How do I get certified as a Medical Assistant?

How to Get Certified as a Medical Assistant in North Carolina

• Answer:

  Medical assistants are health care professionals who support physicians with administrative, clinical and laboratory tasks. According to the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina, 14,050 people are projected to be employed as medical assistants in 2016, representing a 4% annual growth from 2006. You can join this growing profession by getting certified as a medical assistant and pursuing employment with physician offices, clinics and health departments. Difficulty: Moderately Challenging Things You'll Need Certification application Transcript for medical assistant program Money for certification application fee Instructions Enroll and graduate from a medical assisting program accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). As of December 2010, there were 41 programs in North Carolina that were accredited by CAAHEP and three programs accredited by ABHES. During enrollment, you can expect to take courses in anatomy, medication administration and insurance processing. Matriculation should be from one year for a diploma to two years for an associate degree. Apply for a certification exam. There are various certifying agencies including the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the National Healthcare Association (NHA) and the American Medical Technologists (AMT). Exam fees range from $95 to $250. You may be required to provide your official transcript. Prepare for the exam by reviewing the content outline for the exam, taking practice exams and reviewing reference material. A good resource for preparation is your local library. Find a library by visiting the North Carolina Public Libraries on the Web website at http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/library/publib.html. Pass the certification exam. With computer testing, your exam results will be available immediately. An official notice of your score will be sent to you within 10 weeks. Tips & Warnings Tip: Individuals convicted of a felony are generally not eligible to take the certification exam given by the American Association of Medical Assistants, but the board will consider testing approval with "written evidence of mitigating circumstances... which demonstrates that your felony conviction should not prevent you from taking the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam" as stated on the association's website. Warning: American Medical Technologists (AMT) require a $50 annual fee to maintain certification.