Some high-paying medical assistant jobs require some form of medical assistant certification. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AMMA) and the American Medical Technologists (AMT) are the main certification entities for medical assistants in the United States. Upon completing your medical assistant education and being eligible for national certification, you must complete continuing education credits for re-certification. Learn about the CEU credit requirements for medical assistants.
Details on CEU credits
Continuing education as a medical assistant enables you to learn about new developments in your field of expertise. You also get to show your employer that you are eligible for your job position. You can also facilitate a salary raise at your current workplace
To be re-certified as a medical assistant, you must attain 60 certification points within five years. These points are broken down as follows;
- 10 general points.
- 10 clinical points.
- 10 administrative points.
- 30 points from any combined categories.
Medical assistants must also note that 30 of these points must be from approved continuing education units by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA.
Therefore, you should ensure that you plan on which CE courses you want to take and make a schedule for the dates you will take the courses. Ensure that you are on track with your colleagues in the field.
Medical Assistant CEU Credit Courses
Medical assistants can enroll in various courses for re-certification purposes. They may include;
Clinical procedures: assessing, examining, and treating patients.
Administrative procedures: scheduling appointments, medical coding, billing, and patient charting.
Considering that medical assistants perform multiple tasks, it is crucial to undertake continuing education in various areas.
Medical Assistant Re-certification
Medical assistants must meet the required continuing education unit credits to maintain their medical assistant certification either as RMAs or CMAs. These credentials demonstrate to your organization that you are compliant with the certifying organization when applying for medical assisting positions.
Therefore, you must complete the required continuing education courses to earn CEU credits within the allowed time. Completing the credits within the re-certification period ensures continued re-certification as a competent and highly qualified medical assistant.
CMA re-certification exams are quite costly, which leads to many medical assistants opting for continuing education courses. These credits give you enough time to work in your position while collecting points for re-certification. The cost per credit hour for continuing education units depends on your college and the state you work in. However, there are plenty of training options within your reach to compare prices. Some employers may also provide finances or reimbursement for training expenses.