NCMA (NCCT) - National Certified Medical Assistant

The National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) certification is offered by the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). The NCMA is a professional credential for medical assistants who perform administrative and clinical tasks in healthcare settings. This certification indicates proficiency in a wide range of medical assisting skills, including patient care, medical office administration, phlebotomy, and EKG administration.

Completion Time: 3 hours

Eligibility and Certification Requirements

• Completion of an accredited medical assisting program or a minimum amount of work experience as a medical assistant.

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• Successful completion of a medical assisting externship may be required.

Cost: $119

Exam Format

The NCMA exam typically consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering various aspects of medical assisting, including clinical procedures, pharmacology, medical office administration, patient care, and medical law and ethics.

Eligibility Pathways

• High School Student: Current student or graduate (within 5 years) of an NCCT-authorized high school Medical Assistant program.

• Current Student: Enrolled in an NCCT-authorized postsecondary Medical Assistant program (may test before graduation, but must submit documents within 2 years).

• Graduate: Graduate (within 5 years) of an NCCT-authorized postsecondary Medical Assistant program.

• Experience: At least 1 year (full-time, 2080 hours) of supervised Medical Assistant work experience in the past 5 years.

• Military: Completion of a U.S. military Medical Assistant (or equivalent) training program within the past 5 years.

NCMA certification requires yearly renewal. The credential remains valid for five years from the certification issue date. If you do not complete the annual requirements for five consecutive years, the certification becomes invalid.

Renewal Fee:

• $89 to recertify a single NCCT certification

• $118 when recertifying 2 or more certifications at the same time

Renewal varies by state.

Annual CE/CEU requirement:

• NCMA requires 12 contact hours (CH)

• If NCMA is held with TS-C credential, the annual CH defaults to 14

• If NCMA is held with any other NCCT credential that is not TS-C, the requirement remains 12 CH

Continuing education for NCMAs may cover topics such as new medical procedures, updates in healthcare laws, patient communication skills, and advances in medical technology.

• Candidate Handbook

• Test Plan

• Exam Review Material

Career Opportunities

National Certified Medical Assistants work in settings such as physicians' offices, clinics, hospitals, and outpatient facilities.

Responsibilities can include patient intake, vital signs measurement, assisting with examinations and procedures, administering medications, and performing office administrative tasks.

For specific information regarding National Certified Medical Assistant certification, including eligibility criteria, examination details, approved educational programs, and renewal processes, it is recommended to consult directly with certifying organizations such as the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). These organizations provide comprehensive resources and standards for medical assistants seeking certification.

The NCCT also offers the following certifications:

• National Certified ECG Technician (NCET)

• National Certified Medical Office Assistant (NCMOA)

• National Certified Patient Care Technician (NCPCT)

• National Certified Phlebotomy Technician (NCPT)

• National Certified Insurance & Coding Specialist (NCICS)

• Tech in Surgery-Certified (TS-C)

• Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA)

Other related certifications include:

• NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)

• AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

• ASPMA Podiatric Medical Assistant, Certified (PMAC)