Medical Assistants

Medical Assistants

HCA 322 Health Care Ethics & Medical Law

Instructor: Fran Steel

Renee Richards

February 2012

Medical Assistant, have various titles depending on the location and the facility. They can be called a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Doctor's Assistant, or Medical Office Assistant. Medical assistants should not be confused with physician assistants. Physician assistants are able to examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the direct supervision of a physician a medical assistant cannot. Medical assistants are not required to have a license or certification to perform their duties. However, being certified shows competency. “The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) was founded in 1956 which began offering formal education classes (http://www.aama).” Previously individuals received on the job training. While formal training in medical assisting is preferred, it is not required for the position. Today individuals can receive a certificate and become certified within a year. Or they can receive an associate’s degree within approximately 2 years. Obtaining certification is voluntary individuals who pursue this option are hired over those who are not. Certification is backed by the American Association of Medical Assistants and is viewed as a way to guarantee the competency of a medical assistant.

“Certification is usually achieved by taking the Certification Examination offered by the AAMA (http://www.aama).” Those certified must recertify every 60 months by completing continuing education hours or re-examination in order to maintain their certification. “The CMA (AAMA) is considered the gold standard of medical assisting professionalism. The credential represents a medical assistant who has been certified by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Certified medical assistants have a professional edge, increased prestige among colleagues, and greater job security (http://www.aama).”...