CMAs (AAMA)® are highly valued health care professionals due to their education, versatility, and commitment to patient care. For these reasons—and many others—employers of allied health professionals may prefer or require that the medical assistants they hire have the CMA (AAMA)® credential. From greater legal protection to state and federal requirements, here are some of the best reasons for employers to hire CMAs (AAMA) in any health care setting:

Legal Protection

In the health care industry, many disputes are referred to attorneys and end up in courts of law. As a result, health care providers have determined that hiring CMAs (AAMA) can provide greater legal protection due to credentialed professionals’ generally higher quality of work.

Good Reputation

When filling openings for medical assisting positions, employers look for candidates with a CMA (AAMA) certification because it demonstrates that their knowledge is both extensive and current, as they have received the highest achievement in credentialing and education in the medical assisting field. The rigor of the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam demonstrates that CMAs (AAMA) possess an understanding of general, administrative, and clinical knowledge as detailed in the Content Outline for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam.

Additionally, CMAs (AAMA) must recertify every 60 months by completing continuing education requirements or retaking the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam. The commitment to recertification and staying current on medical assisting topics shows their passion for providing safe, high-quality patient care.

Post-Secondary Education

CMAs (AAMA) are set apart as some of the best educated in their field. The CMA (AAMA) is the only medical assisting certification that requires post-secondary education and prioritizes education in both clinical and administrative tasks. These requirements are the foundation for CMAs (AAMA) to prove their excellence as allied health care workers and find success in their work.

Superior Exam Standards

The CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam uses PSI Services LLC to construct and administer the exam. Test development, item writing, and security for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam all follow rigorous standards to ensure the high integrity of the testing process and reflect the knowledge of the test-taker.

National Recognition

The CMA (AAMA) credential represents a medical assistant who is credentialed through the Certifying Board (CB) of the AAMA. The CB and its CMA (AAMA) Certification Program is accredited under the National Commission for Certifying Agencies Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. This accreditation validates the CMA (AAMA) as a psychometrically sound and legally defensible certification.

Managed Care

Employers may find credentialed medical assistants more desirable as managed care continues to dominate the health care industry. Managed care organizations cause mergers and buyouts of small physician practices into larger health care providers nationwide, and their human resources departments often implement credentialing requirements among employees to incur lower initial training costs.

Credential Verification

Employers who wish to hire CMAs (AAMA) can verify credentials via the AAMA website. Searching by name and state or last name and certification ID can verify the credentials of an applicant or employee and ensure they received the education they claim to have.