Petition Title: AAMA: Lower Certification Costs for Underpaid Medical Assistants!
Petition To: The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Board of Trustees

Petition By:  "Concerned Medical Assistants Nationwide"

We, the undersigned Medical Assistants (MAs), call on the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) to immediately address the unsustainable financial burden of maintaining our CMA (AAMA) certification. We are the backbone of clinical care, yet we are being priced out of the very credential that validates our expertise.

Our profession is in crisis. We are essential, yet we are struggling. We urge the AAMA to align its costs with the economic reality of its members by:

• Significantly reducing the recertification fee.
• Lowering the cost of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or offering a substantial number of free or low-cost options directly through the AAMA.
• Re-evaluating the high cost of the initial certification exam and retake fees.

Here is why this change is critically needed:

Stagnant Wages vs. Rising Inflation and Costs:  The AAMA's own data, from its 2022 and 2023 compensation surveys, consistently shows that a vast number of MAs earn a low wage that has not kept pace with inflation. While the cost of living, groceries, and housing skyrocket, our pay remains disproportionately low. To then ask us to pay hundreds of dollars every few years to maintain our certification is a significant financial hardship that pushes many dedicated professionals to the brink.  In the current economy, with inflation rates rising and the cost of living increasing, the salaries of medical assistants have not kept pace. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for medical assistants is approximately $35,850. Comparing this to the escalating costs of AAMA-specific CEUs, it becomes evident that this financial model is unrealistic for many in my profession.

The "Retest" Option is Not a Solution, It's Ableist: We acknowledge the option to retest for recertification. However, relying on this as a primary, cost-effective pathway is deeply problematic. Many intelligent, skilled, and capable MAs have learning disabilities, test anxiety, or neurodivergent conditions that make high-stakes standardized testing an inaccurate measure of their clinical competency. To force these individuals into a retesting pathway is exclusionary and ableist, devaluing their years of hands-on experience.

We Want to Learn, But We Can't Afford To: We are committed to our profession and lifelong learning. We welcome more Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to enhance our skills and patient care. However, the current cost of quality, approved CEUs is prohibitive. In the current economic climate, choosing between a CEU course and a utility bill is an impossible choice no dedicated professional should have to make.

National Healthcare Shortage: The demand for skilled Medical Assistants has never been higher. We are vital to the efficiency and quality of healthcare in America. By creating financial barriers to entry and retention, the AAMA is inadvertently contributing to the very workforce shortages that plague our clinics and hospitals. Retaining qualified MAs means making certification accessible and affordable.
Our Request is Simple and Fair:

We are not asking for a handout. We are asking for our professional organization to advocate for us, not just in words, but in action. We ask for a fee structure that reflects the financial reality of the workforce it represents.

Invest in us, and we will continue to invest our lives in patient care. Lower the costs so we can continue to uphold the high standards of the CMA (AAMA) credential without sacrificing our financial stability.

Sign this petition to tell the AAMA that it's time to support the very professionals who give this credential its value. Our dedication should not come with a price tag we cannot afford.

Tips for helping with our petition:

Add your personal story in the "Why is this important to you?".
Share Widely: Post the link on social media, in MA-focused Facebook groups, on LinkedIn, and email it to your colleagues.
Use Hashtags: Consider using hashtags like #SupportMedicalAssistants, #LowerMAfees, #AAMA, #HealthcareHeroes, #FairWagesForMAs to increase visibility.