Which professional organization is dedicated entirely to the medical assisting profession?

Martinsburg College’s Medical Assisting program provides students with the skills commonly expected of entry-level Medical Assistants and the knowledge required to sit for several national certification exams. Currently, there are no state licensure requirements for Medical Assistants, however, three states: Arizona, South Dakota, and Washington State require students to pass certification exams in order to work in the field. Martinsburg College’s program meets the requirements in these three states.

Arizona
State requires students to pass one of the following certification exams in addition to program completion: Registered Medical Assistant Exam through American Medical Technologists (AMT); or Clinical Medical Assistant Exam through the National Health Career Association (NHA).

South Dakota
Upon completion of an accredited program, students must register with the South Dakota Board of Medical Examiners prior to practicing as a medical assistant.
https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/2059839

Washington State
Washington State has two pathways: Registered Medical Assistant and Certified Medical Assistant. The program meets the state requirements for both the Registered pathway and the Certified pathways. If students wish to apply for the Certified pathway, in addition to completing the program, they will need to complete a 160-hour externship and pass one of the following certification exams; or Registered Medical Assistant Exam through American Medical Technologists (AMT); or Clinical Medical Assistant Exam through the National Health Career Association (NHA); or National Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT); or Clinical Medical Assistant Certification Examination through the American Medical Certification Association (AMCA).

Certification Exams
Martinsburg College’s program helps prepares students to take the following certification exams:

Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)*

*This certification requires a minimum of 160-hour practicum/externship (or 1,000 hours of medical assisting experience following program completion) completed in an outpatient setting to be eligible to take the certification exam. Students who graduate from the Medical Assisting Program by August 31, 2027, will be eligible, through the AAMA CMA Pilot Program, to take the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant professional certification exam, if they meet eligibility requirements. Certification eligibility requirements are subject to change. See qualifications for eligibility to take the certification exam through the pilot program: https://www.aama-ntl.org/cma-aama-exam/eligibility-pilot-program.

Upon graduation, students seeking certification will receive specific information in preparation to sit for certification exams.

Although most states do not have specific licensure requirements for Medical Assistants, students should be aware of the requirements below, as most positions in this field have the following prerequisites to work as a medical assistant:

• Must be a high school graduate or equivalent
• Must not have any felony convictions (this varies by states, for example, some states require individuals not to have any felony convictions within the last five years)
• Must be able to pass a background check and/ or drug screen
• May require passing a national certification test (see below for more information)
• Must be fluent in English

Medical Assisting students have the opportunity to complete an optional 160-hour externship in a setting that provides hands-on experience necessary to develop skills needed by medical assistants. Some externship sites may have additional requirements, such as a background check and drug screen, which may incur additional costs.

Martinsburg College has determined that its curriculum meets the state requirements in the following states:

* State requires students to pass one of the following certification exams in addition to program completion: Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA); or Registered Medical Assistant Exam through American Medical Technologists (AMT); or Clinical Medical Assistant Exam through the National Health Career Association (NHA).

** State requires registration with the South Dakota Board of Medical Examiners prior to practicing as a medical assistant.

***For the Certified Medical Assistant designation, state requires completing a 160-hour externship (in addition to program completion) and passing one of the following certification exams: Registered Medical Assistant Exam through American Medical Technologists (AMT); or Clinical Medical Assistant Exam through the National Health Career Association (NHA); or National Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT); or Clinical Medical Assistant Certification Examination through the American Medical Certification Association (AMCA).

In addition to the requirements listed above, most states have the following prerequisites to work as a medical assistant:

• Must be a high school graduate or equivalent
• Must not have any felony convictions (this varies by states, for example, some states require individuals not to have any felony convictions within the last five years.
• Must be fluent in English

National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Since 1989, the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) has awarded more than 750,000 certifications to healthcare students and professionals, providing them with nationally recognized measurements of competency.

NHA engages with both regulatory and legislative bodies to promote certification for the industry and for the people working in it. The association is committed to developing, advancing and advocating for the frontline healthcare worker.

Students may take the CMAA, CBCS, CCMA, and CEHRS certification exams in an online, proctored environment.

For more information on these certification exams, exam preparation, and fees, please check the NHA website for the most up-to-date information www.nhanow.com

American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)

Established in 1956, the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) continues to be the only association devoted exclusively to the medical assisting profession.

The mission of the American Association of Medical Assistants® is to provide the medical assistant professional with education, certification, credential acknowledgment, networking opportunities, scope-of-practice protection, and advocacy for quality patient-centered health care.

The Certifying Board (CB) of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) has launched a pilot program, which opens a new education pathway for medical assistants to become eligible to sit for the CMA (AAMA)® Certification Exam.

This pilot program, begun August 2019, allows graduates of postsecondary (college-level) medical assisting and postsecondary (college-level) medical assisting apprenticeship programs to take the CMA (AAMA) Exam if the program meets certain requirements, including the program being part of an institution accredited by an accrediting body recognized by either the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

The pilot program will remain in effect until Aug. 31, 2029. Graduates of Martinsburg College’s Medical Assisting program who successfully complete the program and meet AAMA eligibility requirements may apply to take the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)* certification examination. For specific eligibility requirements, please visit the AAMA website pilot program eligibility page: https://www.aama-ntl.org/cma-aama-exam/eligibility-pilot-program.

*This certification requires a minimum of 160-hour practicum/externship (or 1,000 hours of medical assisting experience following program completion) completed in an outpatient setting to be eligible to take the certification exam. Students who graduate from the Medical Assisting Program by August 31, 2027, will be eligible, through the AAMA CMA Pilot Program, to take the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant professional certification exam, if they meet eligibility requirements. Certification eligibility requirements are subject to change. See qualifications for eligibility to take the certification exam through the pilot program: https://www.aama-ntl.org/cma-aama-exam/eligibility-pilot-program.