Certified RMA

The American Medical Technologists (AMT) is a nonprofit certification agency and professional membership association representing a variety of healthcare professionals. AMT’s mission is to issue certification credentials to medical and dental assistants, clinical laboratory personnel, laboratory consultants, and allied health instructors.

AMT is recognized throughout the country, as is its Registered Medical Assistant (RMA (AMT)) credential. Once they have passed the exam, RMA (AMT)s must maintain their credential by providing proof of 30 points of continuing education every 3 years. Check the AMT website (http://www.amt1.com) for more information about maintaining continuing education credits.

There are three different categories of eligibility to be considered for the AMT examination:

• Category 1: The applicant must be a graduate of, or scheduled to graduate from, a medical assistant program that is accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES or a medical assistant program in a postsecondary school or college that has institutional accreditation by a regional accrediting commission, or by a national accrediting organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education. The program must include a minimum of 720 hours (or equivalent) of training in medical assisting skills (including a clinical externship). If you graduated within the last three years, proof of work experience is not required. If you graduated over three years ago, you will be required to show proof of current work experience. Your program chair will know if you are graduating from an appropriately accredited program
• Category 2: If you are a graduate of a formal medical services training program of the U.S. Armed Forces, you are eligible to take the exam.
• Category 3: You may register for the exam if you have been employed in the profession of medical assisting for a minimum of five years, no more than two years of which may have been as an instructor in the postsecondary medical assistant program. Proof of current work experience and high school education or equivalent is needed. Employment dates must be within the last five years.

The areas covered in the RMA examination differ slightly from the CMA exam. The examination is usually 200 questions. The AMT offers both a pencil and paper test and a computerized version of the exam. It is important that you check the AMT website for specific information about the exam.