5 Reasons You’re Missing Out By Not Joining the AAMA

So, medical assisting student, let’s look into the future a little bit. You’re out of school (whew!), found your first medical assisting job (yay!), and have started work (yippee!) You’re happy in your position, and have a passion for your new career as a medical assistant, and love the office you’re working in.

What’s the next step in cementing your professional status? Joining the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

But you scoff. Pay money to join a professional organization? No thanks.

But hear me out! As a professional (yes, you can call yourself that now!), if you don’t join the AAMA, you’re limiting yourself professionally. In fact, you should be getting into the AAMA as a student – so if you’re out of school and not a member, you need to catch up a little.

In general, it’s a good idea that if your chosen field offers a professional association to join, you should join it. If you’re serious about your job and making it into a lifelong professional endeavor, there is perhaps no other way of more effectively starting than through a group like the AAMA. Joining these associations broadens your network of job contacts, helps you with continuing education opportunities, gives you discounts and easier access to conferences and seminars, and generally establishes you as a serious professional in your field.

And the AAMA certainly fits that mold. Their CMA certification verification program is probably worth the cost of admission by itself. This is an easy way that you and other employers can see how legitimate you are as a professional and confirm your status easily.

Discounts are often a big perk of associations, and the AAMA is no different. They offer a 50 percent discount on the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Exam. If you were already a member as a student, you likely already know this, but even if you weren’t, you can use it down the road for recertification. You’ll also receive discounts on a variety of other areas, including continuing education, seminars, e-Learning, and even on larger purchases like homes, cars, and insurance.

An often overlooked aspect of being a professional is continuing education. It’s something that many people don’t like to do, and something they aren’t necessarily eager to pay to do it. But this too is another major demonstration of your commitment and passion for your job that you take the time and pay the money to continue training yourself even after you have the job and have been on it for a while. It shows your feelings about your job and your desire to do it right. AAMA membership makes continuing education easier and more affordable than ever.

Something else you want updates on your profession and to be able to speak intelligently about the issues that affect you and your colleagues. A subscription to CMA Today is another perk that will help keep you in the know on those issues, as well as offer you insider information on continuing education, health care information, and other medical assisting news.

The AAMA is invaluable to developing and broadening your network, putting you in touch with potentially thousands of other medical assisting professionals around the country and in your area. Job openings are also frequently shared with members, which gives you an inside track on employment opportunities.

What I am saying is, joining the AAMA cements your status as a true professional, and it’s a must for any serious medical assistant. If you want to tell employers, colleagues, and the world that you’re serious about your job, have additional opportunities for advancement and position yourself as an authority in your industry, there is no better way of doing it than joining the AAMA.

Find out how you can join the AAMA by talking to your Career Services Advisor at Ayers Career College or visit www.aama-ntl.org