^{By Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA
Originally published July 12, 2023
Updated May 21, 2026}

The Certifying Board (CB) of the AAMA and the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) must have autonomy in policy decision-making to remain accredited and recognized by third parties. Thus, the AAMA Board of Trustees (BOT) does not have the authority to override the decisions of the CB and MAERB. 

The CB is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, which requires that the CB has autonomy in decision-making over core aspects of certification programs. 

In turn, MAERB is a committee on accreditation of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), which is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA requires CAAHEP and its committees on accreditation—like MAERB—to be separate and independent from parent organizations in formulating and executing accreditation policies and procedures. 

Learn details about these requirements and read relevant supporting materials in the May/June 2023 Public Affairs article, “ Why the Certifying Board of the AAMA and the Medical Assisting Education Review Board Are Accountable to Third Parties,” on the “ Public Affairs Articles” webpage.