RMA (AMT) - Registered Medical Assistant

American Medical Technologists (AMT) is a national agency that certifies healthcare personnel. Its Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification exam evaluates the competence of entry-level medical assistants. AMT is an accredited member of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, a division of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

Eligibility

There are five paths to become eligible to take the RMA examination. Applicants must meet all requirements for one of these pathways. 

Path 1: Education

• Must have graduated within 4 years or be scheduled to graduate from an accredited MA program or program housed at an accredited institution

  • Programs/institutions must be accredited by a regional agency approved by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or AMT

• Must have at least 720 hours of instruction

  • Including at least 160 hours of externship

Path 2: Apprenticeship/Workforce Development Program

• Must have completed a medical assisting work-study/training program within the last 4 years

  • Acceptable programs must be approved by AMT and meet or surpass AMT criteria for medical assisting competencies

  • Documentation of compilation required

• Acceptable programs include:

  • Apprenticeships registered with the U.S. Department of Labor

  • Federally recognized State Apprenticeship Agencies

  • Workforce Development/Employer programs

Path 3: Work Experience

• Must have been employed as a medical assistant for a minimum of 3 years within the past 7 years

  • 3 years of full-time employment at 36 hours per week (equivalent of 5,616 hours)

  • Must include both clinical and administrative duties

• Must hold current CPR certification

• Earned a high school graduation diploma, General Equivalency Degree or equivalent certificate

Path 4: Military

• Must have graduated within 4 years or be scheduled to graduate from a formal medical services training program of the United States Armed Forces

  • Documentation of  a Joint Services Transcript or DD214 (If discharged) showing graduation from formal training program

Path 4: Instructor

• Must be currently instructing in an accredited medical assisting program approved by the U.S. Department of Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or AMT

  • Instruction must encompass clinical and administrative competencies representative of core medical assisting duties

  • For 5 or more years of experience in instruction, applicant must:

    • Supply a transcript proving course completion in medical assisting

    • Provide 5 years of verifiable work experience teaching in a medical assistant program within the last 7 years

  • For less than five years of experience in instruction, applicant must:

    • Supply a transcript proving course completion in medical assisting

    • Provide proof of being an AMT-certified instructor of a medical assisting program with more than one year of recent, documented work experience

    • Provide proof of 3 years of documented, full-time clinical experience in the last 7 years 

Completion Time: Candidates have 2 hours to complete the RMA exam

Cost:$135

Retake fee: $100

Exam Format

The RMA exam includes 210 multiple-choice questions. Exam topics include:

• Anatomy and Physiology (21.9%)

  • Body systems

  • Medical terminology

• Administrative Medical Assisting (35.7%)

  • Insurance

  • Financial bookkeeping

  • Medical Receptionist, Secretarial, Clerical

  • Medical Law and Ethics

  • Human Relations

• Clinical Medical Assisting (14.7%)

  • Asepsis

  • Sterilization

  • Instruments

  • Laboratory Procedures

  • Minor Surgery

• Clinical Patient Interaction (27.6%)

  • Patient Education

  • Vital signs and Measurements

  • Physical Examinations

  • Clinical Pharmacology

  • Therapeutic Modalities

  • Laboratory Procedures

  • Electrocardiography

  • First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Response

Test Dates

Instructors of MA programs provide possible dates and times to take the exam at the school. Candidates may schedule to take the test any day of the year, excluding Sundays and national holidays, at Pearson VUE test sites nationwide. Pearson VUE also allows candidates to schedule a test to take online from any location via live remote.

Certification Steps

• Satisfy the prerequisites

• Submit an application to AMT along with $135 exam fee

• Provide supporting documents

• Schedule the exam when the Authorization to Test arrives

• Take the RMA exam

To maintain their RMA, candidates must: 

• Pay annual renewal fees of $75

• Accumulate and document 30 Certification Continuation Program points every 3 years

• Submit required information for any state licenses or governmental agency privileges

Renewal Fees: 

• Annual Membership Fee: $75 every year

• Recertification by Exam: $205

• Recertification by CCP: $205

RMA’s must earn 30 Certification Continuation Program (CCP) points every 3 years. 

Use the following questions to evaluate whether an activity qualifies for CCP: 

Does the activity do one or more of the following:

• Relate to an item on the exam content outline

• Enable RMAs to do their jobs better 

• Increase RMAs knowledge in the healthcare field

• Prepare RMAs for a degree in advanced management, healthcare administration or another program of study in healthcare

Categories for CCP include:

• Professional Education (No maximum points)

• AMT Online Continuing Education Courses

• Inservice education

• CPR training

• Seminars and conferences

• Volunteer work

• EPIC courses

• Formal education (45 points maximum)

• College courses related to healthcare and care management

• Professional Authorship (No maximum points)

• Professional Presentations (No maximum points)

• Professional organizational activities (9 points maximum)

Refer to the CCP Guidance Document for complete information on accepted activities.

AMT offers various resources to help candidates prepare for the RMA exam, including:

• Review courses:

  • Module 1:General Knowledge Lessons - $65 AMT

  • Module 2: Administrative Lessons - $35

  • Module 3: Clinical Lessons - $25

  • Modules 1-3 with Practice Exam (2 attempts) - $230

• Reference list

• Online RMA Practice Exam - $30 (2 attempts)

Related certifications include:

• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)

• National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA)

• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)

• Podiatric Medical Assistant, Certified (PMAC)

• Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA)

• Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)