The Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam is administered by AMT to assess the knowledge and skills of those pursuing RMA certification.
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RMA Exam Eligibility
To be eligible to take this exam, you must meet all of the requirements of one of the four following routes:
- Route 1: Graduate from an accredited medical assisting program OR a program within an accredited institution (with 720 hours of training, plus 160 hours of clinical externship).
- Route 2: Graduate from a US Armed Forces medical services training program.
- Route 3: Be employed as a medical assistant for at least 5 out of the last 7 years (clinical and administrative duties).
- Route 4: Have at least 5 years of teaching experience (clinical and administrative duties)
RMA Exam Outline
The RMA exam contains 210 multiple-choice questions and has a time limit of 2 hours.
The exam is split into four work areas:
I. Anatomy and Physiology (44 questions)
The questions in this area assess your knowledge of medical terminology and what disorders and diseases affect the various systems of the body.
Body Systems
- Structure and function of the systems of the human body
- Disorders and diseases
- Wellness and nutrition
Medical Terminology
- Word parts
- Definitions
- Spelling
- Abbreviations and symbols
- Terminology
II. Administrative Medical Assisting (56 questions)
The questions in this area assess your knowledge of insurance, clerical duties, medical law and ethics, and human relations.
Insurance
- Terminology associated with various insurance types in the medical office
- Various health insurance plans
- Explanation of benefits (EOB)
- HIPAA-mandated coding systems
- Application of diagnosis and procedure codes to insurance claims
Medical Receptionist/Secretarial/Clerical
- Reception
- Scheduling
- Communication
- Records management
- Equipment and supplies management
- Computer applications
- Office safety
Medical Law and Ethics
- Medical law
- Licensure
- Certification
- Registration
- Terminology
- Medical ethics
- Ethical conduct
Human Relations
- Patient relations
- Interpersonal relations
III. Clinical Procedural Tasks (39 questions)
The questions in this area assess your knowledge of laboratory procedures, instruments, and terminology.
Asepsis
- Terminology
- OSHA guidelines regarding bloodborne pathogens
- Universal Precautions
- Medical asepsis
- Surgical asepsis
Sterilization
- Terminology
- Sanitization
- Disinfection
- Sterilization
Instruments
- Identification
- Instrument uses
Laboratory Procedures
- Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988
- Terminology
Minor Surgery
- Supplies
- Procedures
IV. Clinical Patient Interaction (71 questions)
The questions in this area assess your knowledge of various common aspects of patient interaction.
Patient Education
- Patient instruction
Vital Signs and Measurements
- Terminology
- Blood pressure
- Pulse
- Respiration
- Temperature
- Patient measurement
Physical Examinations
- Medical history
- Patient positions
- Examination methods
- Specialty examinations
- Visual acuity
Clinical Pharmacology
- Terminology
- Parenteral medications
- Prescriptions
- Drugs
Therapeutic Modalities
- Modalities
- Alternative therapies
- Patient instruction
Laboratory Procedures
- Lab testing and specimen collection
ECG
- Standard 12-lead ECG
- Mounting techniques
- Other ECG procedures
First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Response
- First aid procedures
- CPR procedures
- Legal responsibilities
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Get Your Study GuideRMA Exam Registration
To register for the RMA exam, you must fill out an application on the AMT website and pay the non-refundable $135 application fee. Once your application is approved, you will receive confirmation of your approval and instructions regarding how to schedule your exam appointment.
If you are taking the exam at your school, all of the scheduling information will be given to you by your instructor. If you are taking the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center, you will need to schedule an appointment with Pearson online or over the phone.
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Test Day
You should arrive 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled appointment time on the day of your exam. Once you arrive, you will be asked to provide your letter of authorization and two forms of valid identification. Once you are approved, you will be asked to sign a digital signature pad, and scan your palm veins for authentication purposes. You will then be asked to leave all personal items in a locker outside the testing room.
Before the exam begins, you will be asked to read and sign the ARRT Rules Agreement and sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Once these are signed, your exam will begin.
How the RMA Exam is Scored
Your final RMA exam score is determined by taking your raw score (the number of questions you answered correctly) and converting it to a scaled score, ranging from 0 to 100. The passing score on this scaled is 70.
You will receive a preliminary score report as soon as you finish the exam, and your final score report will be available 1-2 weeks after testing.
Retaking the RMA Exam
If you do not pass the test or you are not satisfied with your score, you may schedule to retake the exam. Keep in mind, you cannot re-take the exam sooner than 45 days from your initial attempt at the exam.
If re-taking the exam, you must submit the examination retake form and re-testing fee of $90.
For this exam, you are allowed up to four attempts.
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Get Your FlashcardsFAQs
Q
How many questions are on the RMA exam?
A
There are 210 multiple-choice questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the RMA exam?
A
The time limit for this exam is 2 hours.
Q
What is the passing score for the RMA exam?
A
To pass the exam, you must achieve a scaled score of at least 70.
Q
How much does the RMA exam cost?
A
The application fee is $135.