Medical Assistant Eligibility Requirements
To sit for the CCMA exam, you must be at least 18 years old, hold a high school diploma or GED, and have either completed a medical assistant training program or gained qualifying work experience. The NHA does not require you to complete an externship or clinical rotation.
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- Do I need a high school diploma to take the test?
- Yes. You must hold a high school diploma or a GED equivalent to meet the baseline education requirement.
- Is there a minimum age requirement?
- You must be at least 18 years old to sit for the certification.
- Do I have to complete a medical assistant training program?
- You need either formal education or practical experience. If you do not have qualifying medical-assistant work experience, you must complete an MA training program.
- Can I use work experience instead of formal training?
- Yes. Qualifying medical-assistant work experience can substitute for an education program. You will need to verify the exact recency windows for this experience in the NHA Candidate Handbook.
- Does the NHA require an externship or clinical hours?
- No. The certifying body does not mandate an externship or clinical rotation to qualify for the exam.
- How recent must my MA training program be?
- Your program completion must fall within a specific timeframe. Refer to the official candidate guidelines for the exact recency windows required for your application.
- How many questions are on the certification exam?
- The test contains 180 total questions. Out of those, 150 are scored and the remaining 30 are unscored pretest items.
- How much time do I get to finish the test?
- You have 180 minutes to complete the exam.
- What score do I need to pass?
- You must achieve a scaled score of 390 out of 500. This translates to roughly 78%.
- What topics does the exam cover?
- You will be tested on Foundational Knowledge and Basic Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Clinical Patient Care, Patient Care Coordination and Education, Administrative Assisting, Communication and Customer Service, and Medical Law and Ethics.
- Which domain is the most important?
- Clinical Patient Care is the largest section. It makes up approximately 56% of the scored questions.
- What happens if my certification lapses?
- If your credential lapses and you do not reinstate it within one year, it becomes invalid. You will then have to retake the test to regain your certification.
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A patient requires prolonged use of sterile parenteral nutrition that completely bypasses the digestive tract,…