How Do I Become A Registered Medical Assistant

10 Essential Examination Prep Tips to Help You Pass the Registered Medical Assistant Exam…

The First Time!

Thousands of physicians around the world rely on Medical Administration, whose job information technology is to organize their medical offices, organize patient records, and assist them in several of their day-to-solar day responsibilities. Without these vital workers, hospitals and medical offices would literally grind to a halt.

For this reason, the Medical Assistant field is speedily growing as healthcare needs expand, practices abound, and offices seek assist to proceed up with it all.

(Click here to learn how to go a Medical Assistant ).

Medical Assistants are one of the few healthcare positions that are not required to concord special certification or licenses to do. Still, choosing to earn ane of the optional Medical Assisting certifications can open you lot upwards to more jobs and higher pay opportunities.

There are multiple MA certifications bachelor, as detailed in our breakup of summit Medical Assisting certifications, and each i has its own unique advantages and requirements.

For this article, we examine the RMA (Registered Medical Assistant) Certification by detailing everything you demand to know about this examination. Continue reading to acquire how to best prepare for, take, and laissez passer the RMA exam, on your offset attempt.

What is the RMA Certification Exam?

The RMA certification is the 2nd-nigh recognized certification for Medical Administration. While the CMA exam was established kickoff (and is more widely known), the RMA covers much of the same textile and provides an excellent demonstration of your skills as a Medical Assistant.

The RMA certification is provided through the AMT (American Medical Technologists), an system founded in 1939 whose rigorous standards and accreditation have established them as a leader in medical certification. Passing the RMA certification exam earns Medical Assistants the endorsement of the AMT, which is accustomed in all fifty states.

How Long is the RMA Certification Exam?

Test takers are given ii hours to complete the RMA certification test—with no regularly scheduled breaks—and the full examination consists of 210 questions.

However, if special testing accommodations are required (such as break periods, an sound examination, oral interpreter, or extended testing time), the AMT volition consider these cases if submitted in writing ahead of the test date.

What'due south the Value of RMA Certification?

While Medical Assisting certification is optional in near places, having the certification remains highly valuable. Although many states may not crave certification, many employers practise. And for employers who don't require certification, a certified candidate tin can stand out much better from other applicants in the hiring procedure.

The purpose of the RMA exam, co-ordinate to the AMT, is to "help protect the welfare of the public past maintaining competency standards in these occupations."

In other words, passing the RMA certification exam tells your hereafter employers that you:

Understand the essential skills required for your work.
Tin can complete the tasks you will be assigned.
Will be able to serve patients adequately and with limited liability.

What is on the RMA Certification Examination?

Students taking the RMA will exist graded on iii chief areas of knowledge: full general medical cognition, administrative knowledge, and clinical medical testing.

Under General Medical Knowledge, the examination includes:

- Beefcake and Physiology
- Medical Terminology
- Medical Law
- Human Relations
- Ethics
- Pharmacology

Nether Administrative Cognition, the exam covers:

- Insurance
- Finance
- Bookkeeping
- Medical Reception
- Medical Records

And under Clinical Medical Testing, the examination covers:

- Sterilization
- Instruments and Related Tools
- Symptoms
- Laboratory Procedures

RMA Exam Requirements

What are the Prerequisites for the RMA Exam?

The RMA requirements are slightly broader than the CMA requirements. In some cases, work feel may substitute for bookish written report to qualify for the exam. Requirements for the RMA include the post-obit:

Graduation from an approved Medical Assisting program. This plan must be canonical by the U.s. Department of Educational activity, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or by the AMT lath of directors.
OR graduation from a formal medical training service in the US military.
OR candidates with five years of experience as a Medical Assistant.
OR candidates who hold another Medical Assisting certificate from a qualified organization.

How Do I Register for the RMA Exam?

The first pace in registering for the RMA certification exam is to visit the American Medical Technologists website.

You lot'll first be asked to ostend prerequisites and eligibility. The website details what experience and/or education is required for each route. Once you've chosen (and confirmed) your road of eligibility, you'll be able to formally use.

RMA Exam Fee

How Much Does the RMA Exam Price?

Registration for the RMA exam costs $120.

To pay the RMA test fee you will need to create an account on the AMT website. There, you'll also be asked to upload documentation confirming your eligibility.

It typically takes upwards to one or two weeks to receive a response to your certification application. In one case canonical, you lot'll receive an email from the AMT with next steps to schedule your examination at a local testing heart.

How Do I Written report for the RMA Exam?

Whether y'all are applying for the RMA as a contempo graduate or every bit an uncertified Medical Assistant with relevant work experience, you lot're undoubtedly already familiar with the fabric on the exam. The trick now is learning how to turn that existing knowledge into the correct answers—and hopefully laissez passer the exam on your first try.

The following RMA test-prep tips should help you lot gear up for the exam:

1. Know the Exam Topics:

The AMT not simply provides a thorough breakdown of every topic of the exam here and a list of reference material here, the organization also offers report modules on their website. For a minor fee (ranging from $40 to $75), students can written report specific modules from the test by clicking here.

2. Place Your Weak Points:

As you expect through the exam contents, brand a mark adjacent to the topics you lot feel less confident about. Review everything, of course, but plan to spend extra time on the areas where you might feel a little shaky.

3. Schedule Study Times:

Simply like scheduling classes during a higher semester, be sure to schedule time each week to work on your RMA exam preparation. Remove all distractions and make certain your family and friends respect your time and space when studying.

4. Spread It Out:

Make up one's mind ahead of time the topics you'd like to review during your study periods. This not merely allows y'all to allocate more than fourth dimension to your weaker subjects, just it helps prevent procrastination and cramming at the last minute.

5. Accept RMA Practice Tests:

The AMT not only provides study materials, they also allow exam takers to exercise with two full length exams (available on their website here for $30). The practice exams closely mirror the content on the actual exams, and faux timers and algorithms help give you lot the best idea of what to expect once you lot step into the exam room.

six. Learn Multiple Choice Strategies:

Multiple choice exams are as much about eliminating the wrong answers as identifying the correct ones. There'due south a strategy to taking these tests, and the ameliorate you lot know the format, the better yous'll do. Check out this multiple option strategy guide every bit a jumping off point.

seven. Take Intendance of Yourself:

Get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and avoid stress as much equally possible. Remember, no amount of worry will add a unmarried betoken to your exam score. Take care of yourself to make sure you're in the best mental shape possible before the large test.

eight. Talk to People Who Have Taken the RMA Exam:

What tips do they have? What stood out to them almost? What do they regret virtually? Sit downward with someone who's taken the test to get a personal breakdown of what to wait.

9. Use the Bathroom:

Apply the bathroom earlier beginning the test. You'd be surprised how many people forget to do this.

How Hard is the RMA Certification Exam?

The RMA certification test is 210 questions given over the course of two hours. The test volition exist scored on a scale of 1 to 100, with seventy as a passing score for the exam.

While the exact pass/fail statistics aren't widely available for the RMA certification exam, the RMA is considered to be less difficult than the CMA due to the exam existence shorter in fourth dimension, also as in the number of questions.

Additionally, RMA examination questions are asked randomly—past both topic and difficulty—and then determining an exact level of difficulty tin exist elusive. By studying difficult and knowing the material, you should hands laissez passer this exam on your showtime shot.

How Many Times Can You Have the RMA Exam?

Candidates can accept the RMA test up to iii times for their initial certification. For each attempt, however, you will be required to fill out a new application and re-pay the exam fee.

Candidates must also wait 45 days between each endeavour.

How Practise I Renew my RMA Certification?

RMA certification does need to be maintained, and maintenance is done in two ways: almanac fees and Continued Certification Points (CCP) every three years.

Almanac Fees: Maintaining an RMA certification requires membership in the AMT, which costs a fee of $60 per year for RMA certification holders.
3-Year CCP Requirements: In addition to the yearly fees, maintaining an RMA certification also requires Continued Certification Points (CCP). These points are due at the end of every three-year bicycle and can be earned by taking CE (Continuing Education) courses, attention relevant meetings and training, and approved webinars. Points tin be recorded by individuals and uploaded every iii years, or points can exist recorded on-the-get using the AMTrax arrangement on the AMT website.

RMA Sample Quiz

To judge for yourself the difficulty of the exam, here are a few sample questions from the AMT practice exam. 2 official practise exams can be purchased direct from the AMT for $30 at this link.

(Please notice the answers at the bottom of this article).

Which of these would be best placed under the heading of "medical etiquette?"

a) The style you talk to a patient

b) The way you decide on a patient'south handling

c) Obeying the constabulary regarding patient confidentiality

d) The way a patient's medical fees are calculated

A palpation exam is performed by…?

a) Feeling

b) Striking

c) Looking

d) Drawing fluid

Which body role is not part of the acronym EENT?

a) Centre

b) Ear

c) Torso

d) Pharynx

What area(s) of the brain are the most affected if a person is unable to understand written or verbal speech communication?

a) Weirnecke'southward area

b) Broca'south area

c) Occipital lobe

d) Parietal lobe

e) A and B

Which of these terms means stopping animate?

a) Abiosis

b) Adenitis

c) Arthralgia

d) Apnea

What would issue post-obit an injury to the phrenic nerve?

a) An inability to stand

b) An irregular centre rate

c) An disability to control breathing

d) An increment in trunk temperature

e) An increase in facial spasms

In police, what does "respondeat superior" mean?

a) An employer can be held responsible for employee actions

b) Employers are not responsible for employee actions

c) Only employers are responsible for employee deportment

d) Employees are the simply ones responsible for their actions

What is a "tickler" system used for?

a) To interrogate the patient database

b) To alarm staff to database errors

c) To organize patient billing

d) To remind patients of appointments

Who has buying of a patient's medical records?

a) The intendance provider

b) The insurance visitor

c) The patient

d) The state medical board

A patient release is required if y'all are sending the patient's medical records to another party using which of these methods?

a) Registered mail

b) Fax

c) Motorcycle courier

d) Hand delivery

Final Thoughts on the Registered Medical Banana Certification Exam

Becoming a Medical Assistant tin open up doors to many new and rewarding job opportunities and getting certified, while non typically required, tin help you seize those opportunities.

By completing your RMA certification, yous earn the backing of the AMT certification board and can utilise for work with conviction, having proven that you are more than competent to begin piece of work in the medical field.

Of course, learning doesn't stop after the examination ends, and so think to keep an open mind, await for opportunities to learn, opportunities to teach others, and for new and meliorate ways to serve your patients.

Skilful luck!

ANSWERS TO RMA PRACTICE QUIZ

i) A two) A 3) C 4) A 5) D 6) C seven) A viii) D 9) A ten) B