The Relationship Between Student Knowledge of Medical Terminology and Exam Score on the National Credentialing Exam for Medical Assistant Graduates

Abstract

Medical terminology is the language spoken in healthcare. Credentialed allied health professionals are expected to understand and communicate using medical terminology. In order for a medical assistant program graduate to become credentialed, one must successfully complete a national credentialing exam for medical assistants, such as that offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants. It may be difficult for a medical assistant program graduate to successfully complete the credentialing exam if one does not have a strong understanding of medical terminology. This study aimed to determine if there is a relationship between knowledge of medical terminology and successful completion of the Certified Medical Assistant credentialing exam offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants. A convenience sample of historical data consisting of exam scores and course grades from 162 individuals was analyzed for Medical Assistant program graduates from one technical college in Wisconsin. The resulting analysis identified a weak relationship between Medical Terminology course grade and certification exam scores; however, a stronger relationship was noted when consideration was given to the amount of time between completing the Medical Terminology course and completing the certification exam.