In order to attain a Medical Assistant Certification, you foremost must have earned a diploma, certificate, or Associate’s degree as a medical assistant. A certified medical assistant has passed the Certification Examination created by the American Association of Medical Assistance. This certification is essentially a license that states you have the required knowledge to work as a medical assistant.
While there aren’t state laws requiring the certification for you to legally work in a medical facility, many employers today are requiring the certification of medical assistance. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that certified medical assistance have the best future job prospects. Certified medical assistants typically earn 60 cents more per hour than non-certified assistants. More importantly, certified assistants are trusted with significantly more responsibility than non-certified assistants, which will likely lead to more and better promotion opportunities.
Certified medical assistance gain more professional recognition and job security and benefits because of their certification. A certified assistant will find a great variety of job opportunities, working in doctor’s offices, at medical universities, surgical unites, and specialty offices including chiropractors, podiatrists, outpatient care facilities, and obstetricians. Any medical setting offers job opportunities for certified medical assistants. Assistants may be doing work of many kinds, including administrative duties (filing paperwork, organizing files, handling patient scheduling appointments), etc. The medical assistant is expected to work very closely with whatever medical professionals are on staff and to assist whenever they are required.
Someone with a medical certification has a greater opportunity to help with medical duties because of their specialized training. The certification is a symbol so this person’s employer knows that they have the skills and experience to be trusted working in the medical field. Of course, the biggest benefit in today’s economy is money. A certified medical assistant is more valuable, so they can request an improved compensation package when job interviewing than someone without the certification.
A medical assistant certification serves as proof that a candidate has successfully met a certain standard of skills and knowledge. Several of the organizations that grant these certificates to assistants include the American Association of Medical Assistance (AAMA) and the Association of Medical Technologists (AMT). The AAMA particularly tends to certify assistants who are working to complete a medical assisting program or recent graduates. AMT certifies only those who are recent graduates and those who have worked professionally as a medical assistant for a minimum of five years. The medical assisting program the student took must be CAAHEP or ABHES accredited (even if they aren’t a recent graduate). It should be noted with importance that any non-accredited course will not be accepted.
The AAMA certification expires every five years and the AMT certification expires every three. Don’t fret; it’s quite easy to recertify; you are required to take another examination or by complying with the organizations advancing educational standards.
Medical Assistant Certification Exam Cost
To become certified, you must first pass the Certification/Recertification Examination. The exam voucher itself could cost anywhere $125 to $250 depending on the provider/educational facility administering materials for medical assistant candidates.. Recent graduates from some schools pay the lower fee while other students pay the higher fee. The AMT examination requires students with higher advancements made whilst in school but costs only $95. The exam requires you to be very familiar with medical terminology, lab procedures, anatomy, and physiology. Helpful courses to help you prepare for the medical assistant certification exam include office practices, pharmacology, first aid, medical terminology, laboratory techniques, patient relations, and clinical and diagnostic procedures.
Medical Assistant Certification Training, Courses & Preparation
It’s requisite that you study to prepare for the medical assistant certification test. Utilizing flash cards is an optimal way to familiarize yourself with all necessary material. You should begin studying at least several weeks before you plan to take the exam—study hard and study often. The night before the exam, you shouldn’t cram; spend a couple of hours studying, and then make sure you get a good night’s rest and eat a healthy breakfast. This is the best way to ensure you’re most prepared.
The exam can be taken throughout the year. To register, you must fill out an application and provide the necessary documentation. The AAMA will notify you within 45 days of the application deadline of your status. If/when you’re approved you will be sent instructions of who to call to schedule the examination. The exam itself is usually computer-based and consists of around 200 multiple choice questions. This is a timed test, so you must be aware of how to pace yourself so that you do not find yourself short on time and do not perform optimally due to this potentially pressurizing factor.
Medical Assistant Certification Online
Considering a computer-based training program can often be more suitable than traditional classes, particularly for people who are nontraditional students, parents, people with part or full time jobs, or people who have trouble learning at the typical class pace. Generally it takes anywhere from six months to a year to attain a basic certification, but longer if one plans to specialize in a particular field of medical assistance. It is even possible to take a medical assistant certification test online, but you must be careful that the company offering you the test is accredited and legitimate, as many fake diploma industries exist and earn billions annually through their deception and scams. If you have found yourself a victim of fake certification distribution and undergone conning, it is necessary to dispute the charges to your local bank and file legal action against the company in question.
Medical Assistant Certification Test
Before you attempt to take this test despite the level or recentness of your higher education, it is necessary to study adequately. The best way to prepare for the exam is to contact the medical assistant association in your area, who can provide you with practice tests that simulate the questions on the test. The American Association of Medical Assistants also has practice tests available on their official Internet webpage, in which you can take to get a good idea of what to expect when you take the examination. Information covered on this test includes patient care, laboratory procedures, medical terminology, record keeping, and anatomy. On the day of the exam, come prepared. You will need identification, money, and the necessary writing utensils. The more ready you are for this exam mentally and physically, the better your chances are of succeeding.
Medical Assistant Certification Practice Test
The best way to prepare for this important exam is to take several full practice tests. These will help prepare you so you are aware of the range of information that will be covered. It’s also good to time your practice tests so you know your pace for the actual exam. There are numerous popular distributors of reliable practice exams available online in order to help you prepare for the medical assistant certification test.