Medical Assistant Certification in Arizona

Medical assistants are not required to have certification in order to work in the field. However, Arizona College recommends that our graduates become certified as a way to enhance their resume and validate the knowledge they gained by completing our Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy program. While Arizona does not require certification, most employers prefer to hire certified staff members, and you’ll be able to ask for a higher starting salary if you are certified.

Medical Assistant Training and Program Options

With Arizona College’s Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy program, you can earn your medical assistant diploma in about 7 months. Our Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy diploma program is offered at our Glendale and Mesa, AZ campuses. It is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience they need to obtain certification and start their careers in medical assisting. All Arizona College campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency.

In addition, Stepful’s 3-month online program trains you to become a certified medical administrative assistant in Arizona. Designed for busy adults, this flexible online program offers morning, evening, and weekend classes to fit your schedule. The curriculum covers essential topics like medical terminology, healthcare systems, and administrative procedures. You will master patient scheduling, learn how to handle telehealth appointments, and learn patient processing and reimbursement, including intake, health insurance, medical billing, and coding.

Certification Types and Exam Requirements

Each graduate is eligible to be certified as a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) by American Medical Technologists (AMT) and as a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). The process for medical assistant certification or becoming a registered medical assistant includes taking and passing either the CMA exam or RMA exam. Steps for Medical Assistant Certificate Exams include:

• Confirm you have met the eligibility requirements and complete the exam application.
• Submit the completed application, including supporting documentation and credentials, and associated application fee.
• Schedule the exam and Study! Study guides and information about the CMA exam are available from AAMA, and study guides for the RMA exam are available from AMT.
• Pass the CMA with a score of 430 or higher or pass the RMA examination with a score of 70 or higher.

Stepful’s program is specifically designed to prepare you to pass the CMAA (Certified Medical Administrative Assistant) exam, issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), which assesses knowledge in administrative tasks within healthcare settings.

How Medical Assistant License Certification Helps Your Career

By including your certification information on your resume, you open the door to more opportunities for career advancement and increase job mobility and options in this exciting medical field. Earning your certification as a Medical Administrative Assistant is inexpensive and can be done relatively quickly. The time and money you invest are well worth it to make yourself a more competitive job applicant.

Arizona offers diverse opportunities for certified medical administrative assistants in hospitals, clinics, and private practices. You may search groups like Banner Health, Dignity Health, Optum, and the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers to see the careers they offer. There are also support organizations you can network with in Arizona to learn about jobs, advocacy efforts, and continuing education, like the Arizona Health Information Management Association (AzHIMA) and the Arizona Medical Association.