If you need help studying for the AAMA’s Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free Certified Medical Assistant practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
How to Register
Exam Scores
Retaking the Exam
Online CMA Prep Course
FAQs
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the CMA exam, you have to be a student or graduate of a medical assisting program accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES.
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 200 multiple-choice questions total, but only 180 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 20 unscored questions on the exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The administration of the test is split up into four segments, each timed at 40 minutes. You’ll have the option to take a break between each segment.
The questions are grouped into three main sections:
1. Clinical Competency
106 scored questions
- Vital signs
- Medical terminology
- Interviewing techniques
- Documentation of care
- Patient screenings/wellness assessments
- Processing provider orders
Safety and Infection Control
- Infectious agents
- Infection cycle/chain of infection
- Modes of infectious transmission
- Standard precautions and exposure control
- Medical asepsis
- Biohazard disposal/regulated waste
- Safety resources
- Safety and emergency procedures
- Emergency management, identification, and response
- Basic first aid
- Body mechanics/ergonomics
- Risk management, quality assurance, and safety procedures
Procedures/Examinations
- Preparing patients for examinations, procedures, and treatments
- Supplies, equipment, techniques, and patient instruction
- Surgical assisting
- Wound care
- Instruments
- Anatomy and physiology
- Specimen collection techniques
- Preparing, processing, and examining specimens
- Lab quality control/quality assurance
- CLIA requirements
- Lab panels and selected tests
Pharmacology
- Medications
- Preparing and administering oral and parenteral medications
- Immunization resources
2. General
38 scored questions
- HIPAA
- PHI
- Consent
- Federal and state regulations
- Pharmaceutical laws
- Mandatory reporting/public health statutes
- Ethical standards
- Medical directives
Communication
- Interpersonal relationship skills/customer service
- Therapeutic/adaptive responses
- Learning styles
- Healthcare team roles
- Professional telephone etiquette/techniques
3. Administrative
36 scored questions
- Coding applications
- Insurance fraud and/or abuse
- Coverage for patient services and waivers
- Insurance types and third-party providers
- Authorizations and resources
- Financial terminology
- Patient account financial procedures
- Financial calculations
- Billing/collections
Scheduling Appointments and Health Information Management
- Scheduling new patients
- Scheduling established patients
- Routine vs. urgent
- Cancellations and no-shows
- Medical reception
- Patient registration
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam!
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application on AAMA’s website. The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things).
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the testing fee, which is $250. If you’re an AAMA member, you will only have to pay $125.
Certified Medical Assistant Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 200 and 800.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test after a 90-day waiting period.
Keep in mind that you can only take the exam three times. If you don’t pass after your third attempt, you will no longer be eligible for the CMA (AAMA) credential.
Online CMA Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online Certified Medical Assistant prep course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The CMA course includes:
- Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- 1,400+ CMA Practice Questions
- More than 300 Digital Flashcards
- Over 30 Instructional Videos
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
- and More!
The CMA prep course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their Certified Medical Assistant exam. Click below to check it out!
FAQs
How many questions are on the Certified Medical Assistant exam?
The exam contains 200 questions.
What is the time limit for the Certified Medical Assistant exam?
The exam is timed at 2 hours and 40 minutes.
What is the passing score for the Certified Medical Assistant exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 405 to pass.
How much does the Certified Medical Assistant exam cost?
The testing fee is $250 (AAMA members pay $125).
