Candidate Appication and Handbook For the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination A Pubication of the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medica Assistants
Candidate Appication and Handbook For the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination Pubished by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medica Assistants, Inc. 20 N. Wacker Dr., Ste. 1575 Chicago, IL 60606 Phone: 800/228-2262 Fax: 312/899-1259 Website: www.aama-nt.org The CMA (AAMA): Heath Care s Most Versatie Professiona Copyright 2010 by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medica Assistants, Inc. A rights reserved. No part of this pubication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieva system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, known now or in the future, incuding eectronic, mechanica, photographic or magnetic without prior written permission of the pubisher.
Tabe of contents About the examination Certification credentia Eigibiity, documentation, and fees summary Appicant agreement Examination information and poicies Candidate appication and handbook Initia CMA (AAMA) certification candidacy Recertification of the CMA (AAMA) credentia Eigibiity categories CAAHEP and ABHES accreditation periods Ineigibe candidates Required documentation Verification of competing student/recent graduate program competion Candidate fee for examination appication Ninety-day testing period Appication timeines and processing Acknowedgment of appication Permits for scheduing an exam appointment Incompete appications Name and address Reease of candidate/cma (AAMA) information Specia accommodations Grounds for denia of eigibiity Examination specifications Examination study suggestions Faiure to appear for appointment Transfer to new testing period Request for an appea AAMA membership AAMA contact information Test center scheduing and poicies Your scheduing permit Scheduing your test date Identification requirements for exam admittance Examination appointment changes/faiure to appear Test centers and conditions Canceation due to bad weather or other emergencies Admission to the exam/late arriva 6 7 8 9 10 11
Test reguations Rues of conduct Tutoria Competing the test Post-test survey Poicies for examination scores, certification, recertification, and empoyer verification Unofficia examination resuts Officia notification of scores Withhoding officia score notification and CMA (AAMA) certification Verification of examination resuts Certificate and waet card Recertification requirements Empoyer verification of certification status 12 13 Examination appication steps...14 Examination appication...15
About the examination The Certifying Board does not discriminate among appicants as to age, sex, race, reigion or nationa origin. Membership in the American Association of Medica Assistants (AAMA) is not required. Poicies of the AAMA Certifying Board and fees are subject to change without notice. Certification credentia The CMA (AAMA) credentia represents a medica assistant who has been credentiaed through the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medica Assistants. The credentia is awarded to candidates who pass the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination. The credentia must be recertified every five years by continuing education or reexamination to give evidence of continuing competency and knowedge, and thus better protect patients. The CMA (AAMA) must have current status in order to use the credentia in connection with empoyment. Eigibiity, documentation, and fees summary Eigibiity category Required documentation Fee (nonrefundabe) Category 1 Competing student or recent graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES medica assisting program Category 2 Nonrecent graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES medica assisting program Category 3 CMA (AAMA) Recertificant No documentation required. Your program competion incuding a practicum must be verified by your program director in order for you to receive your officia scores. Officia transcript Proof of current provider eve CPR certification and photocopy of CMA (AAMA) certificate $125 $125 AAMA members $250 nonmembers $125 AAMA members $250 nonmembers The Certification Program of the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medica Assistants is accredited by the Nationa Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) as a resut of demonstrating compiance with the NCCA Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. The NCCA is the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentiaing Exceence (ICE), formery caed the Nationa 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. Appicant agreement By virtue of submitting an appication for the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination, I certify what foows: I understand and am in compiance with the eigibiity requirements for the CMA (AAMA) Exam. I have not served as an AAMA Certifying Board or an AAMA Task Force for Test Construction member or as a chief or assistant proctor for the CMA (AAMA) Exam within the 23- month period prior to the date of the CMA (AAMA) Exam for which I am appying. The information suppied in this appication is true and accurate to the best of my knowedge. I acknowedge that the AAMA Certifying Board may refuse to accept this appication and may decine to permit me to take the exam. Further, the AAMA Certifying Board may invaidate the scores on this exam if it receives evidence satisfactory to the AAMA that the statements made by me are not true and accurate or that I engaged in any inappropriate conduct before, during, or after the exam (such as giving or obtaining unauthorized information or aid). I have read, understand, and wi abide by the poicies set forth in this Candidate Appication and Handbook. I understand and consent to the fact that: (1) if I am in Eigibiity Category 1, in order to be eigibe to receive my scores, my program director must compete a form verifying my medica assisting program enroment and that I competed no earier than 30 days prior to the date that I took the exam a program requirements, incuding a practicum; (2) the information on this form and the exam resuts may be used for statistica and research purposes; (3) a ist of appicants who pass the CMA (AAMA) Exam may be used by AAMA and state societies and oca chapters for membership recruitment purposes; (4) the names and examination scores of initia certification candidates wi be reeased to the officias of the medica assisting program from which each appicant graduated. (Appicants who do not want their name sent to an AAMA state and oca affiiate, their medica assisting program, or any other party must instruct the Certifying Board by certified mai, no ater than 10 days before taking the exam, to withhod such scores. Requests received after this time wi not be honored.) 6
Examination information and poicies Candidate appication and handbook Keep this handbook as a resource for understanding the exam appication process unti you have received your scores for the exam. Requirements and fees isted in this handbook are subject to change without notice. Initia CMA (AAMA) certification candidacy Initia candidates for the CMA (AAMA) Exam who graduate on or after January 1, 2010 have 60 months from the date of graduation to sit for and pass the exam. The candidate is aowed three exam attempts. If the candidate does not pass within the 60-month time frame, the candidate is no onger eigibe for the CMA (AAMA) credentia. Recertification of the CMA (AAMA) credentia Effective January 1, 2010, a newy certified and recertifying CMAs (AAMA) wi be current through the end of the caendar month of initia certification or most recent recertification for 60 months after initia certification or most recent recertification. Those not recertifying on or before the expiration date of their credentia wi be considered as having an expired credentia. An individua whose credentia has expired for more than 60 months forfeits the right to reactivate the credentia by continuing education and must sit for the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination. Payment of a $50 reactivation fee pus the recertification by examination fee wi be required. Eigibiity categories Appicants must quaity for one of the foowing eigibiity categories: Category 1. Competing student or recent graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES medica assisting program Competing students may take the CMA (AAMA) Certification Examination no more than 30 days prior to competing their forma education and practicum in a medica assisting program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Aied Heath Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Heath Education Schoos (ABHES). Recent graduates are those who appy for the exam within 12 months of graduation from a medica assisting program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Aied Heath Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Heath Education Schoos (ABHES). Category 2. Nonrecent graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES medica assisting program A candidate who appies for the exam ater than 12 months after graduation from a CAAHEP or ABHES medica assisting program is a nonrecent graduate. Category 3. Recertificant The candidate must be a CMA (AAMA) appying for the CMA (AAMA) Exam to recertify his or her credentia. CAAHEP and ABHES accreditation periods Candidates who graduate from a medica assisting program that is not CAAHEP or ABHES accredited on the date of graduation, but is accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES within 36 months of that date, are eigibe to appy for the CMA (AAMA) Exam under category 1 or 2. The 12-month period for student/recent graduate fee eigibiity begins on the date that the program is granted CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation. Ineigibe candidates Appications from candidates who do not meet the stated eigibiity categories wi be canceed. A refund of the candidate fee, ess a $65 administrative fee, wi be maied within four to six weeks after the appication has been reviewed. Required documentation Competing students and recent graduates. No documentation is necessary; however, your program director wi be required to verify your program competion as stipuated by the CMA (AAMA) Exam appication poicies. The AAMA Certifying Board reserves the right to request an officia transcript at any time. Nonrecent graduates. Submit an officia transcript that verifies your graduation from an accredited medica assisting program. Recertificant appicants. Submit a photocopy of your CMA (AAMA) certificate and proof of current provider eve CPR (cardiopumonary resuscitation) certification from an entity whose CPR certification course meets or exceeds the provider eve course offered by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. You are exempt from this requirement if physica imitations prevent you from performing CPR; however, such imitations must be documented by a statement signed by a physician on officia cinic etterhead or the physician s script pad. Verification of competing student/ recent graduate program competion If you are a competing student or recent graduate, your program director wi receive a form that must be competed to verify that you fufied a forma coursework requirements, incuding a practicum, and that you did not take the CMA (AAMA) Exam more than 30 days prior to the date that you fufied a program requirements. Program directors and their designees who negigenty or frauduenty verify that an examinee has competed a program requirements as described in this appication are subject to discipinary sanctions by the Certifying Board or the American Medica Technoogists [if the program director is a CMA (AAMA) or hods an AMT credentia, respectivey] and the Certifying Board may report the fasification(s) to the Commission on Accreditation of Aied Heath Education Programs or the Accrediting Bureau of Heath Education Schoos. 7
Candidate fee for examination appication The candidate fee must accompany your appication. If compete payment for a current, outstanding, or past due fees is not received by the AAMA, you wi not receive an exam scheduing permit, and you wi not be abe to schedue an exam session. Acceptance of payment by the AAMA does not impy exam eigibiity. Fee payments are nonrefundabe and are nontransferabe to another candidate or to another 90-day testing period. Persona checks wi not be accepted. Candidate fees must be paid by money order, credit or debit card, cashier/certified check or institution check. A $25 service charge wi be assessed to you for returned institution checks, decined credit cards, and credit card charge-backs. Your appication wi not be approved unti these fees are successfuy submitted. Ninety-day testing period Each candidate is aowed a 90-day period in which to take the exam. Your 90-day testing period wi be assigned based on the testing period start date you indicate on your appication. The start date shoud be the eariest possibe date that you wish to sit for the exam. Your 90-day testing period wi be recorded on your test center scheduing permit. The AAMA Certification Department reserves the right to assign a ater testing period start date than seected by the candidate (e.g., if an appication is received after the required due date, or if the candidate seected an inappropriate testing period start date). Appication timeines and processing Appications are due at east 90 days in advance of the first of the month in which your testing period start date begins. Refer to the foowing chart for assistance in determining when you shoud mai your appication. Preferred testing period start date in the month of Appication is due on Mai appication by January October 1 of prior year September 20 of prior year February November 1 of prior year October 20 of prior year March December 1 of prior year November 20 of prior year Apri January 1 of same year December 20 of prior year May February 1 of same year January 20 of same year June March 1 of same year February 20 of same year Juy Apri 1 of same year March 20 of same year August May 1 of same year Apri 20 of same year September June 1 of same year May 20 of same year October Juy 1 of same year June 20 of same year November August 1 of same year Juy 20 of same year December September 1 of same year August 20 of same year Acknowedgment of appication You wi receive notification of your eigibiity status from the AAMA Certification Department staff within 30 days of the date you maied your appication. If you do not receive notification within that time frame, pease notify the AAMA. Permits for scheduing an exam appointment Information about scheduing permits is provided under Test center scheduing and poicies. Permits to schedue an exam appointment are maied to candidates who are exam-eigibe, have no outstanding payments, and have submitted a required documentation. Candidates who have not fufied a appication requirements wi not be abe to schedue an exam and must reappy. Any outstanding fees must be received and processed prior to reappication and payment for a ater exam. Incompete appications If your appication is incompete, you wi receive a etter expaining the deficiencies. Reasons for which your appication may be incompete incude the foowing: Nonpayment of fees, insufficient fees, or a decined credit/debit card Missing officia transcript (nonrecent graduates) Missing current provider eve CPR verification (recertificants) Missing feony waiver or specia accommodations request form and documentation (if appicabe) Faiure to respond as requested wi deay your testing period start date and may nuify your appication so that you wi need to reappy as we as pay the candidate fee again. Name and address On your examination day, you must bring to the test center your scheduing permit and an unexpired, government-issued form of identification (ID) that incudes both your photograph and signature (e.g., a driver s icense or passport). The name information on your appication must exacty match the name on this ID. The ony acceptabe difference woud be if a midde name, midde initia, or suffix appears on one document but not on the other. The scheduing permit and a exam notices wi be sent to the address you provide to the AAMA Certification Department. You are responsibe for providing updates to your maiing address. The AAMA Certification Department is not responsibe for correcty addressed items that, for any reason, are not deivered to you. Fuy registered candidates wi receive a confirmation notice. You must carefuy review your name and address on this notice and contact us immediatey if corrections are necessary. A $25 administrative fee wi be charged if the AAMA Certification Department must mai an additiona scheduing permit to you. If express maiing is requested, those maiing fees wi be added. A fees must be paid before an additiona permit is maied. 8
Reease of candidate/cma (AAMA) information Certification status is a matter of pubic record and may be reeased. (Refer to the Appicant agreement for imited exceptions to the reease of information.) The foowing information is not of pubic record, and cannot be divuged without the written permission of the appicant: Exam enroment status Certification date Certificate number Exam score Number of exam attempts Exam eigibiity category Number of recertifications Number of activities isted in the continuing education registry Persona information, such as contact information Specia accommodations Disabed persons who require specia provisions on exam day must submit a Request for Specia Accommodations form (obtained from the AAMA) with the appication, candidate fee, and written documentation of the foowing: A forma diagnosis by a skied evauator (e.g., a psychoogist) The credentias and documentation of the expertise of the evauator providing documentation referenced immediatey above Specific findings in support of the diagnosis Current functiona imitations Expanation of the specific requests for specia accommodations Whie the Certifying Board wi make every effort to fufi specia accommodation requests, it reserves the right to deny or postpone requests which are not submitted as specified above or which, in the judgment of the Certifying Board, woud jeopardize the security of the exam materia or the integrity of scores derived from the exam. Written notification wi be provided to the candidate detaiing the accommodations and any procedures that must be foowed to ensure the test center can accommodate the stated needs on the test date. Grounds for denia of eigibiity The foowing are grounds for denia of eigibiity for the CMA (AAMA) credentia, or for discipine of the CMA (AAMA): Obtaining or attempting to obtain certification or recertification of the CMA (AAMA) credentia by fraud or deception. Knowingy assisting another to obtain or attempt to obtain certification or recertification by fraud or deception. Misstatement of materia fact or faiure to state a materia fact in appication for certification or recertification. Fasifying information required for admission to the CMA (AAMA) Examination, impersonating another examinee, or fasifying education or credentias. Providing or receiving unauthorized advice about examination content during the CMA (AAMA) Examination. Unauthorized possession or distribution of examination materias, incuding copying and reproducing examination questions. Generay, individuas who have been found guity of a feony, or peaded guity to a feony, are not eigibe to take the CMA (AAMA) Exam. However, the Certifying Board may grant a waiver based upon mitigating circumstances. If you wish to request that the Certifying Board permit you to take the test, you must submit a Request for Waiver form (obtained from the AAMA) and written evidence which demonstrates that your feony conviction or pea shoud not prevent you from taking the CMA (AAMA) Exam. The Request for Waiver form must be submitted with the appication, candidate fee, and written documentation that incudes, but is not imited to, the foowing: The age at which the crime was committed The circumstances surrounding the crime The nature of the crime committed The ength of time since the conviction The individua s crimina history since the conviction The individua s current empoyment references The individua s character references Other evidence demonstrating the individua s abiity to perform the professiona responsibiities competenty, and evidence that the individua does not pose a threat to the heath or wefare of patients. Examination specifications The exam consists of 200 mutipe-choice questions. Of these, 180 questions wi be scored and 20 wi be pretested. The pretest questions are incuded for evauation and possibe use as scored questions on future examinations. These pretest questions are randomy paced throughout the examination and cannot be identified by the candidates. A candidate s score is based on the number of correct responses to scored questions ony. The pretest questions are not counted towards a candidate s score. (Refer to Competing the test for the ength of the examination appointment.) Examination study suggestions Areas of knowedge and topics covered in the examination are isted in the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination Content Outine, which can be found on the AAMA website at www.aama-nt. org. The CMA (AAMA) Exam is based on the Content Outine which is deveoped in reation to the AAMA 2007-2008 Occupationa Anaysis of the CMA (AAMA). It is recommended that examinees become famiiar with the subject matter and topics isted in the Content Outine. Reviewing current books and pubications that cover administrative and cinica content for medica assisting, and anatomy and physioogy, medica terminoogy, aboratory, and heath care aw and ethics textbooks wi hep you prepare for the exam. Study tips and practice questions to hep you test your knowedge in the areas of anatomy and physioogy and medica terminoogy can be found on the AAMA website. 9
Faiure to appear for appointment If you do not take the exam during your 90-day test period, or do not compete a required components of the exam, you wi forfeit your entire candidate fee and must reappy for the exam. Transfer to new testing period For a $65 fee, candidates may transfer (extend) their testing eigibiity period to incude the next immediatey avaiabe 90-day testing period. Requests must be submitted in writing to the AAMA Certification Department at east 30 days prior to the end of the origina testing period. Ony one transfer is aowed and ony for the originay enroed candidate. Request for an appea Exam appicants may appea a decision of the AAMA Certification Department to the AAMA Certifying Board by submitting written evidence demonstrating a reasonabe doubt in a determination of the Certification Department. AAMA membership Membership in the AAMA is not required for certification or recertification. If you fufi the eigibiity requirements and your membership dues are paid prior to or at the time of appication for the exam, then you are eigibe for the AAMA member rate. To join, enro onine at www.aama-nt.org or ca the AAMA Membership Department at 800/228-2262 or 312/899-1500. AAMA contact information Answers to questions about the certification process can be found on the AAMA website or you may contact the AAMA Certification Department: Website: www.aama-nt.org E-mai: certification@aama-nt.org Phone: 800/228-2262 or 312/899-1500 10
Test center scheduing and poicies Your scheduing permit After your appication has been approved, an orange scheduing permit that contains instructions for making an appointment for your exam wi be maied to you. Your candidate identification number (CIN) wi be isted on the permit. The CIN number is a unique identifier that you wi ony use at the test center when you first og into the computer to begin your exam. When you receive your scheduing permit, verify a information for accuracy. You may schedue an appointment to take the exam at your convenience Monday through Saturday during your 90-day test period recorded on your scheduing permit. Contact the AAMA Certification Department immediatey at 800/228-2262 if the name on your scheduing permit is misspeed or differs from your name as it appears on your identification. Name changes or corrections cannot be made ess than 20 business days prior to your schedued test appointment. Scheduing your test date You must have your scheduing permit before you contact Prometric to schedue your test appointment. You are soey responsibe for making and keeping your schedued appointment date. Make your appointment on the Prometric scheduing website at www.prometric.com or by caing the phone number isted on your permit. When scheduing your appointment, remember the foowing: Contact Prometric as soon as you receive the scheduing permit. Prometric schedues test appointments on a first-come, firstserved basis. The sooner you schedue your appointment, the more ikey you wi receive your preferred time and ocation. Do not wait unti the ast moment to attempt to schedue an appointment. If an appointment is not avaiabe within the testing period you wi forfeit your candidate fee. Refer to your scheduing permit when you make your appointment. When you contact Prometric to schedue your test appointment, you wi be asked to provide the information ocated in the box at the top of the scheduing permit. Prometric wi provide you with the test date, time, ocation, teephone number, and your appointment confirmation number. Confirm your test center ocation. One week before your appointment, confirm your test center ocation via the Prometric website (www.prometric.com) or by contacting Prometric at the phone number isted on your permit. Ca this number aso if you need directions to your test center. Identification requirements for exam admittance On your examination day, you must bring to the test center your scheduing permit and an unexpired, government-issued form of identification that incudes both your photograph and signature (e.g., a driver s icense or passport). If your identification contains your photograph and not your signature, you may use another form of unexpired identification that contains your signature (e.g., an empoyee identification card or credit card) to suppement your photo-bearing, government-issued identification. The first and ast names on your identification must exacty match the names on your permit. The ony acceptabe difference woud be the presence of a midde name, midde initia, or suffix on one document and its absence on the other. If you do not have acceptabe forms of ID, you wi not be aowed to test. Examination appointment changes/ Faiure to appear You wi be aowed to take ony the examination for which you were deemed eigibe; no changes in examination type may be made at the test center. Unschedued candidates (wak-ins) wi not be admitted to the test center. Eigibiity extensions are not granted. If you fai to schedue or to test during your 90-day period of eigibiity, you wi forfeit your candidate fee. If you choose to reappy at a ater date, you must submit another appication and the appropriate candidate fee. If you wish to reschedue your examination appointment to another date or ocation, you must contact Prometric at the to-free number, by noon Eastern Time at east two business days prior to your schedued appointment. You may reschedue ony for an appointment during your 90-day test period. Prometric wi charge you a $45 rescheduing fee (subject to change) if you fai to appear for your schedued appointment or provide ess than two business days notice to reschedue. Test centers and conditions Prometric provides computer-based test services for academic assessment, professiona icensure, and certification. A Prometric test centers are set up simiary. This enhances security and ensures the same standards for comfort and uniformity for a examinees. Prometric test centers provide the resources necessary for secure administration of the examination, incuding video and audio monitoring and recording, and use of digita cameras to record the identity of examinees. Canceation due to bad weather or other emergencies In the event of bad weather, a natura disaster, or other emergency, the AAMA Certifying Board and Prometric wi determine whether circumstances warrant canceation and rescheduing of exams at a particuar test center. Examinations wi not be canceed and reschedued if the test center administrator is abe to open the test center. Every attempt wi be made to administer a examinations as schedued. However, shoud examinations at a test center be canceed, a affected candidates wi be contacted about rescheduing their examinations. Admission to the exam/late arriva Arrive at the Prometric test center at east 30 minutes before your schedued test time on your test date. If you arrive ate, you may not be admitted. If you arrive more than 30 minutes after your schedued test time, you wi not be permitted to test. In that event, you must pay a fee to Prometric to reschedue your test. Your reschedued test date must fa within your assigned testing period. A compete appication and candidate fee are required to reappy for the examination if you do not test within the 90-day testing period. Upon arriva at the test center, you must present the required identification, sign a test center og, be photographed, and store your persona beongings in your assigned ocker. Test center staff wi coect your 11
scheduing permit. You wi be instructed to write your name and candidate identification number (CIN) on one of the aminated writing surfaces provided. Your scheduing permit wi be retained at the test center administrator s station. You may request access to the permit during the examination if it becomes necessary for you to rewrite the CIN on the aminated writing surface. In addition to the aminated writing surfaces, you wi be provided with dry-erase markers and an eraser. Test center staff wi escort you to your assigned test station and provide brief instructions on the use of the computer equipment. You must enter your CIN to start the examination. You may then take a brief tutoria prior to starting the first test bock. Test reguations Test center staff monitor a test sessions for the examination. You must foow the instructions of test center staff throughout the examination. Faiure to do so may resut in a determination of irreguar behavior. Test center staff members are not authorized to answer questions from candidates regarding examination content, test software, or scoring. If staff observe you vioating test administration rues or engaging in other forms of irreguar behavior during the examination, the staff wi not necessariy te you of the observation at the time of the examination. You may not bring any persona beongings into the test area, incuding, but not imited to the foowing: Mechanica or eectronic devices (e.g., ceuar teephones, persona digita assistants [PDAs], cacuators, watches of any type, eectronic paging devices, recording or fiming devices, and radios) Outerwear (e.g., coats, jackets, headwear, or goves) Book bags, backpacks, handbags, briefcases, or waets Books, notes, written materias, or scratch paper Food, candy, gum, or beverages If you bring persona items to the test center, you must store them in a designated ocker outside the secure test area. You shoud keep in mind that the storage faciities are sma and that a stored mechanica or eectronic devices must be turned off. Persona items and their contents may be subject to inspection. Any materias that reasonaby appear to be reproductions of any AAMA examination materias wi be confiscated. Making notes of any kind during an examination, except on the materias provided by the test center for this purpose, is not permitted. Rues of conduct When you submit an appication for the CMA (AAMA) Certification/ Recertification Examination, you agree to abide by the foowing rues of conduct: You are the person named on the scheduing permit for the examination. You wi not give, receive, or obtain any form of unauthorized assistance during the examination or your break. You wi not have in your possession any formuas, study materias, notes, papers, or eectronic devices during the examination. Before entering the test room, you wi pace any formuas, study materias, notes, or paper in your possession in a ocker. A persona beongings, incuding ceuar phones, your purse and/or waet, pagers, and persona digita assistants (PDAs) must aso be paced in a ocker before you enter the test room. You wi not eave your test station for a break uness the break screen is visibe on your monitor. It wi be considered a vioation of the rues of conduct if you indicate on the center og that your break screen is visibe when it is not. You wi not use a teephone or other communication device at any point during the examination, incuding breaks, for any purpose reated to test content. You wi not remove materias in any form (written, printed, recorded, or any other type) from the test center. A examination materias remain the property of the AAMA Certifying Board, and you wi maintain confidentiaity of the materias. You wi not reproduce or attempt to reproduce examination materias through memorization or any other means. Aso, you wi not provide information reating to examination content that may give or attempt to give unfair advantage to individuas who may be taking the examination. This incudes posting information regarding examination items and/or answers on the Internet. If you vioate these rues of conduct, you may be directed to eave the test center before you compete the examination. Evidence of vioation of any test administration rue, incuding these rues of conduct, may resut in discipinary sanctions based on the AAMA Discipinary Poicies and Procedures for the CMA (AAMA). Tutoria Before the examination begins, there wi be an optiona tutoria that reviews the administration of the examination on the computer and how to navigate through the examination. The maximum time aowed for the tutoria is 15 minutes. The time used for the tutoria is not counted as part of the examination time and does not affect the examination score. Competing the test Upon competion of the optiona 15-minute tutoria, the exam wi be administered in four 40-minute segments. You wi have an optiona 20-minute tota for breaks between segments. Your test time wi not be extended if you decine the tutoria or the optiona break time. You wi have 160 minutes to answer a the exam questions. The maximum time aowed for your examination appointment wi be three hours and 15 minutes, which is a tota of 195 minutes. Once you begin the exam, the exam cannot be canceed or reschedued uness a technica probem requires rescheduing. If a computer probem occurs during the test, you shoud notify test center staff immediatey. In the rare event of a technica probem, the test software is designed to aow the test to restart at the point it was interrupted. In most cases, the test can be restarted at the point of interruption with no oss of test time. In the rare event of a technica probem occurring that requires your exam to be reschedued, you wi be aowed to test at a ater date at no additiona cost. Post-test survey After you have competed the exam you wi have the opportunity to respond to a 10- to 20-question survey about the exam and the test conditions at your test center. You are not required to compete this survey if you do not have adequate time remaining in your 195-minute test period. 12
Poicies for examination scores, certification, recertification, and empoyer verification Unofficia examination resuts An unofficia pass/fai resut wi be provided to you immediatey upon your competion of the exam. A fina, officia report of the scores you achieved wi be maied to you after your exam date and upon verification that you have fufied a appication requirements. Officia notification of scores An officia report of the score achieved and certification status (pass or fai) wi be maied 10 weeks after the exam date. The passing score refects the minimum score that must be achieved to pass the exam. The Certifying Board estabishes the minimum passing score for each examination based on universay accepted psychometric methodoogy and reserves the right to change the minimum passing score as appropriate. Candidates who have fufied a appication requirements are eigibe to receive an officia exam score report which incudes the percentie rank in the Genera, Administrative, and Cinica content areas to hep candidates interpret exam performance and identify areas of strength and weakness. The score report wi not incude performance on pretest questions and these questions wi not be used to determine pass or fai status. Candidates who pass the exam and receive officia notification of their scores wi be awarded the CMA (AAMA) credentia. Withhoding officia score notification and CMA (AAMA) certification In order to receive your officia score notification, you must fufi a CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination appication requirements. (See Eigibiity categories and Required documentation. ) You wi be charged a $35 processing fee (payabe ony by money order, credit or debit card, cashier or certified check, or institution check) if this documentation is submitted more than one month from the date you took the exam. Your scores wi not be reeased to you and you wi not receive your certification/recertification status if more than four months have eapsed since the date of your exam. You must then reappy for the exam and pay the candidate fee. A exam candidates and CMA (AAMA) certificants are subject to the AAMA Discipinary Standards and Procedures for the CMA (AAMA) which are avaiabe on the AAMA website. The AAMA Certifying Board reserves the right to void or withhod examination resuts if, upon investigation, vioation of Certifying Board reguations is discovered. Candidates and program directors are expected to fuy cooperate with any investigation. Verification of examination resuts If you question your examination resuts and wish to have your exam re-scored, you must notify AAMA Certification Department staff in writing within 30 days from the date that you receive your officia score notification. A $75 fee (payabe ony by money order, credit or debit card, cashier or certified check, or institution check) must be encosed with your request. Neither the content nor the answers for specific test items are reeased or discosed. Incorrect responses wi not be reported when requesting a review. A re-scoring ony determines if the origina resut was correct or incorrect. Certificate and waet card Candidates who pass the examination and are provided with an officia notification of their scores wi receive a certificate and waet card denoting their CMA (AAMA) certification status within approximatey 10 weeks after their officia scores are maied. The candidate s name wi appear on the certificate and waet card exacty as it appears on the examination appication form. Contact the AAMA Certification Department if these items are not received after the 10-week processing period to avoid paying the standard fees $20 and $5, respectivey. Recertification requirements To give evidence of continuing competency and knowedge and thus better protect patients, medica assistants who have been awarded the CMA (AAMA) credentia are required to recertify every five years. Effective January 1, 2010, a newy certified and recertifying CMAs (AAMA) wi be current through the end of the caendar month of initia certification or most recent recertification for 60 months after initia certification or most recent recertification. Current status is required in order to use the credentia in connection with empoyment. Obtain information about recertifying your CMA (AAMA) credentia from the AAMA website at www.aama-nt.org or by caing 800/228-2262 and requesting a recertification information packet. Empoyer verification of certification status Certification status is a matter of pubic record and may be reeased. Empoyers may verify the CMA (AAMA) certification status of current or potentia medica assistant empoyees on the AAMA website at www. aama-nt.org. CMAs (AAMA) comprise the majority of credentiaed medica assistants in the work force today. Due to the reputation of the credentia as being the god standard for the profession, greater numbers of empoyers are preferring or even insisting that their medica assistants be CMA (AAMA) certified. 13
Examination appication steps 14 Step 1. Verify that you are eigibe for the exam Review eigibiity categories 1, 2, or 3 to ensure that you are eigibe for the exam. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4. Step 5. Step 6. Step 7. Step 8. Step 9. Gather your documentation Gather the appropriate documentation for your eigibiity category as outined under Required documentation. Review a examination poicies and information When you submit your appication you are certifying that you have reviewed and accept a provisions under Appication agreement and that you wi abide by a the poicies set forth in this document, so it is important to read them thoroughy. Determine start date for 90-day testing period Seect the date that you wish your 90-day testing period to begin. This wi determine when you shoud appy for the examination. Refer to Ninety-day testing period and Appication timeines and processing. Appy for the examination Compete the appication form. Verify that you have written your first, midde, and ast name as they appear on the government-issued photo ID you must bring to the test center. Mai the appication fee with your candidate fee and incude any documentation you gather in Step 2. Retain a photocopy of the competed appication and documentation for your records. Do not send the Handbook with your appication. Schedue your examination Schedue your examination appointment as soon as possibe after receipt of your scheduing permit by visiting www.prometric.com. Refer to Your scheduing permit and Scheduing your test date. Study for the examination Refer to Examination study suggestions. Update your information on a timey basis Refer to Name and address and Identification requirements for exam admittance. Prepare for your examination day Thoroughy review the Test center scheduing and poicies, so that your examination appointment goes smoothy. Step 10. Compete the exam After you have competed your exam, you wi receive an unofficia pass/fai resut. Step 11. Watch for your officia score reports You receive your officia exam scores within 10 weeks of your examination date pending verification of program competion and/or fufiment of a appication requirements. Review Poicies for exam scores, certification, recertification, and empoyer verification. Step 12. Watch for your certificate If you pass, your certificate shoud arrive approximatey 10 weeks after you receive your officia scores. It is vaid for a five-year period. Review Recertification of the CMA (AAMA) credentia.
Examination appication Candidate: You must read the Candidate Appication and Handbook and accept a provisions under Appicant agreement before submitting this appication. Program director: Refer to poicies under Verification of competing student/recent graduate program competion and Withhoding officia score notification and CMA (AAMA) certification. Pease check any of the boxes that appy to you: o Have you ever been found guity of a feony, or peaded guity to a feony? (If so, contact AAMA for a Request for Waiver form.) o Are you requesting specia accommodations? (If so, contact AAMA for a Request for Specia Accommodations form.) o Are you repeating this exam due to faiing a previous examination? Eigibiity category. Seect your category according to the instructions and compete the information for each category: o Category 1. Competing student or recent graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES medica assisting program. (Compete A, B, C, and D beow.) o Category 2. Nonrecent graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES medica assisting program. (Compete A, B, and C beow.) o Category 3. CMA (AAMA) recertificant. (Compete E beow.) A. Program competion date incuding practicum (not graduation date): / / (month/day/year) B. Institution name: Institution address, city, and state: C. Accreditation code (ask your program director for the code): D. Program director s name and teephone number (print): E. Category 3 appicants ony: CMA (AAMA) certificate number: Date certified: / / (month/day/year) Testing period start date. The date that I want my 90-day testing period to begin is: / / (month/day/year) Processing period. Do not ca about the status of your appication unti at east 30 days have eapsed since you maied your appication. Doing so wi ony further deay appication processing. Candidate Information. Socia Security number: First name: Midde name or initia: Last name: (Your name wi appear on your scheduing permit as isted above. Refer to Identification requirements for exam admittance. ) Permanent address: City: State: ZIP: E-mai: Work phone: Fax: Home phone: Ceuar phone: Previous ast name: Candidate fees. Check the appropriate box: o Competing student/recent graduate...$125 o AAMA member...$125 o AAMA nonmember...$250 Encosed is my: o Money order #: * o Cashier s/certified check #: * o Institution check number #: * *Make payabe to the American Association of Medica Assistants or AAMA. Charge my credit/debit card checked beow: o AmEx o Visa o MC o Discover Card #: Expiration date: Cardhoder name (print neaty): For office use ony Rec d Batch ID Order Mai competed appication, documentation, and payment to: AAMA Certification 7999 Eage Way Chicago, IL 60678-1079 Use compete 9 digit ZIP code Cardhoder signature: Persona checks wi not be accepted. Appications that do not incude proper payment may be returned and wi deay your testing. A $25 administrative fee wi be assessed for returned checks, charge-backs or decined charge payments. Candidate fees are nonrefundabe and nontransferabe.