Reston, Virginia (October 20, 2016) —The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) met in Reston, Virginia for its 60th Annual Conference. Monica Case, CMA (AAMA) was installed as 2016–2018 AAMA Trustee. In this capacity, Trustee Case, a resident of Chattanooga, represents medical assistants and CMAs (AAMA) across the nation.
Medical assisting is one of the nation’s careers growing much faster than average for all occupations, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Medical assistants work in outpatient health care settings. Employers are seeking and recruiting these allied health professionals because of their uniquely diverse clinical and administrative patient-centered training.
Trustee Case states, “It is truly an honor and privilege to serve this association and profession during such an evolving time featuring such innovations in health care. The CMA (AAMA) is a vital part in delivering quality health care now and in the future.”
Case brings a great deal of experience to her office. She graduated from the medical assisting program at Chattanooga State Technical Community College in 1987 and has been a CMA (AAMA) since 1989. For the past 25 years she has been employed by Chattanooga Family Practice working directly for Robert A Drake, MD.
Case has served in many capacities for the AAMA, including roles with the Nominating Committee and Assessment-Based Certificate Task Force, and as a delegate to AAMA conference, in addition to serving as president of the Tennessee Society of Medical Assistants and the Chattanooga Chapter of Medical Assistants.
The Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA)—or CMA (AAMA)—credential represents a medical assistant who has been credentialed through the Certifying Board (CB) of the AAMA.
The CB of the AAMA was awarded accreditation by the International Accreditation Service (IAS) under ISO 17024, the global benchmark for personnel certification bodies, thus ensuring the CMA (AAMA) represents a world class certification.
The CMA (AAMA) Certification Program remains accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA)—an accrediting arm of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE). Consequently, the CB and its CMA (AAMA) Certification Program are the only medical assisting certifying body and certification program (respectively) that hold accreditation under both IAS and the NCCA.
A rigorous credential, the CMA (AAMA) also is the only certification that requires postsecondary education. Only candidates who graduate from an accredited postsecondary medical assisting program are eligible to sit for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Examination. The CMA (AAMA) must recertify every five years. The National Board of Medical Examiners—responsible for many national examinations for physicians—serves as test consultant for the examination. As a result, the reliability and validity of the CMA (AAMA) credential are of the highest order.
Certification status is a matter of public record and may be released. Every day the AAMA responds to more than 100 employer requests for CMA (AAMA) certification verification—for both current and potential employees.