certification available. Unfortunately, it is not possible to earn this certification without some sort of postsecondary education and training.
“To be eligible for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam, you must be a student or graduate of medical assisting program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), previously CMA (AAMA) certified, or meet the requirements of the Alternative Pathway,” the AAMA states.
The Alternative Pathway for CMA eligibility simply makes room for candidates that completed a medical assisting program which was not accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES. As long as their program meets other requirements—is at least two semesters long, includes a practicum or externship, among others—the candidate can still sit for their exam.
Certifications that do not require schooling
Luckily, the CMA credential is not the only certification available to medical assistants. Several others are widely recognized and respected.
Each of these certifications has multiple pathways for a medical assistant to qualify for their exam through sufficient work experience, military training and other alternatives besides postsecondary education.
Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
In order to be eligible for the American Medical Technologists’ (AMT) RMA exam, applicants must satisfy ONE of the following:
- Education: Applicants must have graduated from (or is scheduled to graduate from) an approved medical assisting program within the past four years.
- Competency and work-based learning: “Applicant shall have completed, within the last four years, a hybrid education/work experience medical assisting program that has EITHER a combination of didactic and clinical experience to equal 720 total hours (160 hours of externship as a minimum) OR shall have completed a structured, approved alternative training course that is a minimum of 500 hours in duration, which must include at least 160 hours of externship experience,” the AMT states. In addition, applicants must complete a structured competency evaluation process to qualify for this route.
- Work experience: Applicant has worked as a full-time medical assistant for at least three years within the past seven years, performing both clinical and administrative duties.
- Military: “Applicant shall be a recent graduate or scheduled to graduate from a formal medical services training program of the United States Armed Forces,” the AMT states. The applicant must have graduated within the last four years.
Through the AMT’s work experience qualification, simply having at least three years of full-time experience as a medical assistant may be enough to sit for their certification exam. If you can find a job that does not require certification beforehand and is willing to train you from the inside, this could be a way to obtain certification without going to school.
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers the CCMA credential. To qualify for their exam, applicants have two eligibility pathways:
- Option 1: Possess a high school diploma or equivalent (or is scheduled to earn one in the next 12 months) AND complete a medical assistant training or education program within the last five years.
- Option 2: Possess a high school diploma or equivalent AND have one year of supervised work experience in a medical assisting field within the last three years or two years of supervised work experience in a medical assisting field within the last five years.
If you have a high school diploma or equivalent and have enough work experience in the last few years, you may qualify for NHA’s second eligibility pathway for their CCMA exam.
The NHA also has a Ceritifed Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) credential for medical assistants whose job focuses on administrative tasks. The eligibility requirements to sit for that particular exam are almost the exact same, with the only difference being that your education and/or experience be applicable to administration specifically.
Medical Assistant Certification (MAC)
The American Medical Certification Association (AMCA) offers a variety of allied health and healthcare technician certifications, one of which is their MAC credential.
Anyone that wants to pursue an AMCA credential must:
From there, you must satisfy ONE of the following to qualify for any of the AMCA’s exams:
- Option 1: Graduate from a training program related to the exam you are applying for, taken at an AMCA Approved Test Site.
- Option 2: Graduate from a training program related to the exam you are applying for, taken at an institution other than an AMCA Approved Test Site.
- Option 3: Have a minimum of one year of full-time work experience directly related to the credential. Work experience must be immediately preceding the date of application and be currently working in that field.
“For candidates qualifying under Option 3, one year full-time work experience is about 25 hours per week for one year, which equates to about 1200-1300 hours of hands-on learning experience,” the AMCA states.
The AMCA also offers a Clinical Medical Assistant Certification (CMAC) and a Medical Administrative Assistant Certification (MAAC) credential, of which the above requirements still apply.
National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA)
You can become an NCMA through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). There are five eligibility pathways for NCMA testing candidates to choose from:
- Current high school student: Current student or graduate within the past five years of a medical assistant program from an NCCT-authorized high school.
- Current student pathway: Currently enrolled in a postsecondary medical assistant program at an NCCT-authorized school (includes U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship programs).
- Graduate pathway: Graduated from a postsecondary medical assistant program at an NCCT-authorized school (includes U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship programs) within the last five years.
- Experience pathway: One year of verifiable full-time experience as a medical assistant within the past five years (must also possess a high school diploma or equivalent education).
- Military pathway: Completion of a medical assistant program or its equivalent during U.S. Military service within the past five years (must also possess a high school diploma or equivalent education).
The NCMA allows medical assistants with one year of full-time experience to qualify for their NCMA exam. And, like other organizations that have a similar experiential pathway, your employer(s) must complete a form that verifies your work experience.
Should I attend medical assistant school anyway?
It’s fair to consider whether investing time and money into a medical assisting program is worthwhile if it’s indeed possible to get certified without going to school.
While this may be a viable option for some, there are several reasons why it’s still a good idea to complete an accredited medical assisting program:
Qualifying for medical assisting certifications that accept sufficient experience in lieu of formal education means that you’d have to find medical assisting jobs that don’t require certifications or formal schooling to get started—but this may not be as easy as it seems.
Due to the wider availability of education programs, it’s fair to assume that employers in denser urban areas are more likely to require medical assistants to have a certification. It is probably easier to find a medical assisting job that does not require certification at smaller employers—a small family practice clinic, for example—particularly in more rural areas.
What’s next?
While it is possible to obtain several medical assisting certifications without formal schooling, completing a medical assisting program can set you up for a greater breadth of opportunities within your career.
For some medical assistants who got their start simply with on-the-job training and now have years—or decades—of experience behind them, returning to school may not be necessary. But for those at the beginning of their medical assisting careers, completing a formal program can make you a much more competitive job candidate.
