What is Medical Assistant Certification?

Medical assistant certification is something that can be voluntarily obtained by medical assistants to prove that they have met a certain standard of skills and knowledge. In order to verify that the medical assistants they hire are qualified to perform these tasks, many employers will only choose those who have medical assistant certification. Unlike some occupations where workers must be licensed, registered, or certified before working, medical assistants can begin working at any stage. However, just as a formal education in medical assisting is voluntary but strongly recommended, certification is also strongly recommended. Those who are certified are more likely to advance to a higher position as well as receive more benefits and a better salary than those who are not certified. With so many benefits of seeking certification, it is a wonder that not all medical assistants choose to do so.

There are several organizations that award certification to medical assistants, including the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the Association of Medical Technologists (AMT). All certification organizations require that applicants have completed an accredited medical assisting program, including all required outside clinical work. The AAMA primarily certifies those who are in the process of completing a medical assisting program or are recent graduates from the program. The AMT certifies those who are recent medical assisting program graduates and those who have been working professionally as medical assistants for at least five years. Therefore, medical assistants who did not complete an assisting program but have been employed for at least five years should seek certification through the AMT.

All applicants must study for and successfully pass an examination to gain certification. The examination covers general health topics like anatomy and medical law and ethics, administrative topics like insurance filing and bookkeeping, and clinical topics like how to conduct physical examinations and laboratory procedures. These examinations are typically multiple-choice, though the actual details of the examination may vary depending on which organization applicants choose to seek certification from. There is also an examination fee which differs between organizations. The AAMA examination costs $250 for those seeking first-time certification and $125 for those seeking recertification. The AMT examination costs $95.

Certification is not permanent and medical assistants must seek recertification every few years. The AAMA certification expires every five years and AMT certification expires every three years. Recertification can be obtained through taking another examination or complying with the organization’s continuing education standards.