American Medical Technologists (AMT) is a nationally accredited provider of healthcare certifications that help people start their careers in the medical field.
In total, AMT provides 10 allied health certifications:
- Medical Assistant (RMA)
- Phlebotomy Technician (RPT)
- Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS)
- Dental Assistant (RDA)
- Medical Technologist (MT)
- Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)
- Medical Laboratory Assistant (CMLA)
- Molecular Diagnostics Technologist (MDT)
- Certified Laboratory Consultant (CLC)
- Allied Health Instructor (AHI)
In this post, you’ll learn the basics of each certification, why it’s important, and who can use each certification to start their careers.
Let’s start with the Medical Assistant (RMA) certification.
1. Medical Assistant (RMA)
The Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification shows that an individual has proficiency in common clinical and administrative skills.
The RMA exam itself tests students on their knowledge of four subject areas:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Administrative Medical Assisting
- Clinical Medical Assisting
- Clinical Patient Interaction
This certification is a great option for anyone interested in the medical field since medical assisting employment opportunities are on the rise.
2. Phlebotomy Technician (RPT)
The Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT) certification shows that an individual can collect and analyze blood samples.
Specifically, candidates must be proficient in eight key areas:
- Obtaining Blood Samples
- Specimen Collection and Processing
- Time Management and Assignment Organization
- Professional Communications
- Clerical Skills and Duties
- Safety Standards and Procedures
- Legal, Ethical, and Professional Considerations
- Terminology, Anatomy, and Physiology
These areas help a phlebotomy technician do their work in an efficient and effective manner. That then helps patients feel less stressed when it comes to getting blood drawn.
That means the RPT certification is a good choice for anyone interested in performing detailed lab work, but still wants to interact with patients.
3. Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS)
The Certified Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS) certification designates that a person can work in an organizational or regulatory capacity in healthcare.
This includes skills in eight areas:
- Medical Assisting Foundations
- Basic Clinical Concepts
- Medical Office Clerical Assisting
- Medical Records Management
- Health Care Insurance, Processing, Coding, and Billing
- Medical Office Financial Management
- Medical Office Information Processing
- Medical Office Management
These skills help medical administrative specialists provide a great experience for every patient.
Overall, the CMAS certification is a good option for anyone who wants to work with patients in the medical field but not in clinical care.
4. Dental Assistant (RDA)
The Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) certification shows that a person has the skills and knowledge needed to work as a dental assistant.
In order to become certified, an individual must be proficient in four areas related to dental assisting:
- Office Assisting Skills
- Dental Sciences
- Clinical Procedures
- Dental Imaging
From office assisting to detailed dental skills, a registered dental assistant can work in practically any dentistry setting.
That makes the RDA a great starting point for anyone interested in a dental career, as it helps students land their first job to gain experience and grow in the future.
5. Medical Technologist (MT)
The Medical Technologist (MT) certification designates that an individual can work in a medical lab and perform a variety of tests.
Specifically, a medical technologist is proficient in nine areas:
- General Laboratory
- Clinical Chemistry
- Hematology
- Coagulation and Hemostasis
- Immunology and Serology
- Immunohematology
- Blood Banking and Transfusion Services
- Microbiology
- Urinalysis and Body Fluids
Overall, the MT certification is an excellent choice for someone interested in the more scientific aspects of diagnosing and treating patients -- especially if they prefer not to interact with patients.
6. Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)
The Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) certification contains the same nine areas of proficiency as the medical technologist certification:
- General Laboratory
- Clinical Chemistry
- Hematology
- Coagulation and Hemostasis
- Immunology and Serology
- Immunohematology
- Blood Banking and Transfusion Services
- Microbiology
- Urinalysis and Body Fluids
The difference is that medical laboratory technicians have a lower level of responsibility and fewer educational requirements.
That means the MLT certification is a great choice for someone interested in working in a lab setting without the pressure of conducting more complex tests and analyses.
7. Medical Laboratory Assistant (CMLA)
The Certified Medical Laboratory Assistant (CMLA) certification designates that an individual has the laboratory and clinical skills to work as a medical lab assistant.
Specifically, to earn the CMLA certification, a person must have skills and knowledge across 12 areas:
- Chemistry
- Hematology
- Immunology and Serology
- Microbiology
- Urinalysis
- Quality Assurance / Quality Control
- Microscopy
- Phlebotomy
- Patient Test Management and Specimen Collection
- Safety Standards, Procedures, and OSHA Regulations
- Terminology, Anatomy, and Physiology
- Legal, Ethical, Confidential, and Professional Considerations / HIPAA and the Patient’s Bill of Rights
- Clerical Skills and Duties
- Communications and Interpersonal Relationships
The biggest difference between the CMLA certification and the other lab-related occupations is that CMLAs often work directly with patients.
That means in addition to laboratory-based skills, a CMLA must have excellent communication and clinical skills.
8. Molecular Diagnostics Technologist (MDT)
The Molecular Diagnostic Technologist (MDT) certification measures a person’s proficiency in four key areas related to molecular biology:
- General Laboratory
- General Molecular Diagnostics Theory
- Molecular Laboratory Procedures
- Diagnostic Methods
The MDT certification is a good choice for someone interested in understanding the role genetics can play in diseases and disorders.
9. Certified Laboratory Consultant (CLC)
The Certified Laboratory Consultant (CLC) certification designates that an individual can work as an independent lab consultant for healthcare facilities.
Unlike the other certifications on the list, the CLC certification does not require an exam to become certified.
Instead, the candidate must complete an online application and meet six specific requirements:
- Previous consulting experience
- A bachelor’s degree (or higher) in an allied health field
- Current certification or license in a clinical laboratory profession
- Six years of relevant clinical laboratory experience
- 30 hours of continuing education credit in the past three years
- Professional development qualifications
Overall, a CLC certification is a great addition for anyone working in a laboratory-focused healthcare profession.
10. Allied Health Instructor (AHI)
The Allied Health Instructor (AHI) certification shows a healthcare professional can make the leap from a healthcare facility to a classroom to teach health science.
In order to apply for the AHI certification, an individual must meet one of the following requirements:
- Graduated from an accredited allied health program or course of study
- Hold a professional certification in their field of instruction
Additionally, all applicants must have two years of healthcare teaching experience in the past five years.
Though the AHI certification won’t help a new medical professional obtain a job, it can help someone transitioning to a career in health science education show their merit as an educator.
No matter which AMT certification your students will take, your role remains the same. You need to help your students prepare for test day.
Health science teachers prepare students for certification exams in a number of ways, including AMT test prep materials and homemade curriculum designed just for certification prep.
However, the AMT test prep materials are only made to help students study for their exams. They don’t actually help you teach the information in your classes.
Plus, building a curriculum from scratch can provide a custom learning experience for your students, but teaching to the test can hurt your students’ long-term information retention.
That’s why hundreds of health science instructors use the HealthCenter21 digital curriculum system to teach classes and prepare students for AMT certifications.
HealthCenter21 takes health science students from zero to certified while making your life easier. This is made possible with ready-to-use instructional materials, up-to-date lessons, engaging activities, scenario-based learning, and automatically graded assessments.
Want to learn more? Click below to learn what HealthCenter21 is and how it can help you and your students!