How Do I Renew My Cma Certification
CMA recertification is required every 60 months. The AAMA allows you to recertify either by retaking the exam or through continuing education.
How Many Times Can You Take The Cma Exam
If you dont pass the exam the first time, you can apply and pay the regular candidate fee at your earliest convenience to retake the exam. However, CMA exam requirements stipulate that initial candidates and those recertifying are limited to three attempts.
You are required to recertify your CMA credential every 60 months. You are current for 60 months from the end of the calendar month your initial or most recent certification occurred.
How To Crush The Exam And Get A Cma Exam Passing Score
Lets talk numbers.
The global average CMA exam passing rate is not exactly great. The passing rate for Part One and Part Two is 45%.
The exam is scored on a sliding scale from 0 to 500. The passing score is 360. So as long as your score is 360 or higher, youve passed the exam. There isnt much difference between getting a 360 and getting, say, a 490. A pass is a pass.
And while these exam results arent exactly great, it is possible, with the right study plan and CMA review course, to teach you ahead of time how to pass the CMA exam on one of the upcoming CMA exam dates. Read my guide best CMA review course comparison for choosing a great course that aligns with your preferred study style.
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Is The Cma Exam Hard
One of the first questions Medical Assistants preparing for the CMA exam ask is whether the exam is hard. The exam is challenging and requires some preparation. The better you prepare, the more likely you will pass the exam on your first try.
The CMA exam pass rate from . A total of 8,870 CMA exams were administered during this time. With some work and dedicated studying, you could soon join the 76,989 CMAs who have successfully passed the exam.
Digital Curriculum For Medical Assisting
A digital curriculum system is a great instructional tool for any medical assisting program focused on the AAMA CMA exam.
Thats because its designed to both help you teach classes and prepare students for their certification exams.
Specifically, the HealthCenter21 digital curriculum system comes with everything you need to introduce concepts, help students hone their skills, and get them certified.
That includes lesson plans, class activities, interactive scenarios, assessments, skills sheets, and more.
On top of that, the entire curriculum is kept up to date as standards, certifications, and the healthcare industry change.
However, there are a few problems with digital curriculum that could impact how effective it is in your program.
Thats why we recommend teachers spend some time learning how digital curriculum works and the best ways to use it before getting started.
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Knowledge Of Exam Content
Obviously, becoming proficient with the CMA exam content is a critical step to passing both the multiple-choice questions and the essay part of the exam. In addition to reading and watching video lectures, you should spend sufficient time answering practice questions and essays. Unlike reading and watching lectures, answering practice questions helps you apply the concepts you learned. Answering practice questions is about more than just memorizing facts. Therefore, it is most important that you learn the material in such a way that you can apply it to practical scenarios that you might face on the job.
In the Wiley CMA Course, for example, there are 16 exclusive CMA practice essay questions with model answers. And even better, NINJA CMA Review has over 40 sample essays that come with answers, too.
Similarly, the Gleim CMA Course includes hundreds of essay scenarios with detailed answer explanations. Plus, youll have a chance to practice typing in the answers in a simulated exam environment on your computer. This is a great way to familiarize yourself firsthand with what it will be like on the actual exam.
Drop The Emotional Baggage
Believe it or not, failing the CMA exam is not the end of the world. Youll have another chance to get that job promotion or salary raise. Failure is tough to deal with, but you cant allow yourself to get caught up in all the possible what if scenarios. Otherwise, your anxiety will overtake you.
Instead, focus on what you can control. What can you do in the present to prepare?
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What Topics Are On The Aama Cma Exam
The AAMA CMA exam consists of 180 scored questions and 20 pretest questions the AAMA uses to gather data.
These questions are organized into three overarching categories, which each make up a certain percentage of the exam:
Each category is organized into sections that are further segmented into concepts and skills a medical assistant needs to know.
Question Type Compared To Other Accounting Certifications
Most aspiring CMAs are deciding between CPA or other management accounting certifications such as CIMA and CGMA. How do the question types compare?
CIMA has five different question styles that could show up on the exam. These include multiple-choice, multiple-response, number entry, hotspot, and drag and drop. In comparison, the CMA is simpler with only two question styles.
When Compared to the CPA Exam
As you can expect, the CMA exam is similar to what you may encounter in the BEC section of the CPA exam, and to a lesser extent, FAR and AUD.
I find that the multiple-choice questions in the CMA exam could get quite complex and lengthy, so the exam cannot be called easy even when compared to the CPA exam.
Having said that, since there are only 2 parts versus 4 parts in the CPA exam, the total time spent on exam preparation is shorter. You can check out my analysis on CMA vs CPA on this page.
When Compared to CIMA Exam
The CMA exam is 100% computerized and comprises mostly multiple-choice questions. The advantage of having most questions in multiple-choice format is that it is easy to drill and monitor your progress using online prep software. Also, multiple-choice is used to test a candidates breadth of knowledge, not the depth.
Please refer to my CIMA vs CMA comparison page for details.
When Compared to CGMA Exam
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What Is The Cma Exam
Everyones journey toward becoming a CMA starts with taking the exam. This is a two-part, professional certification exam that covers accounting, finance, and critical decision-making in business.
You must score 360 on each section of the test in order to pass. If you pass, you can go on to fulfill CMA work requirements and achieve your CMA certification.
The CMA exam is a notoriously difficult test, due both to the breadth and quantity of concepts.
Each part has its own challenges, designed to prepare you for what a CMA does.
Who Administers The Cma Exam
The CMA exam is administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants, or AAMA. Their mission is to provide medical assistants with education, certification, credential acknowledgement, networking opportunities, scope-of-practice protection, and advocacy for quality healthcare centered on the patient. The AAMA was established in 1956, and it is the only association in the country dedicated solely to the medical assisting profession. The AAMA has two separate and distinct boards. The Certifying Board of the AAMA is responsible for preparing, administering, and evaluating certification examination. The Continuing Education board , is responsible for administering the CMA recertification exam and maintaining the continuing education process. At the end of 2015, the AAMA had provided the CMA credential to more than 82,000 medical assistants across the country.
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Delivery Method And Location
The exam is a computer-based test provided by Prometric. You must schedule your exam directly through their online registration site or by calling the number listed on your scheduling permit. Test dates, times, and locations are on a first come, first served basis, so make an effort to schedule your exam as soon as possible so you can obtain your preferred test time and location.
What Topics Does The Cma Exam Cover
Each part of the CMA Exam contains several topics areas, under which there are subtopics. ICMA, the examining body for the CMA Exam, releases a list of exam content topics and subtopics, including the percentage of questions candidates can expect to see from each topic.
Part 1: Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics
1. External Financial Reporting Decisions
2. Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting
3. Performance Management
5. Investment Decisions
6. Professional Ethics
As you can see, topics range significantly across the CMA Exam. The decision to split to CMA Exam into two sections has partly to do with limiting overlapping content. Since the content specifically does not overlap, CMA candidates can take the exam parts in any order.
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Who Is Eligible To Take The Cma Exam
To be eligible for this exam, you must meet the criteria for one of three eligibility categories.
The Qualifications To Become Certified Or Registered In Medical Assisting
CMATo qualify to become a certified medical assistant through the AAMA, a candidate must complete the following:
- an accredited educational program in medical assisting and
- clinical training in the following areas:
- Human anatomy, physiology, and pathology
- Medical law and ethics
- Clinical and diagnostic procedures
You must complete and pass the exam for certification within 60 months of completing the program or you will need to repeat the course.
The Washington Society of Medical Assistants is an affiliate of the AAMA. There are eleven chapters of the AAMA in Washington.
RMAThere are a number of ways to qualify to become an RMA through the AMT. Some of the routes to certification are as follows:
- Graduate from an accredited medical assisting school
- Graduate from a military medical service training program
- Have 5 years experience working as a medical assistant
- Have had 1-5 years of experience as an instructor of a medical assisting program
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Eligibility And Required Documentation
To be eligible to sit for the CMA exam, the candidate must be in one of the following three categories:
Category 1: Completing student or recent graduate of an accredited medical assisting program.
- The CMA certification exam can be taken no earlier than 30 days of completing education, or
- The exam is taken within 12 months of graduation.
- Your program director is required to verify your program completion.
Category 2: A non-recent graduate of an accredited medical assisting program.
- Must submit an official transcript from an accredited medical assisting program.
Category 3: Recertification candidate.
- Provide your CMA certificate number and the most recent certification or recertification date on the application.
Five major organizations offer a medical assistant certification exam. Learn about each medical assistant certification option.
Study Tips For Cma Exam Success
Passing the CMA Exam on the first try isnt easy, but it is possible. First, figure out which of the two exam parts you want to take first and when you want to take it. There are three testing windows throughout the year: January/February, May/June, and September/October. Once you figure out those two details, you can start studying.
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Dont Run Away From The Mock Exam
The most important lesson to learn from the mock exam is time management.
If you find youre running out of time during the mock exam, skip and mark any question you dont know or feel comfortable with. If time becomes an issue, then prioritize the easy questions and leave the complicated question unmarked. Ideally, you want to answer all exam questions but its better to answer 2 easy questions rather than the 1 question that feels difficult.
Which Cma Review Course Is Right For You
With my comparison of the most popular CMA review courses, you can get the best course for you!
Before you jump in to pursue the CMA certification, you might want to take a look at the CMA exam format, length, and intensity of the exam, and the type of questions you are going to see on the exam day. Its always important to do your research first. This is a big time and monetary investment, so you need to be sure its right for you.
In this post, I am going to review these important details about the CMA exam format for you.
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How Do You Study For The Cma Exam
Here are some tips on passing the CMA examincluding study aids provided by the AAMA. The best CMA exam test strategies combine familiarizing yourself with the exams format and type of questions with studying the categories and topics identified in the content outline. You can also supplement your studies with other resources, such as current medical assisting publications and textbooks.
How To Reschedule Your Exam
In the event that you need to reschedule your CMA exam to either another date or another Prometric location, simply contact Prometric by noon Eastern time at least two days prior to your exam date. You can only reschedule for another day that is within your 90-day testing window. If you do not show up for your scheduled exam appointment, or if you do not call at least two days in advance to reschedule, Prometric will charge you a $45 rescheduling fee to provide you with a new date.
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Related Resources For Certified Medical Assistant
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Get A Good Nights Sleep
While cliche, getting a good night of rest is highly important. Your brain cant function without sufficient sleep. The last thing you want to do is to cram straight for 12 hours and fry your brain cells the night before.
Youll be better prepared if you go to bed at a decent time and wake up feeling energized and refreshed. If youre worried you might have trouble falling asleep, then spend some time relaxing before bed. You could drink some herbal tea, take a warm bath, or watch a funny TV show.
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How Do I Study For The Cma Exam
As a graduate of a Medical Assistant program, youre no stranger to taking tests and quizzes. But the CMA certification exam is the big onethe final test that sums up all youve learned in your year of study. That encompasses a lot of material, and its normal to feel a little anxious, but with the right preparation and study habits, you can ace the certification exam and move on to pursue your career.
Use the following study tips to help you pass the CMA exam on your first attempt:
How Much Does It Cost To Take The Cma Exam
The CMA exam cost can vary depending on your eligibility category and whether you are an AAMA member. Heres a quick overview of the costs based on your category.
For Category 1 , the exam fee is $125.
For Category 2 , the exam fee is $125 for AAMA members and $250 for nonmembers.
For Category 3 , the exam fee is $125 for AAMA members and $250 for nonmembers.
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Cma Exam Overview: Scoring Question Types Topics
The CMA Exam is comprised of two sections: Part 1 Financial Reporting, Planning, Performance and Control, and Part 2 Financial Decision Making. Each section contains 100 multiple-choice questions and two 30-minute essay questions.
Candidates have four hours to complete each exam section, or eight hours for the entire CMA Exam. The parts of the CMA Exam can be taken in any order, but only one section can be taken at a time. Additionally, candidates must successfully pass both exam parts in three years.