I received the following question from a CMA (AAMA)® who is also a surgical technologist: I am a CMA (AAMA) and am also certified in surgical technology in the state in which I am currently working. I am planning to move to New Jersey, a state that does not recognize surgical technology in its law. Am I able ..read more

I recently received the following request for information from a medical group in South Carolina:  We [need] to find out what tasks certified medical assistants can do and what uncertified medical assistants cannot do. The South Carolina Medical Board gave us a list of tasks that certified medical assistants can do; however, [they] will not ..read more

A medical assistant recently sent me the following email: I was curious about my scope of practice under the law of my state and went to your “State Scope of Practice Laws” webpage.  I could not find anything in my state’s section that mentioned “medical assistants.” Could you please explain to me why this is the ..read more

I recently received the following question: I have been reading and hearing conflicting information about whether California law requires medical assistants to be certified or licensed. Can you please clarify the California law for me? California medical assisting law can seem confusing. However, I am happy to explain it in understandable terms. California law does ..read more

The American Association of Medical Assistants® (AAMA) Board of Trustees, other AAMA volunteer leaders, and AAMA staff salute all medical assistants on this 2023 Medical Assistants Recognition Day—October 18, 2023. The United States Department of Education (USDE) will be releasing a final regulation before November 1, 2023, that will cut off Title IV scholarship funding ..read more

I recently received the following question:  As a [credentialed medical assistant], am I allowed to change prescription medications (e.g., discontinue, stop date, different doses, new medication)? I work in the infusion room. My company started making infusion medical assistants responsible for this with no training.  Please keep in mind the following legal principle that I often emphasize in answering these types ..read more

I recently received the following request for advice: I have received on behalf of [an AAMA-affiliated state society] a writ of garnishment. I was contacted initially by telephone regarding this garnishment. I informed the caller I did not know the person they were seeking and additionally the society did not have any employees. The caller would ..read more

I recently received the following request for clarification on a South Carolina bill: I have been a Certified Medical Assistant® through the AAMA since 1993. There were no accredited programs back then, but I did take a course that … enabled me to sit for the [CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam]. With the [South Carolina] Senate ..read more

 The AAMA supports medical assistants’ scope-of-practice rights. This includes advocating for the enactment of laws that allow licensed independent providers to delegate to medical assistants who are appropriately educated and currently credentialed advanced tasks (e.g., administering intramuscular, intradermal, and subcutaneous injections, including vaccines). Recently, the Delaware and South Dakota Boards of Nursing have published amendments to their ..read more

I recently received the following request for clarification on a South Carolina bill: I have been a Certified Medical Assistant® through the AAMA since 1993. There were no accredited programs back then, but I did take a course that … enabled me to sit for the [CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam]. With the [South Carolina] Senate ..read more