YOUR
CERTIFICATIONS
Don't put off your certification any longer!
Your success is YOUR responsibility. All info is FREE.
Certification gives you recognized designations (your credentials!) and verification of your
qualifications. It is portable to all places that you work; now and in the future, and gets you better prepared
when an increasing number of doctors want certified medical assistants simply because their state medical
board, or malpractice insurance carrier mandates it.
Over 150,000 have successfully
passed National Healthcareer Association certification exams and Home Study
Programs!
NHA Medical Assistant Certifications
AMT Medical Assistant
Certifications
- Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential
- Certified Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS)
- Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT)
- Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
- and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)
Who Should Consider Certification?
Certification is a way of saying, I am proud to be a medical assistant and I am committed to the profession, the
community, and my job. The medical assistant must decide which certification exam is best for them, then register
for the exam, and pass it successfully.
Those who should get certified are...
- medical assistant
students directly upon their graduation
- those
already working in the medical assisting field
- those planning
a cross-train into another related allied health profession
By passing a recognized certification exam the medical assistant has shown
knowledge in all areas of their field, and earned the right to use industry recognized credentials, such as RMA
(Registered Medical Assistant), or CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) with their name. It is only THEN
that they are allowed to call themselves a certified, and/or registered medical assistant.
CCMA vs.
RMA
The difference between the certified and registered credential is that they have been granted through different
certifying bodies. Some grant a "registered..." credential, others give the "certified..." credential to
distinguish one from the other (e.g. Certified Medical Assistant, vs. Registered Medical Assistant). However, both
are certified as such. An increasing number of doctors want medical assistants that are certified simply because
their state medical board, or malpractice insurance carrier mandates it.
Certified Professionals
"I Graduated from an Accredited School - Am I Certified?"
No, just graduating from an accredited school doesn't make you
a certified professional! Certification is NOT automatic just because you have graduated and received your
diploma. To get certified in the medical assistant discipline you must have graduated from a CAAHEP, or ABHES
accredited vocational training program. Only this allows you to apply for the certification exam
for which you will sit at the designated location and date. Both, the NHA, and AMT offer national certification exams, meaning that
a medical assistant who passed their written tests is certified to work in any state,
including California.
Who Can Take The Certification Exam?
Graduates of postsecondary medical assisting programs accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES are immediately
eligible to take the exams provided by different governing bodies. Some certification sponsors, including NHA and
AMT also grant certifications to experienced allied health professionals based on the amount of years of directly
related work experience.
When an online study programs offers some sort of course certificate, or documentation of program completion,
this type of printed record should not be confused with professional certification and credential that come with
passing a standardized national certification exam. While good to have, those are two completely different things,
and can easily be confused by a novice.
Is Certification the Same as Registration?
The answer is yes; for medical assistants being certified is the same as being registered. In both cases, a
person must FIRST pass a standardized written certification exam to show their knowledge of professional skills,
rules, and professional standards.
The exam for Certified Clinical, and Certified Administrative Medical Assistant is given by NHA, the exam for
Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) is given by AMT. To sit for any of the exams you must have earned your diploma
first, or have at least 3-5 years direct work experience in your field.
Whether medical assistants are certified through American Medical Technologists (e.g. the RMA credential), or
through National Healthcareer Association (the CCMA credential for clinical medical assistants), they both are
equally valid and recognized certifications...
- NHA Medical Assistant Certifications
Get this FREE Career Info Kit! Receive special offers that interest to you, NHA is the benchmark in allied healthcare certifications!
- AMT Medical Assistant Certifications
Get this FREE Career Info Kit! AMT is a nationally and internationally respected and recognized certification agency. Receive special offers that interest to you,
- Medical Assistant Certification Exam
Although certification or state licensure for medical assistants is not required it is highly recommended that MA's get certified. Learn why....
- The Difference: Licensure vs. Certification
Medical assistant certification is NOT licensure. It is the official statement of qualifications and usually includes the holder's name, profession, license number, date of birth ...
- How Medical Assistants Change Their Future
To change how the health care world views medical assistants as professionals they must become proactive in their own interest. Certification vs. licensing for MAs ...
- Accredited vs Non-Accredited
Knowledge is power and accreditation is the process by which educational or post-secondary programs are officially approved and authorized.
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