Certified medical assistants have both patient facing responsibilities and administrative duties working as a certified medical assistant will give you the chance to use your communication and organizational skills to assist patients undergoing medical procedures and support members of the medical team in carrying out their duties. Becoming a certified medical assistant is a career that you can get into relatively quickly including both the training courses and time spent studying for the exam it takes most people anywhere from nine months to three years the training program you must complete will take the most time. Certified medical assistants cmas work in a variety of medical settings to assist doctors and nurses in providing healthcare services to a diverse range of patients becoming a cma can also offer many opportunities to develop medical skills and advance in the career field. How to become a certified medical assistant to become a certified medical assistant you need to first obtain a high school diploma or general educational development ged this is followed by completing the certified medical assistant cma program from the american association of medical assistants aama was this answer helpful