6 Medical Assistant Exam Tips for Online Students

Student life is full of new experiences. You’re learning new skills while working toward an exciting career as a medical assistant – and finding out what you love about the healthcare field.

As you get closer to the end of your training, it’s time to prepare for your medical assistant exam. The right approach or strategy can give you the confidence and the best mindset to show off your knowledge. Here are six medical assistant exam tips to help you earn your professional certification.

Use Visual Aids and Mnemonic Strategies

Visual aids are ideal for visual learners – who make up about 65% of the population – but they can also help reinforce key concepts. Having an image to link to stimulates your thinking and can help you recall information.

You can also use mnemonic strategies to enhance your memory. Some of the most common are:

• Musical: In musical mnemonics, you learn important words by setting them to music.

• Letters and words: Acronyms use the first letter of each word, while acrostics take the first letter of each word and use them to create a memorable sentence.

• Chunking: This strategy is best for numbers, combining them into easier-to-remember sets.

• Keywords: You use a word that reminds you of the medical term. By visualizing the keyword, you can trigger this recall.

Try a Study Group

When studying for your medical assistant exam, you can try a study group and see if your understanding improves. To maximize your time, limit the group to four to five students. You can use independent studying followed by several five-minute review conversations. Or, you might prefer more interactive studying with flashcards or oral reviews of key concepts, where discussions take up most of the time.

Reach Out for Concerns or Questions

If you’re having trouble with important terminology, don’t keep silent. Your MedCerts Student Success Advisor or subject matter expert is there to help you get back on track. Reach out to these support individuals and let them know what’s causing concern because clarity can help you see the road ahead.

Try Spaced Repetition

Trying to cram your brain with too many concepts all at once leads to overload, not success. The best medical assistant exam tips also include spaced repetition. Here, you space out your review sessions to help with memory recall.

Once you learn a concept, this strategy has you review it after the following day. Then, take a break and check it on day three. On day seven, test your knowledge again. If you have remembered the information, take another break and re-test yourself after 10 days. If your memory has served you well, congrats! Keep reinforcing that knowledge by testing yourself every 10 days afterward.

Simulate Exam Conditions

Exam conditions are different than those in your favorite study area. To better prepare, simulate the conditions. You might create example questions and time yourself to see how well you do. Or, you could scout out where to take the test – perhaps your bedroom, a friend’s spare room or a local library – and practice answering a short essay question. The better prepared you are, the more relaxed you’ll be when the day arrives.

Practice Self-Care

What’s one of the easiest ways for how to prepare for medical assistant exam questions? Get good rest. Self-care that includes enough sleep, healthy foods, and exercise can help your body and brain be at their best.

It’s Time to Ace Your Medical Assistant Exam

Your MedCerts medical assistant exam gives you the certification you need for a rewarding healthcare career. Medical assistant exam tips like reviewing your knowledge, using helpful study strategies, and getting in plenty of self-care can help you ace your exam. We’re rooting for you!