The CMA (AAMA) certified medical assistant exam

CMA (AAMA) exam format and timing

You have 160 minutes for the 200 questions, split into four segments of 40 minutes. Between segments there are three optional breaks totaling 20 minutes: five minutes after the first segment, ten after the second and five after the third. The whole appointment may last up to 180 minutes, not counting a tutorial of up to five minutes and the post-exam survey.

Twenty of the 200 questions are pretest items. They do not count towards your score.

Source: AAMA — Certification. Checked 18 October 2026.

Current exam content outline

For exams before July 2027, AAMA uses the outline below. The 180 scored questions are spread across three categories and eight content areas, with clinical competency making up more than half of the exam.

• I. Clinical Competency, 106 questions (59%): A. Clinical Workflow: Patient Intake and Discharge; B. Safety and Infection Control; C. Procedures/Examinations; D. Pharmacology
• II. General, 38 questions (21%): E. Legal and Ethical Issues; F. Communication
• III. Administrative, 36 questions (20%): G. Billing, Coding, and Insurance; H. Schedule Appointments and Health Information Management

Source: AAMA — CMA (AAMA) Exam Content Outline. Checked 18 October 2026.

What changes in July 2027

From July 2027 an updated outline applies, informed by AAMA’s 2025 occupational analysis. The question total stays at 200, with 180 scored, but the weighting shifts: clinical rises to 117 scored questions (65%), general falls to 36 (20%) and administrative to 27 (15%). The administrative billing area becomes Insurance Basics.

Check your exam date before you choose which outline to study. If you test before July 2027, the current outline applies.

Source: AAMA — Content Outline for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam, effective July 2027. Checked 18 October 2026.

Test center or remote proctoring

You can test at a PSI test center or by live remote proctoring once AAMA has approved you. Remote testing has strict rules: no school- or work-issued computer, a private space, and no people or pets in the room, or the proctor ends the exam. Three minor violations or one major violation also end it, with no refund. During breaks you must message the proctor before leaving the room.

Remote exams can be rescheduled as often as needed within your 90-day window, but cancellations and rebookings must happen at least 24 hours before the booked time. Candidates who need a reader must test at a test center.

Source: AAMA — Test Center vs. Remote Proctoring. Checked 18 October 2026.

Scoring, results and retakes

Scores are scaled from 200 to 800 and the minimum passing score is 405. A pass/fail notification appears immediately after the exam, the official score report arrives by email about 24 hours later, and an email on how to access your digital badge follows within 10 business days.

If you do not pass, you can try again without a waiting period, up to six attempts within 12 months of your first attempt. Each attempt needs a new application and fee.

Source: AAMA — CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam Application and Policies (Rev. 1-26). Checked 18 October 2026.

How long does a medical assistant certification take?

How long medical assistant certification takes depends mostly on your program, and AAMA does not publish a standard program length. For Alternative Pathway candidates the minimum is the equivalent of two semesters with 560 contact hours, plus a practicum of at least 160 hours.

The exam steps are shorter. Students in accredited programs may test after completing all required competencies except the practicum, or from 30 days before finishing all coursework. After approval you have 90 days to sit the exam, which takes up to 180 minutes, and your badge email arrives within 10 business days of passing. So how long to get medical assistant certification after your program mostly depends on how quickly you book within that window.

In short, how long to become a certified medical assistant is your program length plus the application, a booking within 90 days and one exam day. How long medical assistant certification candidates spend preparing beyond that is a personal decision; AAMA sets no study requirement on the pages checked.

Source: AAMA — CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam Application and Policies (Rev. 1-26). Checked 18 October 2026.

How long does a medical assistant certification last?

Newly certified and recertifying CMAs (AAMA) are current for 60 months. Within that time you recertify either with 60 continuing education units or by passing the exam again.

If the credential has been expired for more than three months, recertification by continuing education is no longer possible and you have to retake the exam.

Source: AAMA — Recertification. Checked 18 October 2026.

Registered medical assistant exam vs. CMA (AAMA) exam

The registered medical assistant exam leads to a different credential: the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA), issued by American Medical Technologists (AMT). It has its own eligibility rules, content and fees, published by AMT. The format, outline and scoring on this page apply to the CMA (AAMA) only.

For the CMA (AAMA), practise against AAMA’s categories. Certsqill’s question bank has expert-developed questions, an explanation for every answer option and a readiness score per exam category.

Source: AMT — Registered Medical Assistant (RMA). Checked 18 October 2026.

CMA (AAMA) exam: questions people ask

How many questions are on the CMA (AAMA) exam?

200 multiple-choice questions, of which 180 are scored and 20 are pretest items. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

How long is the CMA (AAMA) exam?

160 minutes of testing in four 40-minute segments, with optional breaks totaling 20 minutes; the appointment lasts up to 180 minutes. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

How long does medical assistant certification take after I apply?

Once approved you have a 90-day window to test. Pass/fail is shown immediately, the score report follows in about 24 hours and the badge email within 10 business days. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

How long is medical assistant certification valid?

The CMA (AAMA) is current for 60 months. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

What score do I need to pass the CMA (AAMA) exam?

405 on a scale of 200 to 800. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

Is the registered medical assistant exam the same as the CMA (AAMA)?

No. The RMA is issued by American Medical Technologists (AMT); the CMA (AAMA) by the Certifying Board of the AAMA. Checked 18 October 2026.

Does the CMA (AAMA) exam change in 2027?

Yes. From July 2027 a new outline applies with 117 clinical, 36 general and 27 administrative scored questions. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.