Complete Study Guide: Certified Medical Assistant Exam *Q&A* (100% Correct) 2025/2026 |VERIFIED|

Complete Study Guide: Certified Medical Assistant Exam *Q&A* (100% Correct) 2025/2026 |VERIFIED| Which of the following is NOT a function of leukocytes? A. Fighting infections B. Producing antibodies C. Removing dead cells D. Leukocytes are responsible for blood clotting What does tendonitis refer to? A. Inflammation of a ligament B. Inflammation of the tendon C. Infection of a muscle D. Swelling of a joint Which is NOT one of the skin's functions? A. Protection against pathogens B. Sensory perception C. Transportation of immune cells D. Temperature regulation What role does the nucleus play in a cell? A. Produces energy for cellular functions B. Stores proteins and lipids C. The control center that directs the activity of the cell D. Aids in cell membrane transport What is the term for gallstones? A. Cholecystitis B. Gastritis C. Cholelithiasis D. Hepatitis Which is NOT considered a sensory organ? A. The pharynx B. Eyes C. Ears D. Tongue What is the surgical removal of the kidney called? A. Appendectomy B. Nephrectomy C. Ureterectomy D. Cystectomy The term "cost/o" refers to which structure? A. Hip B. C. Skull D. Spine Rib Which of these is NOT part of Freud’s psychological theories? A. The id B. The ego C. The superego D. Behaviorism What does dysphagia mean? A. Inability to speak B. Difficulty swallowing C. Loss of appetite D. Pain during digestion Cognitive theory focuses on what aspect of psychology? A. Emotional expression B. Errors in thinking C. Behavioral responses D. Genetic predispositions Which suffix means "surgical repair"? A. -ectomy B. -plasty C. -otomy D. -algia What is the medical term for a bruise? A. Abrasion B. Hematoma C. Contusion D. Laceration Which of the following is NOT one of Kübler-Ross's stages of grief? A. Anger B. C. Denial Shock D. Acceptance What are defense mechanisms in psychology? A. Strategies to avoid painful feelings B. Subconscious thoughts C. Coping mechanisms for joy D. Techniques to enhance memory Which statement about renewing the CMA credential is incorrect? A. It requires continuing education. B. Renewal happens every five years. C. The CMA credential is required to practice medical assisting. D. It involves paying a renewal fee. Which agency grants the CMA credential? A. American Red Cross B. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) C. National Medical Board D. American Medical Association What type of resume is written for a specific job application? A. Chronological resume B. Letter of recommendation C. Functional resume D. General-purpose resume Which call should the medical assistant transfer to the physician immediately? A. A request for a prescription refill B. An insurance company query C. A call from the emergency room about a patient with chest pain D. A vendor offering new medical supplies What is a specialist in eye disorders called? A. Optometrist B. Ophthalmic assistant C. Ophthalmologist D. Neurologist What supplies are essential when answering calls in a medical office? A. Calendar, computer, and medical textbooks B. Appointment book, calendar, notepad, and pen C. Appointment book, calendar, message pad, and pencil D. None of the above Which of the following is NOT needed to make a return appointment? A. Date and time of the appointment B. Reason for the visit C. Patient's employer D. Patient's name and contact details What is the appropriate response if a neighbor asks about a patient’s condition? A. Provide basic information. B. Ask for proof of relationship. C. Refuse to release any information without written consent. D. Forward the request to the physician. How should a medical assistant respond to a hearing-impaired caller? A. Speak more slowly and clearly. B. Shout to ensure understanding. C. Write the information down. D. Avoid speaking directly. What should you do with an unidentified caller refusing to provide details but insisting on speaking with the physician? A. Disconnect the call. B. Transfer them without verification. C. Ask them to send a written request. D. Forward the call to an assistant. Which symptom is most typical of an asthma attack? A. Rash B. Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) C. Persistent cough D. High fever Who can access patient information without consent? A. Referring physician B. Family member C. Neighbor D. News reporter Which of the following is NOT a reportable incident? A. A case of abuse B. A communicable disease diagnosis C. A negative HIV test result D. An injury at work What does “res ipsa loquitur” mean in legal terms? A. “At the discretion of the law” B. “The thing speaks for itself” C. “Beyond reasonable doubt” D. “The plaintiff prevails” What type of insurance covers workplace injuries? A. Health insurance B. Auto insurance C. Workers' compensation D. Disability insurance Which of the following planes divides the body into anterior and posterior portions? Which of the following systems pumps and distributes blood throughout the body? The 4 major types of tissue in the body are The upper respiratory tract includes all of the following EXCEPT the The accessory organs include the Hydrocele means Swelling of the testes Transverse Cardiovascular Muscle, nervous, epithelial, and connective Bronchi Gallbladder, liver, and pancreas All of the following accommodations may be made o comply with the regulation s recommended in the Americans with Disabilities Act EXCEPT: Replacing stairs with elevators in all buildings Which of the following terms states that a physician is liable for the negligent actions of any employee working under his or her supervision? Respondeat superior Transcription The process of preparing documents by converting dictated physician notes into written documents is called Which of the following would be the bet salutation to use in a business letter? Which device protects a computer from electrical damage? All of the following are examples of computer hardware EXCEPT: Best regards Surge protector System software Which of the following is a pointing device that notifies the user where the next letter, number, or symbol will be placed? Cursor Which of the following is NOT a subjective symptom? Who owns a patient's medial record? Fever The information in the record is owned by the patient, and the physician or medical facility that created the record owns the paper medical record. Medical records are used for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: f inancial transactions. Medical records are classified as Closed, active, or inactve Which type of medical record filing system offers the most privacy? To keep track of the patient's Numeric All of the following are advantages of the numeric filing system EXCEPT: All of the following statements describe strict chronological filing EXCEPT: arranged according to the patient's past history An alphabetic card system The problem list is Which of the following would be considered an example of objective clinical evidence? pressure, elevated temperature, and swollen ankle High blood All of the following should be considered when selecting new file cabinets for a medical office EXCEPT: Whether or not the office uses color-coded files Which type of mail should be used when proof is needed that patient received a letter sent by physician's office? Certified mail How many digits are contained in the ZIP+4? 9 Where on an envelope should notations such as "Confidential" and "Personal" be included? directly below the return address Th correct USPS abbreviation for the state of Maine is: The procedure to follow when opening mail is to Annotating is: ME Place the most important mail on top Typed Jotting down notes about an action needed to be taken in the letter's margins Which of the following should be placed on the top when sorting incoming mail? "Personal" A letter marked Which of the following patients should be seen first if all of them arrived at the walk-in-center at approximately at the same time? A 56-year-old male with dyspnea Which type of scheduling system schedules three patients at the beginning of each hour? CPT codes are used to code Procedures Medicare Part B overs all of the following EXCEPT: Which part of Medicare provides prescription? TRICARE was formerly known as CHAMPUS inpatient hospital visits Part D Wave Which of the following coding systems is used to identify and code diseases on insurance claims? ICD-9-CM Which type f ICD-9-CM code is used to classify external causes of poisoing and injuries? E codes Which terms is used when describing the amount of money owed by the medical office for products and services purchased on credit? Accounts payable The role of the medical assistant when checking in a patient is to patient's insurance plan Confirm office coverage for When an insurance policy pays a percentage of the balance after application of the deductible, it is referred to as Coinsurance When more than one policy pays on a claim, it is called Coordination of benefits Birthday rule When both parents (married) are covered by health insurance, claims for the family are paid according to the A method of containing hospital costs has been adopted with a system called DRGs Which of the following is NOT a federal health insurance program or state health insurance program? MCOs What percentage will medicare pay on an allowed claim? 80% Mrs Lee, a patient of Dr. Chad, is charged $80 for a visit. Medicare allows $60 for this visit and paid $48. Because Mrs. Lee has already met her yearly deductible, how much will she have to pay the physician? $12 Which volumes of the ICD-9-CM books are needed for coding diagnoses in the medical office? Volume 1 and 2 Place the following medical records in alphabetic order: Codes that cannot stand alone are E codes 2, 3, 4, 1 Insurance policies that include coverage on a fee-for-service basis are called: policies Traditional insurance Which of the following will happen to an insurance claim when the coding is incorrectly entered on the insurance form? The claim will e denied, and the physician will not receive payment Which of the following is the final step to the aging and collection process for a patient with private insurance? Send an overdue notice with the intent of turning the bill over to a collection agency if not paid promptly Benefits will be coordinated between two separate Non-duplication of benefits means that: insurance companies Medical expenses for a patient injured at his or her place of employment should be sent to Workers' compensation insurance Which of the following information wold be listed on the front portion of a patient's medicare card? The name of the beneficiary and the patient's ID number Which of the following individuals would require the consent of an adult before treatment may be given by a physician? A 15-year-old girl living with her parents Which of the following criteria is an example of the clustering style of scheduling? Scheduling a well-baby clinic for Tuesday mornings from 10:00AM to 11:00AM and performing school physicals one morning per week Practice-based Which scheduling style utilizes any method or combination of methods that works best for the individual office? Which of the following best describes the prior permission or approval needed from an insurance carrier before a patient may be treated or have a specific procedure performed by the physician? Precertification Which of the following would be an example of an accounts receivable? office visit A one-write, or write-it-once, bookkeeping system is also referred to as a Charges for a patient's Pegboard system All of the following are ways to help in the collection process of accounts receivable EXCEPT: Allowing three months to pass before billing the patient for the office visit Which of the following is the safest type of check endorsement? Restrictive endorsement Payroll documents of employees need to be kept for a minimum of 4 years The money collected through contributions to the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) is used for all of the following EXCEPT: Unemployment insurance Which type of insurance is usually purchased to cover catastrophic illness and injuries? medical The usual fee charged by a physician is Major The amount a physician charges for a service or procedure Which law protects consumers by requiring full disclosure of any additional charges that may apply to a bill, such as interest? Truth-in-Lending-Act Which of the following statements is NOT true about patient referrals? without preauthorization from the insurance carrier Which of the following statements describes a patient advocate? healthcare provider They may be made A liaison between patient and Which of the following terms may be defined as the science of designing equipment in a workplace to help workers reach maximum productivity and reduce fatigue and discomfort? Ergonomics Which of these laws or organization developed rules regarding the proper handling of blood products and other infectious material such as wearing gloves, gowns, and goggles? Center for Disease Control and Prevention All of the following are requirements for safety in the medical office EXCEPT Braille Which of the following is NOT an example of biohazardous substance? Exits marked only in Perspiration All of the following are bookkeeping guidelines EXCEPT weeks Completing bookkepping once every two All of the following statements are true about the encounter form EXCEPT: considered the universal insurance claim form Which of the following medications should be included on a crash cart? After delivering a shock with the AED, the medical assistant should An encounter form is Furosemide (Lasix) Immediately resume chest compressions cycled with resure breathing An AED is used to treat which of the following? Hearth arrhythmias The medical assistant is protected from liability during an emergency situation for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: The patient agrees to treatment The medical assistant is caring for a child with a painful, blistered burn on the arm from a hot liquid. The medical assistant should Apply ice directly to the burn and keep it there until the pain is relieved According to basic cardiac life support procedures, which of the following describes appropriate rescue breathing for an adult patient? One breath every 5 seconds To control bleeding or hemorrhaging, the medical assistant should initially Which burn destroys the epidermis and dermis. including the nerve endings? A strain is a Muscle injury Which of the following should be assessed first when rendering first aid? Apply direct pressure Third-degree Airway All of the following are common causes of breathing emergencies EXCEPT: Strains According to the rule of nines, the amount of body surface represented by the head and neck is 9% Shock is caused by What is seizures? Insulin shock causes A lack of blood flow and oxygen to body tissues An involuntary muscle contraction/relaxation Severe hypoglycemia When using an autoclave, which of the following is the minimum temperature necessary to sterilize medical instruments? 250 (degree F) (121.1 degree C) Which of the following is one of the agencies that regulates the disposal of infectious waste outside the workplace? Environmental Protection Agency Which of the following terms describes complete destruction of all microorganisms? Sterilization When a patient has taken a drug for an extended period of time, the desired effect may lessen or will not occur at all. This is called Tolerance Which of the following agencies is responsible for enforcing the Controlled Substance Act? Enforcement Administration Which of the following is a drug used to lessen or prevent the effects of a disease? Drug Prophylactic Which of the following food types is the best protein source? Meats Which of the following is the best source of calcium and Vitamin D? Diary products Which type of pathogen survives in the absence of oxygen? Bleach Anaerobes Which of the following is an effective disinfectant used in the medical office to destroy blood-borne pathogens Which of the following is an example of a standard precaution for infection control? the examination table after each patient Disinfecting Which of the following describes a drug that is not protected by a trademark but is registered by the Food and Drug Administration? Generic 40 A physician prescribes amoxicillin 500 mg capsules po quid for 10 days. How many capsules should be dispensed? A drug from which of the following classes is used for a heart condition? Antiarrhythmic The food guide pyramid suggests that patients plan a balanced diet by doing all of the following EXCEPT: Eating more carbohydrates Which of the following is an example of a fatsoluble vitamin? Vitamin E Which of the following terms means "all of the factors required for infectious disease to spread" Chain of infection Which of the following is the first line of defense in the practice of medical asepsis? hands Washing The medical assistant is to obtain the history of a patient who is suspected to have active tuberculosis. For protection, which of the following articles is essential for the medical assistant to wear before entering the room? Mask Substances that prevent or inhibit the growth of a fungus are known as A drug that is given sublingually is Placed under the tongue Fungicides Calculate the following drug dosage: Ampicillin 0.5g. The unit dose packet reads 250 mg/cap.: capsules High-protein diets are often used Before surgery The recommended amount of water to ingest daily is eight eight-ounce glasses Biohazardous waste must be collected in impermeable polyethylene bags that are which color? Red Which of the following body pars is considered the lower limit of a sterile surgical field? Gloves, gowns, and face shields, or masks, are example of 2 Waist Personal protective equipment (PPE) Acute infection Which of the following types of infection has a quick onset and a short duration, similar to the common cold? Which of the following are liquid at room temperature and may help reduce blood cholesterol? Unsaturated fats Where is the most common intramuscular injection site for infants less that seven month old? Vastus lateralis What is the subscription part of a prescription? Calculate the following drug dosage: Directions for the pharmacist An infant who weighs 12 pounds 5 ounces is ordered fluconazole qid for treatment of thrush. The lable reads 150mg in 3cc of suspension. The recommended range of the medication is 3mg/kg/day. How much should the infant receive per dose? 0.8cc A VIS is the vaccine A form that explains the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and adverse reactions cause by In which of the following parts of the patient interview should the medical assistant ask the patient about drug allergies? Past medical history Which of the following positions is more comfortable for a patient who has dyspnea A newborn's pulse is most accurately measured at which of the following sites? the heart The dorsalis pedis pulse is detected in which of the following areas of the body? If a mass is felt in a patient's neck, the finding is classified as which of the following? Semi-Flower Over the apex of Top of the foot Objective A patient who has orthstatic hypotension should be helped from the supine position to the sitting position to prevent which of the following? Syncope The usual sequence of the general physical examination involves moving? the feet From the head toward Which of the following is an instrument used to inspect the inner structures of the eye? Ophthalmoscope Dyspnea A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has difficulty breathing. What term indicates this condition? Palpation Which of the following would allow the medical assistant to document a firm, moveable abdominal mass? Which of the following is the documentation that is gathered regarding a patient's address and insurance information? Demographics The physician orders the medical assistant to draw a blood sample for hematology test and a chemistry test. What is the correct order of draw? Gold, then lavender-topped A positive result on a human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test in a 23-year-old woman most likely indicates which of the following conditions? Pregency Which of the following refers to a combination of activities designed to ensure reliable valid test results? Quality control Measurement of which of the following is the most effective method to monitor a patient who takes warfarin (Coumadin)? Prothromboplastin time (PTT) Which of the following serum levels an be measured to assess a patient's kidney function? urea nitrogen Which of the following organisms causes yeast infection? Candida The Mantoux test is used to determine the presence of which of the following Blood Tuberculosis A stethoscope is required for a patient reporting which chief complaint? abdominal pain Constipation and Which of the following procedures measures the amount of air moving into and out of the lungs? Spirometry To ensure proper ambulation, a walker should be level with the patient's Spore test monitoring in an autoclave is used to determine Hips Whether the autoclave is sterilizing instruments properly Which of the following is the name for the blood pressure valve when the heart is contracting? Systolic pressure Monthly How often should medical assistants check the expiration dates on supplies stored in examination rooms? Which of the following parts of a microscope holds the slide? Stage An infant with a rectal temperature of 103.6 (degree F) would have an oral temperature of (degree F) 98.6