What is a Certified Medical Assistant?
Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) have a great amount of variety in their jobs and are cross-trained to perform many administrative and clinical duties. Of course, duties vary from office to office depending on location, size and specialty The Certified Medical Assistant® (CMA) is in greater demand than ever. Offered by American Association of Medical Assistants.
Medical assistants are the only allied health professionals specifically trained to work in ambulatory settings, such as physicians' offices, clinics and group practices. These multiskilled personnel can perform administrative and clinical procedures. Physicians value this unique versatility more and more, as managed care compels them to contain costs and manage human resources efficiently. Not surprisingly, the demand for medical assistants is expanding rapidly. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting is projected to be
one of the fastest growing professions through the year 2012.-->
What sets the CMA apart among medical assistants is the certification. A medical assistant first earns the CMA credential by passing a rigorous examination that requires a thorough, broad and current understanding of health care delivery. The CMA credential is offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) - the only medical assisting organization granted Official Observer Status to the American Medical Association's House of Delegates. The National Board of Medical Examiners - responsible for many national examinations for physicians - serves as test consultant for the AAMA CMA Certification/Recertification Examination. As a result, the reliability and validity of the CMA credential is of the highest order.
The CMA's recertification requirement can be met by examination or through continuing education. All CMAs employed or seeking employment must have current certified status to use the CMA credential in connection with employment.
