Exam Application Steps for Medical Assistants

Before beginning the process of applying to take the medical exam for medical assistants the applicant must understand the requirements and insure that they are eligible to take the exam. The applicant must be within thirty days of completing their practicum educational program or have already recently graduated a medical assistant program. Although no documentation of this is required the director of the program the applicant went through must verify completion before official scores and certification will be awarded to the applicant. However if the applicant has not recently completed the program they must supply an official transcript.

If it is a re-certification exam the applicant is seeking then there is no documentation needed for that. Applicants applying who are recent graduates must pay a nonrefundable fee of $125 and those who are not recent graduates will pay $125 if they are AAMA members and $250 if they are not. Those same fees follow if the applicant is seeking re-certification. It is extremely important to follow the exam application steps for medical assistance after understanding the qualifications and making payment.

Get Informed

The applicant must research and understand all policies and information which can be found in the handbook. The handbook will assist in the applicant understanding the exam application steps for medical assistants. Since submission of the application is considered to be the applicant agreeing to all testing policies and procedures they should be read and followed explicitly.

After reading the handbook the applicant should understand exactly what documentation is needed and obtain all needed documentation so that they will have it available when the time comes to send it in. There is a section in the handbook that will explain exactly what will be needed for certification. The handbook also offers timelines for the testing periods.

The applicant should review these timelines and choose which one would work best for them. It is important that the applicant carefully consider their schedule and any upcoming events which may interfere with the examination process. After careful consideration the applicant must choose the testing period best suitable for them and have the application and fees turned in prior to the deadline for those dates. The handbook will even offer advice is to the deadline the application and fees should be mailed in order to reach the office by that particular deadline.

Watch For Communication

The applicant must download the handbook to mail in a copy of the application or apply online but either way it is important to fill out all forms with the information that will match the identification the applicant will take with them to the exam. The applicant must supply a phone number, address, and email address that they can be reached at.

The email should be one the applicant intends to actively monitor for at least the next year. The CMA exam email address should be added to the applicants address book so that no communications are lost in spam filtering.

Even so it is a good idea to check those filters periodically as well to insure that no communications have accidentally been misplaced. In the event there needs to be a name, address, email address, or phone number change the applicant should go online promptly and change that to the correct one so no important communications are missed. The easiest way to do this is to go online and edit the profile or send an email. It may even be a good idea to both to insure the new information is received in all areas it needs to be.

The Exam Process

Once the scheduling permit has been printed it is important to schedule the exam appointment as soon as possible. This is also a good time to review the testing center policies so that everything goes well. Next the applicant should look over the study suggestions provided in the handbook and utilize those strategies to study for the exam to be prepared. The applicant should get plenty of rest the night before the exam and show up ready to conquer.

The good news is the applicant does not have to wait to know if they pass or fail the exam because they will receive this notice at the testing center after completing the exam. Even though the applicant will know the outcome of the test it will not be official until the pass or fail score is posted in about eight weeks.

Be Watchful

In accordance with the post examination section of the handbook the applicant will receive their test scores within ten weeks. Be watchful for these to be in the mail and also to be posted on the website. In the event the applicant has passed the test they will receive a wallet card and certificate as well as their official score report.

The certificate can be viewed online for five years which is when the applicant or now certified medical assistant must get re-certified. Then the exam application steps for medical assistants must be completed again considering the appropriate situation for the applicant.

For additional help to applying for your exam , check out Medical Assistant Certification Exam

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