Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA, chief executive officer and legal counsel for the American Association of Medical Assistants, keeps his eye on what is happening in the profession:
- Medical assistant scope-of-practice issues
- Key legislation affecting the medical assisting profession and CMA (AAMA) credential
- National health care initiatives, and much more
Ask questions, post comments, and stay tuned for more information.
FAQs on Medical Assisting and the CMA (AAMA)
FAQs on CMA (AAMA) Certification
Legal Eye 
what is the scope of practice for a medical assistant in the state of oklahoma?
I’m wondering this too, did you ever get a reply?
i am a medical assistant and i need to do a certified how do i do that .. and where to i contact .please reply me
Don,
the NP must obtain a doctorate degree by 2015. Physical therapists now must have a doctorate degree to practice and receive a license. Is there anything on the horizon for certified medical assistants in the way of required education? Diane Albarella
Hello Mr. Balasa:
I have recently obtained my certification as a medical assistant and I have a medical background as a certified nursing assistant as well as medical billing. I would like to know if there is any age limits on being a medical assistant. I am in my early 50’s and my goal is to be an office manager. I know there is age discrimination out there in the world, but I know I would be an excellent asset to any medical office. Kindly reply and thank you.
My daughter went to college for ma but was not certified we are from Ohio no one will hire her unless she is certified can you please send me any information on how she can get certified
Thank you very much for your e-mail. Only individuals who have passed the CMA (AAMA) examination at one time are eligible to recertify the CMA (AAMA) credential. However, if you have successfully completed a medical assisting program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) you are very likely eligible to sit for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Examination.
Please feel free to send me the name and location (address, city and state) of the institution where you completed your program as well as the date of your graduation. This can help us determine if you are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) examination.
My email is ajohnson@aama-ntl.org.
Sincerely,
Anna Johnson
Anna Johnson, CAE
Associate Executive Director/Director of Certification
American Association of Medical Assistants
Ph: 800/228-2262 | Fax: 312/899-1259 | http://www.aama-ntl.org
The CMA (AAMA): Health Care’s Most Versatile Professional®
I’m an EMT basic working for a pediatric office as an MA. I was told I was hired as an MA with no experience as one and I was to work within and Ma scope of practice. I was later accused of stepping out of my scope because I chose to listen to the breath sounds of a patient. This has resulted in a suspension from work. In a case like this what happens if a non-licensed ma is not given an appropriate scope to follow?
Dear Mr. Balasa,
The following link is for a recently published article in Oakland County, Michigan, regarding a new program whereby “Upon completion of the apprenticeship program, students receive a U.S. Department of Labor certificate and a certificate from the colleges. The DOL certificate allows apprentices to work anywhere in the country.”
As I have not before seen mention of a “DOL Certificate” for medical assistants I am wondering if you have and, if so, how this came about.
http://www.candgnews.com/news/oakland-county-debuts-new-medical-apprenticeship-program-107909
I have a CCMA certification from NHA, do I qualify to take the exam for AAMA
How would you rate a Certified National Medical Assistant, licensed by The National Center of Competency Training (NCCT) ?