I graduated an MA program in December 2006. When I went on my extern site, I loved it, the Doctors that I worked with said they would give me letters of reccomendation wherever I go! When I enquired about getting a job at this site,{they needed an MA} they said "oh you are wonderful and we wish you the best of luck but we CAN'T hire you because you are not CERTIFIED by the state" although I did the work everyone else did as a student and I did very well !!! I still can not work there!! My question is, from my understanding you can only take the state certification test in June and in January. I did not sign up for the June test. Is there any other way to get State Certified {I live in MI} other than going through the AMT????????????

Your Professional Title/Credentials: medical assistant certificate

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

What's wrong with the RMA test/certification? The results are the same.

If anyone would like a copy of the RMA Preview exam,write me for it.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

How about through the AAMA, that's where I got my certification from, Check with them go to Google amd put in AAMA them click the link that says "how to get certified" I think they offer the test 3 or 4 times a year. I think you have to have went to an AAMA accredited school though. Hope that helps.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? nope

Are You Working? nope

Did they ask if you were "certified" or "certified with the state?" Those are two different things, at least in Washington.
Being "Certified" means you took the AAMA exam (or AMT exam) and earned the credential. CMA/RMA, basically the same thing. The credential may matter to the employer, but does not necessarily matter to the state.
In WA, being "certified (or registered)with the state" means that you have applied for and were granted a Healthcare Assistant License (HCA). The state keeps a record of every facility you work in and what invasive procedures you do (venipuncture, injections (which ones), dialysis, arterial draws, etc.)
So, you can be an MA (no credentials), but you have to have the HCA to legally work as an MA doing any of the above. By-the-way, the HCA application is only granted with documentation of appropriate training and education pertaining to those specific skill. In all cases, except for venipuncture, you have to have completed an accredited course or program.
So, I'm not sure where you are from, but if you cannot get a clear answer from the clinic, I would try the department of health in your state.
Hope this helps...

Your Professional Title/Credentials: MA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

I, too, get a feeling there is a slight miscommunication, perhaps poor choice of words with "not certified with the state". I wouldn't wonder about it, if there weren't "with the state" in the statement.


Bottom line, medical assistants are not required to be certified by the state. Certification is voluntary, and without limitations as to what state your'e in. It's not the state that mandates certification for medical assistants, it's the EMPLOYER who prefers to hire certified medical assistants.


In other words, it's a matter of preference, and coice by the medical assistant, and the employer, not the state. It's main purpose is to raise the level of competence and awareness of the profession.


Now, when it comes to licensure, it's a totally different story. Licensure is through a state. Nurses, and certain other health care practitioners are required by law to be licensed to protect the public from harm through incomtetence.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Forum Admin