Medical Assistant Certification

Medical Assistant Certification

Certification is defined as a formal process of making certain that an individual is qualified in terms of particular knowledge or skill sets. Certification programs are often fostered or supervised by some certifying agency, such as a professional association.

Hunter Business School works with the organizations listed below which offer certification in medical assisting. a woman in a white coat Graduates of Hunter Business School’s Medical Assistant program are eligible to sit for any of the following exams offered by these nationally recognized organizations.

On average, certified medical assistants may command a higher starting salary than those who are not certified.

Hunter Business School administers onsite certification exams for Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy Technician, ECG (EKG) Technician, and Insurance and Coding Specialist through the National Center for Competency Testing. For tests through other certifying agencies—the American Association of Medical Assistants or American Medical Technologists—please see below.

For more information, please contact Donna Evans in Levittown or Dayna Smith in Medford for more information.

Cost

Hunter will reimburse students $90 toward the registration fee for any of the Medical Assistant exams (excludes exams that are only for phlebotomy and/or only for EKG) as long as the following criteria have been met. Graduates must have

  • achieved attendance of at least 90 percent by the last day of the program (includes externship).
  • passed the precertification exam that is part of the final Certification Review with Career Development class with a score of 80 or higher.
  • a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) by the last day of class prior to externship.
  • planned to take the certification test within six months from the last day of externship.
  • satisfied all financial obligations with the school.
  • passed the certification exam.

NCCT

National Center for Competency Testing

Website

National Center for Competency Testing

Credential received

National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA)

Eligibility

High school diploma, Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™), or General Educational Diploma (GED®) and graduate of Hunter Business School

Limits

Medical Assisting candidates must take the test within five years of graduating an approved medical assistant program. They will have four opportunities to take a single exam. The waiting times are as follows: After a failed first attempt, the candidate must wait 30 days before retesting. After a failed second attempt, he/she must wait 90 days. And upon failing for a third time, the period is one year. These rules are determined and subject to change by the NCCT.

Exam Questions

150 scored questions

CEUs

To maintain certification, an individual must clock 14 continuing education hours per year.

Other tests

Insurance and Coding Specialist (NCICS)

Medical Office Assistant (NCMOA)

NCCT also offers tests for phlebotomy and EKG, but the NCMA certification already covers these.

Test Location

Hunter Business School with three hours to complete the test

AAMA

American Association of Medical Assistants

Website

American Association of Medical Assistants

Credential received

CMA (Certified Medical Assistant)

Eligibility

High school diploma, Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™), or General Educational Diploma (GED®) and graduate of Hunter Business School

Limits

Medical assisting candidates can take the test at any time but will be given only three lifetime attempts to pass. These rules are determined and subject to change by the AMA.

Exam Questions

180 scored questions

CEUs

To maintain certification, an individual must attain 60 continuing education units every five years—10 administrative, 10 clinical, 10 general, and 30 more from a combination of these.

Test Location

Prometric test site with two hours forty minutes to complete the test

Other tests

Not applicable

AMT

American Medical Technologists

Website

American Medical Technologists

Credential received

RMA (Registered Medical Assistant)

Eligibility

High school diploma, Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™), or General Educational Diploma (GED®) and graduate of Hunter Business School

Limits

Candidates must take the test within four years of graduating an approved medical assistant program. Otherwise, they must provide evidence of relevant work experience for three of the last five years. An applicant may take the exam up to four times, with a retake no sooner than three months from the first attempt and no later than two years after the date of the original application.. These rules are determined and subject to change by the AMT.

Exam Questions

200-210 scored questions

CEUs

To maintain certification, an individual must attain 45 continuing education units every three years

Test Location

Pearson Vue test site with two to three hours to complete the test

Other tests

AMT also offers a test for phlebotomy, but the RMA certification already covers this.

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