Continuing Education for Medical Assistants
Choosing a career as a Certified Medical Assistant can be very rewarding. Not only does it provide the opportunity to aid physicians and other medical specialists so that they might better treat their patients, but also the opportunity to help the patients themselves. Medical Assisting is a fast-paced career in a field that is constantly changing, growing and expanding. This is why periodic recertification is required by the AAMA (American Association of Medical Assistants), and why it's important for a CMA to continue his or her education.
The AAMA requires recertification once every five years, and there are two ways a Medical Assistant can be recertified: passing the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination or by accumulating a specific number of recertification points. Half of these points must be AAMA approved Continuing Education Units. This makes continuing your Medical Assistant education not only important, but essential for furthering your career.
There are guidelines set in place by the AAMA which outline what is required of a CMA for Continuing Education Units. These units are broken down into three categories, with a required number of CEUs for recertification. These categories are Administrative, Clinical and General.
Administrative studies include skills essential to the clerical duties of a CMA. Data entry and computer knowledge, schedule management and record keeping, financial accounting and office management; these are just a few of the areas in this category in which to continue your education, valuable skills in not only a career in Medical Assisting but in many areas of life.
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Clinical studies will give you the skills necessary to help physicians and medical specialists help their patients: Patient and treatment area preparation, specimen processing and diagnostic testing, emergency and first aid procedures, medication preparation and administering, infection control and nutrition.
General areas of continued education include all other aspects of a CMA's career, from medical terminology and anatomy, to psychology and communication to medical legal knowledge.
Given the busy pace of life that many people find themselves in, more and more turn to online universities and accredited study centers for continuing education. This lets them continue their education at a pace and schedule suitable for them while receiving a quality education. The guidelines provided by the AAMA lay out what areas of study will give the proper CEUs for recertification. Many of the online universities' courses are fully recognized by the AAMA and will count towards the required continuing education units. Contacting the AAMA and university career counselors will determine which continuing education courses will credit towards recertification as well as further your career as a Medical Assistant.
More information can be obtained about CMA certification and applicable continuing education courses through the AAMA, by phone, mail, email or by visiting their website
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