General Overview of Medical Assistant Exam

Congratulations!  If you’ve made it far enough to be stressing about your exam, you’ve come a long way baby, as Virginia Slim would say.  You deserve a big pat on the back.  The early mornings, the late night cram sessions, the study groups, the procedures you’ve learned.  It’s almost over!!

So, you’re in a school , that has prepared you for this big moment, nervous yet?  In case you haven’t caught on or they never told you in your schooling, the test is administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants, or AAMA.  While it might intimidate you, taking the big exam, remember, most of these people who’ve had input on the exam, were or are medical assistants, they’ve been where you are now.  Does this help?

Most students and hopeful medical assistants, break down the material to study for the test.  I have always believed in repetition, keep going over the same thing, over and over, till you finally get it, some people come up with little sayings, like in music, where it’s all cow’s eat grass or a-c-e-g (the spaces for the bass music).  Study groups are very helpful, if you actually study, in my youth, we usually caught up on gossip.  Take your sample questions, place them on some index cards, the question on one side, the answers on the other, this helps tremendously, you can study while you’re in the checkout line at the grocery store.

So, the teacher probably gave a study list, to take home with you correct?  The anatomy, how can you study for this, well there’s always that crazy song, the leg bones connected to the hip bone.  Unless, your very informed on anatomy, take a blank anatomy chart, go to a place such as Kinko’s and make a hundred copies, take these with you, and fill one out every day, being sure to check your answers, and go over the parts you were incorrect on.  By the time the test date gets there, you’ll have it down.

One of the portions is on medical terminology.  Try, catching on to the basics of Latin.  Most of the terminology can be broken down, if you know basic Latin as this is where most of these long words originated.  Of course, you can always try my method, word on one side, answer on the other.  Make up a goofy little saying, if you’re good at versing.

Let’s talk about the psychology portion.  Personally, psychology is easy for me, but for some, it leaves them scratching their head, with a confused look on their face.  Keep in mind the different fathers of psychology, like the one who came up with nature vs. nature of course, Sigmond, remember him, and signs and symptoms of abnormal psych behavior, such as manic, or hearing voices.  Just knowing these, will help you throughout your life, and if you learn them well, you’ll hear yourself making your own diagnosis, like, when you’ve got a very crabby boss, where everything has to be in a certain spot, and they never laugh, I always laugh at myself, when I start thinking they are anal retentive.

There will be a portion on clinical knowledge, if you’re stressing about this, find a family member, if you can’t get a study group.   If family isn’t around, practice on a pet.  While knowing the book portion is important, actually being able to perform the tasks in the clinical portion, will be a must.

Of course, since medical assistants do so much on the job, there will also be a portion on administrative and professional skills.  When I am studying these skills, I always try to put myself in character, I will answer the phones at the house, saying “Cobb residence, how can I help you?”  My aunt hung up on me when I did this to her, thought she had the wrong number, so when I don’t want to talk to her now, I try the same thing, but she’s caught on.  It was good when it lasted.

Be sure to get plenty of sleep before the test, and to eat well before taking the test, you don’t want your stomach growling while you’re just starting the exam, you’ll be thinking of a cheeseburger, instead of a-b-c-or-d.  Take a walk just before, so your blood is pumping, your energized, this helps as well.  Go into take the exam, relaxed, easier said than done, I know, but if your calm, the answers will come to you, and always trust your first instinct.  When I second guess myself, I miss, so trust that first answer.

When all of this testing is finally finished, you’ve got your certification think of your accomplishment, pat yourself on the back, take yourself out for a treat like dinner or shopping, and big congratulations, from me.