How many times can you retake the certified medical assistant exam?

Candidates can take the exam three times. Individuals pursuing recertification also have three attempts. Each attempt will require a new application and exam fee. Aspiring CMAs who cannot pass after three attempts are no longer eligible for the certification unless they complete another or the same certified medical assistant program before reapplying to take the CMA certification test.

How much does it cost to take the certified medical assistant exam?

The CMA certification test costs $125 for AAMA members and those who are completing or have completed a CAAHEP or ABHES program in the last 12 months. All other test-takers must pay $250. Fees are non-refundable.

What is a passing score on the certified medical assistant exam?

The minimum passing score for the medical assistant certification test is 430, but scores range from 200-800. AAMA analyzes exam results every three years to determine if the passing score should change.

How hard is the MA test?

Medical assistant exams are rigorous as they test your knowledge of various topics, including anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, and healthcare. It is more challenging than a high school exam but not as difficult or extensive as the NCLEX-RN.

Certified Medical Assistant Exam Guide

Certified medical assistants (CMAs) are highly sought-after healthcare professionals. Are you looking to become one of them? One essential step in becoming a CMA is passing the CMA certification exam.

Learn everything you need to know about the CMA certification test, including how to register, examples of exam questions, and study tips.

What Is the Certified Medical Assistant Exam?

The American Association of Medical Assistants administers the CMA exam, which assesses candidates' knowledge and skills needed to work as competent, safe medical assistants. This timed, computerized test includes 200 questions and is divided into four sections with three optional breaks.

The exam covers anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, pharmacology, clinical procedures, and administrative tasks. Your certification will remain current for 60 months before requiring renewal.

Benefits of Becoming a Certified Medical Assistant

Earning the certification provides medical assistants with many benefits:

Holding a certification provides medical assistants with increased employment opportunities. It highlights their dedication to the field and displays their advanced knowledge of CMA duties. Some employers only hire certified medical assistants.
CMAs enjoy higher medical assistant salary pay rates and bonuses than non-certified workers.
Certified professionals are more likely to maintain employment, even when certification is not required.
Since the certification requires renewal every five years, CMAs remain up to date on new practices and procedures, making them more appealing to employers.

CMA Exam Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the exam, you must meet one of three categories:

Category 1: Candidates must have completed or are in the process of completing a medical assisting program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Candidates can take the medical assistant certification test no more than 30 days before the completion of their program.
Category 2: Non-recent CAAHEP or ABHES program graduates who graduated more than 12 months ago are eligible to take the exam.
Category 3: Candidates who have previously passed the CMA exam can apply to recertify their credentials.

What to Expect When You Take the Certified Medical Assistant Exam

After qualifying to take the CMA exam, you can begin to prepare. Reduce the likelihood of encountering surprises by understanding how the exam is administered, its length, and the topics it covers.

CMA Exam Format

Prometric, a technology-based testing and assessment services provider, administers the CMA certification test. Upon receiving approval from the AAMA, test-takers receive a 90-day window to schedule and complete the exam at a Prometric testing location.

Testing centers include video and audio monitoring throughout the exam and digital cameras to verify test-takers' identities.

CMA Exam Length

The medical assistant certification exam is administered in four 40-minute segments with optional breaks. The breaks combined cannot exceed 20 minutes. Skipping the tutorial and breaks will not affect the overall exam time.

The maximum time for the exam is 195 minutes, including 15 minutes for the tutorial and 20 minutes for breaks. Once the test-taker begins, the exam cannot be paused, canceled, or rescheduled.

CMA Exam Topics

The exam is divided into three areas — clinical competency, general, and administrative — containing 180 questions. An additional 20 pre-test questions are placed randomly throughout the exam. The pre-test questions do not affect the test-taker's final score.

Categories cover questions that determine the test-taker's proficiency and aptitude. Items covered include medical procedures, legal issues, and billing practices.

CMA Exam Difficulty

Between July 2021 and July 2022, the AAMA administered 9,047 exams with 58% of test-takers passing. The difficulty of the CMA certification test depends on how much time an individual sets aside to study.

The AAMA recommends completing medical assistant certification practice tests and paying close attention to how long it takes to answer each question. Starting with easy questions before returning to difficult prompts is a common strategy that provides more time to focus on challenging questions.

CMA Exam Registration

Verify your eligibility.
Gather the necessary documentation.
Review the exam policies and procedures.
Determine a start date for the testing period (90-day testing window).
Apply for the exam after the AAMA approves a 90-day testing period.
Schedule your exam appointment.

CMA Exam Scoring

The score is based on the number of correct responses on the exam. The scale ranges from 200-800, with a minimum passing score of 430. The AAMA conducts a study approximately every three years to establish the standard level of competency and may adjust the passing score if appropriate.

How to Pass the Certified Medical Assistant Exam

To pass the exam, candidates should take advantage of the resources available. Practice exams and signing up for review courses can help you prepare. Understanding standard medical terminology, basic autonomy and physiology, and basic knowledge of the healthcare field can also benefit test-takers.

Study Resources

Outside of review courses, there are many free study resources available online that can help in exam preparation.

Quizlet Flashcards

Quizlet is a free website that provides flashcards to help individuals review and study various subjects. The following links provide flashcards that can help test-takers prepare for the CMA exam:

Vitals
Procedures
Drug schedules
Phlebotomy
Pharmacology

Chegg Flashcards

Chegg allows users to create and share flashcards. The website specifically provides a CMA exam review with over 500 flashcards.

"One other thing to keep in mind while studying is the benefit of physical flashcards. The virtual ones are a great tool, but they don't have the ability to be edited or curated for topics specific to the person studying," said Opurum.

YouTube

YouTube can be used as a study resource as it contains videos that explain the proper techniques for procedures like injection, disinfection, and calculating heart rate from an electrocardiogram.

AAMA Practice Questions

The AAMA provides free practice questions in the following subject areas:

Anatomy and physiology
Medical terminology