Medical Assistant (MA)

A GEMR certified Medical Assistant is a health care professional who works in a variety of healthcare settings, such as hospitals, emergency departments, urgent care centers, outpatient clinics, and physician offices, to perform administrative and clinical tasks. Their duties of a GEMR certified Medical Assistant include:

  • Scheduling appointments and follow-up:
    • MAs are able to schedule appointments and procedures for patients.
    • MAs are able to provide information from the physician to the patient in reference to preparation for procedures and what to watch out for prior to appointments.
    • MAs are able to provide discharge information to the patient, from the physician, and ensure the patient has an understanding of the physician’s directions and further care plans.
  • Taking vital signs:
    • MAs are able to measure and record a patient's temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, obtain SpO2, obtain EtCO2, and obtain fetal heart rate.
    • MAs are able to identify vital signs which fall outside of normal perimeters and interface with the physician to alert them to the issue and receive orders on how to proceed.
  • Drawing blood and Vascular access:
    • MAs are able to obtain blood for laboratory tests and bedside laboratory tests.
    • MAs are able to obtain peripheral intravascular access for patients with either a saline lock or needless IV Fluid drip.
  • Performing basic diagnostic tests:
    • MAs are able to perform basic diagnostic tests, such as electrocardiograph, blood glucose measurement, urine dip tests, bedside laboratory analysis, visual acuity tests, and otoscope examination.
  • Perform basic respiratory care:
    • MAs are able to provide oxygenation and/or ventilation via nasal cannula, non-rebreather mask, continuous positive airway pressure, and via bag/valve/mask or bag/valve/advanced airway.
    • MAs can provide medication interventions for the respiratory patient, under physician order.
  • Preparing laboratory specimens:
    • MAs are able to collect and prepare laboratory specimens for testing.
  • Maintaining medical records:
    • MAs are able to document a patient's chief complaint, medical history, list of symptoms, vital signs, and physician interventions.
    • MAs are able to maintain patient medical records.
  • Explaining and Administering medications:
    • MAs are able to administer medications, under physician orders, via oral, nasal, nebulizer, subcutaneous, intramuscular, rectal, or intravenous route.
    • MAs are able to explain new medications to patients, at the physician direction.
    • MAs are able to relay medication changes and processes from the physician to the patient.
  • Emergency Intervention:
    • MAs are able to perform infant, child, and adult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
    • MAs are able to utilize an automated external defibrillator (AED).
    • MAs are able to utilize a Bag/Valve/Mask with oxygen to provide ventilation.
    • MAs are able to place an uncuffed supraglottic airway to provide an emergency airway in combination with a Bag/Valve ventilation device.
    • MAs are able to place an oral pharyngeal or nasal pharyngeal airway.
    • MAs are able to utilize a suction device for emergency or procedural suctioning of the nasal, oral, or pharyngeal cavity.
  • Caring for wounds and orthopedic injuries:
    • Medical assistants can care for wounds, using physician directed methods.
    • MAs are able to remove sutures.
    • MAs are able to assist the physician with splinting and casting extremities.

Medical assistants are important members of the healthcare team, helping to ensure that patients receive the care they need. They work alongside doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in a variety of environments from outpatient clinics to Emergency Departments. Medical assistants can earn their certification through a variety of programs, including vocational schools, technical colleges, and online programs. The scope of practice for medical assistants varies by location, so it's important to understand the guidelines for your regional or national government.

The Global Emergency Medical Registry (GEMR) is honored to serve this healthcare workforce with an international standard certification following education, competency evaluation, and testing.

The GEMR Medical Assistant Certification is designed to provide industry, governments, regulators, and administrations with a third-party certification for medical assistants around the globe which is referenceable and can be checked via the gemr.org “Verify Certification or Endorsement” box on the GEMR Home Page.

Medical Assistant – Initial Candidate Information for Certification

Pre-Certification Educational Outcomes:

Upon completion of a program of education for medical assistant, the candidate will:

  1. Be at least 18 years of age.
  2. Be prepared for and eligible to take the GEMR Written Examination and skills process to obtain certification from The Global Emergency Medical Registry (GEMR).
  3. Be prepared to upload all medical assistant skills sheets with physician or instructor signature, indicating compliance to the standard during examination of that skill.
  4. Have completed a program of education, which the program attests to meeting the objectives and requirements outlined for the certification level and be prepared to upload all educational records to GEMR.
  5. Have a current Healthcare Provider level CPR certification, which meets all International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) standards and upload the certification to GEMR.

Educational Program Expectations:

Medical Assistant educational programs, to meet the GEMR objectives, must have a minimum of the following hours of education in the educational program the candidate attended:

Didactic: 300 hours
Practical/Skills: 200 hours
Internship: 200 hours under the supervision of a certified Medical Assistant and Physician in a clinical setting, with daily observation reports done at the end of each workday.

Minimum Educational and Examination Objectives:

The Medical Assistant Candidate taking the GEMR MA Exam must have a basic level understanding of the following areas of knowledge:

Click here for the PDF of the 2025 objectives

Responsibilities of Registry Certified Personnel:

Certified personnel must notify the Registry within 30 days regarding the following matters:

  1. Change in mailing address (the best way to update a mailing address is by editing your account profile)
  2. Any criminal conviction.
  3. Disciplinary action taken by any agency having jurisdiction (or government body) that has resulted in suspension, revocation, or expiration of registration/licensure; termination of right to practice; voluntary surrender of registration/licensure while under investigation.

The Registry considers the individual to be solely responsible for their certification and reporting, any failure to follow process or report as required is solely the failure of the certified person and may result in immediate dismissal of their certification, as well as, immediate notification to any pertinent regulatory agency of their dismissal.

Disciplinary Policy and Rights of Appeal for The Registry can be found on The Registry website.

GEMR Required Skills Attestation for Initial Certification:

All initial Medical Assistant Certification Candidates must upload the following skills sheet documentation forms (located at https://www.gemr.org/library/), signed by the medical director or Course Director, to their transcript page of their profile by creating a “Skills Documentation” course in their transcript and uploading all the following:

  1. Assists Feeding Patient Who Cannot Feed Self
  2. Assists Modified Bed Bath
  3. Assists Dressing Patient with Affected Arm
  4. Assists to Ambulate Using Transfer Belt
  5. Assists with Use of Bedpan
  6. Assists with Cleaning Dentures
  7. Bag Valve Mask Ventilation
  8. Bleeding Control (BLS)
  9. Bleeding Control Combat Application Tourniquet
  10. Blood Glucose Assessment
  11. Cardiac Arrest AED (BLS)
  12. ECG Limb and 12 Lead Acquisition
  13. Hand Washing
  14. Intravenous Access
  15. Measures and Records Urinary Output (bedpan or urinal)
  16. Measures and Records Urinary Output (catheter collection bag)
  17. Medication by Auto Injector
  18. Medication by Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injection Routes
  19. Medication by Intranasal Route
  20. Medication by Intravenous Route
  21. Medication by Nebulization Route
  22. Medication by Oral Chewable Route
  23. Medication by Oral Gel Route
  24. Medication by Oral Route
  25. Medication by Rectal Route
  26. Nasal Pharyngeal Airway
  27. Obtaining Carotid Pulse
  28. Obtaining Manual Blood Pressure
  29. Obtaining Radial Pulse
  30. Obtaining Respiratory Rate
  31. Obtaining Weight Ambulatory Patient
  32. Obtaining Weight Using Bed Scale
  33. Obtaining Weight Using Sling Scale
  34. Obtaining Weight Using Wheelchair Scale
  35. Oral Pharyngeal Airway
  36. PPE Donning and Removing Gloves and Gown
  37. Physical Exam (Adult)
  38. Physical Exam (Pediatric)
  39. Quantitative Waveform Capnography
  40. Supraglottic Airway Respiratory Arrest

GEMR Written Examination:

At the conclusion of training for Medical Assistant, the candidate must complete their profile on gemr.org, upload all skills sheets, CPR certification, certificate or diploma, and highest level of education completion certificate to their skills and transcript area of their profile.

The candidate will then receive an invitation to test for the GEMR Online Testing System, the candidate must score a minimum of 85% to show compliance with the standard and successfully complete the examination process.

Initial Certification Completion:

Once all the above steps have been completed, and the candidate has been audited and completed the GEMR MA Exam with a score of 85% or greater, the candidate will be able to complete their registration payment and receive their certification.

Medical Assistant (MA) - Renewal Certification:

The GEMR Medical Assistant Certification expires two years from the time of initial certification. During that two-year period, the GEMR Certified Medical Assistant must complete the following process to renew their certification.

GEMR Required Continuing Medical Education:

The GEMR Certified Medical Assistant must complete, document, and upload to their GEMR profile transcript the following continuing medical education (CME), prior to the end of their certification period. All CME must be from an accredited organization and the CME certificate must include the topic, the number of hours, the date, the instructor or course director, the name of the organization and contact information, as well as the CME certificate must bear the accreditation logo(s) and accreditation number for the educational program. A maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the CME may be done online.

The following 20 hours are the required CME for Medical Assistant Renewal:

4 hours Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, including in person, instructor led skills portion, and a current certification card to ILCOR standards.
4 hours Pharmacology and/or medication administration.
2 hours Airway and/or Respiratory Intervention and Care.
2 hours Emergency and critical event simulation.
1 hour Vital sign obtainment and/or medical equipment technology.
1 hour Documentation
1 hour Patient Assessment, Physical Exam, and/or History.
2 hours Obtaining laboratory samples, laboratory values, and/or laboratory tests.
1 hour Occupational Safety, Bloodborne pathogen training, and/or Airborne pathogen training.
2 hours Individual Study on a topic from the GEMR Medical Assistant Objectives

 

GEMR Required Skills Attestation:

The GEMR Certified Medical Assistant must complete their skills documentation on their profile page, and those skills must be attested to by a medical director or designee through their own GEMR profile, all the following skills competencies are required for renewal:

  1. Bag Valve Mask Ventilation
  2. Bleeding Control (BLS)
  3. Bleeding Control Combat Application Tourniquet
  4. Cardiac Arrest AED (BLS)
  5. ECG Limb and 12 Lead Acquisition
  6. Intravenous Access
  7. Medication by Auto Injector
  8. Medication by Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injection Routes
  9. Medication by Intranasal Route
  10. Medication by Intravenous Route
  11. Medication by Nebulization Route
  12. Medication by Oral Chewable Route
  13. Medication by Oral Gel Route
  14. Medication by Oral Route
  15. Medication by Rectal Route
  16. Nasal Pharyngeal Airway
  17. Obtaining Carotid Pulse
  18. Obtaining Manual Blood Pressure
  19. Obtaining Radial Pulse
  20. Obtaining Respiratory Rate
  21. Oral Pharyngeal Airway
  22. Physical Exam (Adult)
  23. Physical Exam (Pediatric)
  24. Quantitative Waveform Capnography
  25. Supraglottic Airway Respiratory Arrest

GEMR Written Examination:

No written exam is required for renewal certification

Renewal Certification Completion:

Once all the above steps have been completed, and the candidate has been audited, the candidate will be able to complete their registration payment and receive their certification.