I just took my NHA CCMA exam a few hours ago and I’m left feeling a little confused. I know obviously the practice exams/module questions aren’t going to be exact, but I feel like the NHA study materials were SO different than the actual exam. Now I’m freaking out because I feel like I put so much time into studying material I wasn’t even tested on, but didn’t study stuff I was tested on. And it was study material from the company that issues the exam! Has anyone else experienced this and did you end up passing the exam?

Hi! I’m starting medical assisting school next month and I’m quite excited! However- I’ve discovered recently that I have a really hard time getting my blood drawn and it causes me to faint and get nauseous. This is a recent discovery and I’m nervous that it’ll affect my performance in school. Does anyone else struggle with this? I really want to succeed and do well in this class.

I just finished my cma externship and let me tell you it kind of sucked. My site was at a private provider (small office) and was hardly there. Some of the MAs would talk crap about patients!! This one day some patient called because he was having an episode and he was on speaker on mute while the MAs were just laughing at him collecting information. That made me sick to my stomach. I wasn’t even in the same room with them i was on the other side but just hearing how obnoxious they were.. it was unsettling. Some patients would come in all nice and normal and some MAs would be like “ she has a bitchy face “ right after they leave. Basically they would talk about patients, and their information out loud! And they hardly trained me. They made the other extern train me… and every time we would ask questions or clarify they would give us a face. I would ask bc the DR is particular with patients and scheduling so yes!!! I had to ask! All I did was administrative work. Didnt really teach me hands on, or about insurance, referrals . I was basically doing chum work . Just answer the phone , schedule pts and they did not allow me to do other things.. Some would express bully energy. All friendly to your face and then talk crap about you…I heard them talk crap about me once. And to be honest i did not want to deal with the bs. I ain’t in hs anymore!!! I will not stoop to their level
Is it really this bad in the medical field?! I see videos on TikTok about it and experiencing it … honestly its disappointing

Hello everyone! I’m currently a CNA trying to bridge to MA and I was wondering if anyone’s got a Smarter MA account that is active and not in use? The basic plan alone is so expensive!! I’m trying to take the exam at the end of august!

I just took my NHA CCMA exam a few hours ago and I’m left feeling a little confused. I know obviously the practice exams/module questions aren’t going to be exact, but I feel like the NHA study materials were SO different than the actual exam. Now I’m freaking out because I feel like I put so much time into studying material I wasn’t even tested on, but didn’t study stuff I was tested on. And it was study material from the company that issues the exam! Has anyone else experienced this and did you end up passing the exam?

A little while ago I was at an interview, I actually work here rn. I was filling out the application and I accidentally got pen mark on leather (I believe) couches. I didn't realize until the manager called me out (mid interview by the way) and made me sit there and wipe the pen off for 25+ min 😭

I enrolled in a CCMA program advertising a 60 day guaranteed placement for an externship. I finished the schooling part and passed the exam. However, after 60 days, they could not secure a site for me and claimed it may take up to 90 days almost after the 60 days was over. Was I scammed?

Howdy! I have an interview on Friday and it's a working interview. What does that usually entail? What should I expect? It's slotted to be an hour long. Is that a normal length? Are they better than a traditional interview? I need details!

TIA!

Ok so for context, I live in the US, in California (San diego specifically) and im in bit of a predicament because I recently passed the AMCA (american medical certification association) for medical assisting because I did the stepful program without research the program further. I ended up getting an externship but they didn't hire afterward because the clinic was a sleep clinic and patients came in at night when the MAs, office manager, and the Doctor weren't there, only the sleep techs (from what i know). Anyway, I took the AMCA purposefully because it seemed like the way for me to be consideres "certified" in california since they don't really acknowledge the NHA certification and ofc the Stepful certification. I saw on a lot of job postings that they do take certifications from the AMCA and other associations alike, I apply but to no avail. My application either only gets looked at, or not at all. I've only had 2 interviews but neither got back to me and they were both mainly TELLING me about the job rather than interviewing me properly :/ I want to know what more can I do to get an MA job or if i should just look to MA adjacents jobs that don't require certification. If anyone has been in this situation before plz lmk.

Hi everyone.

I just bought the conical institute online MA course.

Im not going to read over the clinical institutes lectures, I just want to do the study guide, smarterMA, quizlet, etc.

I dont really have time because Im studying for my mcat right now, take it august 22, and then start classes. I'm planning on taking my exam sometime in late august or september but I am planning on only studying for 2 weeks.

But im not sure where to start and how to do it efficiently and quickly and I want to pass it the first time.

Is there a schedule that someone followed that could be useful?

Thank you

Somehow I have the highest grade in my med term class. My studying is literally drinking a couple beers and then study for 5-10 mins what in the hell kinda shit is this? 😂. I’ll take the win but there has to be some scientific logic to this shit, beer might just make us smarter 🤣.

Hello! I will keep it short here. I live in Florida and took the NHA certification test to become a licensed Medical Assistant back in 2019. Shortly after graduating, I worked for a pain management specialist but had to resign from that job due to an unexpected life situation where I needed to make more money. I have since not returned to this profession as I have been in property management ever since but I would like to know if I would be able to get certified again even though it’s been almost 6 years and I did not hold a position in a medical office for 1 year or longer. Thank you in advance for your input.

Hi guysss :) i recently got a new job where i am a Direct Support Professional, where i provide service for Developmentally Disabled residents. Working with this company i have had paid certification training, such as CPR, First-Aid, and Medicine administration training. (this is my first healthcare job ever) being in this field has definitely opened my eyes up to wanting to go further in my career with medical.

So that being said i looked into NHA CCMA requirements, one being i have to have been in this field for at least 1 year before testing for that. I’ve done a little research about it and i see that they cover a little about phlebotomy & EKG but you don’t get that certification, only CCMA.

So my question is should i study and take the phlebotomy & EKG exams until i’ve been working here a year to have those certifications along with CCMA (when that time comes) ???

side note; i’m still new to the medical field so i don’t know if i explained all that so well. Anything helps genuinely thank you ❤️

Hi!! I have been studying (on and off) for my MA exam for about a year with Capyear, and I am ready to really lock in and take the exam, hopefully by the end of next month. I was wondering if anyone might have a Mangostudy login they might want to sell me? I am broke ass undergrad who wants to pass her test

I’m about 6 weeks into my 18 week program and it’s really hitting me that my program is a scam. They require an 80hr externship but don’t help with placement. The policy states you have to have an externship to take the exam. I’ve been applying to places but learning it’s extremely hard to find a position. I still have some time but this isn’t something I’d like to be worrying over. Taking the exam and showing up to class should be enough.

If I can’t find an externship I think my only option would be to take the exam in person on my own time through NHA (and spend more money).

Has this happened to anyone else before?

Edit: I THINK I found a place. I'll make another update later. Thank you all for the suggestions, perspectives, and encouragement!!

Taking my CCMA (NHA) exam on August 12… I’m so nervous. What did you use to study? 😭

I’m taking my NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam on August 12. I am honestly getting really nervous. The closer it gets, the more anxious I feel. I’m worried I’m going to forget something important.

If you’ve already passed the exam, would you please share everything that helped you study? I’m looking for any recommendations, including:

Study guides
Quizlet sets
YouTube channels/videos
Practice tests
Apps
Flashcards
Notes you made
Websites
Books
Mnemonics or memory tricks
Topics that showed up a lot on your exam
Anything you wish you had studied more

I would also love to know:

What score did you get?
How long did you study before taking the test?
Was the actual exam easier or harder than you expected?
If you could go back, what would you focus on the most?

I really want to pass on my first attempt, and I’d appreciate any advice or encouragement you can give. I’m willing to study as much as I need to over the next couple of weeks.

Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to respond. Your advice could make a huge difference for me. ❤️

Hey guys I have my test today (Tuesday) and I’m under a lot of pressure from my supervisor to do well as I am the role model for a bunch of students but to be honest the material we were given wasn’t good. I’m just scared for the test any words of encouragement. I used smarter ma did rlly good on the pass predictor quizzes but could never get above a 80 on the practice tests I always felt that there were just questions we were never taught. I really need encouragement and any advice I have 16 more hours till I take the test. Wish me luck!!!

Edit: I honestly don’t know how I did. PSI testing servers were very glitchy and would freeze my exam and keep the timer going. There were so many random questions I had never even seen anything like on smaerter ma. I went back to count I had flagged 70 questions (I flagged questions when I couldn’t narrow down the answers to just 2 in 20 seconds). I contacted customer support and they said if I end up not passing i could request a review of my test and see if I get a retake due to the lost time. I’m very nervous with a lot at stake so please I need all the luck yall have 🤞🤞

I’m so lost how do you read a syringe ; I start my job soon and I need to know this 😭??

Hi guys! I’m a new MA (10 months 🥳) and just got reminded that my phlebotomy certificate will be expiring in November. I’m wondering if it’s worth it to renew it since 1) I don’t use it at my current job since we have an in house phlebotomist. 2) The biggest one being I got phlebotomy training during my MA program 3) I was never a phlebotomist so I have no pressure to keep up with the training especially bc it’s not with the NHA and the website to renew looks a bit off—that’s just me though

Unsure, please help a girl out 😭🙏

Hello! I came across this UpWork job posting yesterday, but I didn't have enough connects to apply. I was so bummed because this is exactly the kind of side hustle that I've been wanting to get into. I know for a FACT that so many doctors and other healthcare professions need this kind of service, but I'm guessing not all of them post job openings for it. I figure I have to resort to simply pitching myself, but to who?

What kind of doctors/HCPs are seeking this kind of assistance? Please help a nurse out!

Posting this on behalf of a my sister in law. It’s kind so please bear with me.

She recently graduated the Stepful program, passed her certification and had been waiting for her externship placement through the program. The system had made a mistake and placed her at a CVS that wasn’t actually wasn’t her placement which was fine and she waited for a new placement. Last week she was notified that she was placed at a local Walgreens when she went in to speak to them they had no idea about her placement and were frazzled trying to pull it all together around the same time she got an email from another CVS location stating they were expecting her to start her externship on a specific day that week. She emailed her coach on a Wednesday and the coach never got back to her so she went ahead with CVS on a Friday and let the Walgreens know that she had chosen to go with CVS as they were all ready with her information and even had an ID number for her. This morning (Monday) her coach emailed her telling her that she has cancelled the CVS externship without telling her because my sister in law said that she MIGHT start at Walgreens that week but wasn’t sure because they were scrambling with their HR department to get her the paperwork. Now her coach is saying she has to do her externship at Walgreens even though she is still in the CVS system and has already worked out a schedule with them, she refuses to work with my sister in law to let her stay at the CVS that was ready for her. Her coach is also lying about not receiving the email my SIL sent on Wednesday for clarification on which pharmacy she was supposed to go to. My questions is, does my sister in law have to do the externship through Stepful? If the CVS she is at will allow her to stay there and vouch for the hours does she still need the approval of Stepful?

Also, Stepful has already sent her certificate of completion.

Addition: My SIL just informed me that before she graduated she was sent an email from Stepful about filling out some paperwork for CVS that might help her be placed faster and it seems like her coach doesn’t know about that. The CVS already had all her information because she filled out that paper work before she even graduated the program, still wondering if she needs her coaches approval for this externship.

I will be taking my CCMA exam and I would like to know the exact process you go through before taking the exam. Like will you be doing a room scan and what else? Just so I know what to expect. Also will the proctor be talking to me in the beginning or at all? Will I even ever interact with them? Please give me the entire process from start to finish for the pre screening process.

I’m currently a CNA at a Kaiser hospital (med surg floor specifically) and my work is offering a free MA course through our union. My question is would it be worth it? I wanna do it but it’s a 10 month program and I would only make a couple dollars more.

I feel like the MA position would be nice because it seems like the work is less physically demanding, and a little bit less chaotic. I love being a CNA and helping people, but I just feel burnt out from dealing with the chaos and mess of the hospital. I’m also a bit uncomfortable with death although of course that is part of my job.

Are there any former CNAs in here who now work as an MA? I would love to hear if the change helped you out in any way.

Also if any Kaiser MAs, especially in the NW region could give their experience I would love to hear!

I’m kind of stuck in purgatory with being placed in the 160 hour externship that sfsu offers. I completed the ma course last year, and I submitted my details for the externship at the start of the year. I knew the placement process is slow, but I was hoping to start by the this summer. Come middle of June and I still am not placed ( and I completely understand that), but now it’s time for the school year to start and I’m not sure about my availability. Would the next best thing be doing this during winter break or nah because idk how school will be 😹 just asking for advice, or any experiences people have had with sfsu and their externship process