About the Exam
The Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA)®—or CMA (AAMA)®—credential represents a medical assistant who has been credentialed through the Certifying Board (CB) of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
The credential is awarded to candidates who pass the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam.
The CB of the AAMA is committed to impartiality, objectivity, and fairness in all aspects of its CMA (AAMA) Certification Program. This commitment is reflected in all policies of the CB, and the execution of all policies.
Exam Eligibility | Only candidates who meet one of the categories of exam eligibility are allowed to sit for the exam.
Exam Content | The CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam is a rigorous exam that requires a thorough, broad, and current understanding of health care delivery. The CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam Content Outline provides an overview of the wide scope of knowledge required in general, clinical, and administrative categories.
The exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions administered in four 40-minute segments.
Exam Security | The CMA (AAMA) Exam is administered through PSI Services LLC (PSI). The reliable, secure, and thorough testing services provided by PSI maintain the integrity of the testing process. Read more about PSI exam security and the rules of conduct in the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam Application.
NCCA Accreditation | The certification program of the Certifying Board of the AAMA is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and complies with the NCCA Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. The NCCA is the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), formerly called the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA).
The NCCA Standards were created to ensure that certification programs adhere to modern standards of practice for the certification industry.
Test Administrator | PSI Services LLC (PSI), a leader of high-stakes testing, develops and administers the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam. See the “PSI Exam Scheduling” webpage for more information.
Digital Badges | The Certifying Board of the AAMA is now offering digital badging to CMAs (AAMA)! This cutting-edge technology allows CMAs (AAMA) to securely—and quickly—share their credential across the web, on résumés, in email signatures, and via social media outlets to celebrate and validate their achievement.
See the "Digital Badges" webpage for more information.
Recertification | The credential must be recertified every 60 months by continuing education or exam.
Exam Statistics | Below are the statistics on CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam from July 2021 to July 2022.
9,047 CMA (AAMA) Certification Exams were administered from July 2021 to July 2022.
The percent pass rate for the exams administered was 58%.
As of March 31, 2023, there were a total of 75,659 CMAs (AAMA).