I recently received the following question from an Ohio attorney:

I represent a client who tells me that she is a “licensed medical assistant” in Ohio. She has been charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense and is soon to enter a plea of no contest to a lesser charge where she will enter a court diversion program. Under that program, she will not be convicted of any crime if she meets certain basic probationary requirements over the following 90 days. Furthermore, the case against her will be dismissed, and the court file sealed.

I’m trying to find out if the above resolution of her case will result in any license/certification problems vis-à-vis my client’s status as a licensed medical assistant.

Licensure for medical assistants does not exist under Ohio law. It was then clarified the medical assistant held the Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA) designation.  

However, if this medical assistant held the CMA (AAMA)® credential, the fact that the records will be sealed would have no impact on disciplinary action against the CMA (AAMA) under the AAMA Certifying Board policy. The CMA (AAMA) would be required to disclose that to the AAMA. Of course, the Certifying Board only considers felonies, not misdemeanors, in disciplinary determinations.

 This lawyer should check with the certifying body that issues the NRCMA.

I recently received the following question from an Ohio attorney:

I represent a client who tells me that she is a “licensed medical assistant” in Ohio. She has been charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense and is soon to enter a plea of no contest to a lesser charge where she will enter a court diversion program. Under that program, she will not be convicted of any crime if she meets certain basic probationary requirements over the following 90 days. Furthermore, the case against her will be dismissed, and the court file sealed.

I’m trying to find out if the above resolution of her case will result in any license/certification problems vis-à-vis my client’s status as a licensed medical assistant.

Licensure for medical assistants does not exist under Ohio law. It was then clarified the medical assistant held the Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA) designation.  

However, if this medical assistant held the CMA (AAMA)® credential, the fact that the records will be sealed would have no impact on disciplinary action against the CMA (AAMA) under the AAMA Certifying Board policy. The CMA (AAMA) would be required to disclose that to the AAMA. Of course, the Certifying Board only considers felonies, not misdemeanors, in disciplinary determinations.

 This lawyer should check with the certifying body that issues the NRCMA.

I recently received the following question from an Ohio attorney:

I represent a client who tells me that she is a “licensed medical assistant” in Ohio. She has been charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense and is soon to enter a plea of no contest to a lesser charge where she will enter a court diversion program. Under that program, she will not be convicted of any crime if she meets certain basic probationary requirements over the following 90 days. Furthermore, the case against her will be dismissed, and the court file sealed.

I’m trying to find out if the above resolution of her case will result in any license/certification problems vis-à-vis my client’s status as a licensed medical assistant.

Licensure for medical assistants does not exist under Ohio law. It was then clarified the medical assistant held the Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA) designation.  

However, if this medical assistant held the CMA (AAMA)® credential, the fact that the records will be sealed would have no impact on disciplinary action against the CMA (AAMA) under the AAMA Certifying Board policy. The CMA (AAMA) would be required to disclose that to the AAMA. Of course, the Certifying Board only considers felonies, not misdemeanors, in disciplinary determinations.

 This lawyer should check with the certifying body that issues the NRCMA.