The History of the
American Association of Medical Assistants

1955
The Kansas Medical Assistants Society initiated a meeting in Kansas
City, Kan., to consider the formation of a national organization.
The name of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
was accepted by vote.

1956
The Charter Meeting was held in Milwaukee, Wis.
The Constitution and Bylaws was adopted and permanent offcers
were elected.
The American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution
commending the objectives of AAMA.
Carmen Kline, CMA-A (KS), was co-chair with Maxine Williams,
CMA-A (KS), for the AAMA Founding Meeting.

1957
Maxine Williams, CMA-A (KS), was elected the frst AAMA president.
At the frst Annual Meeting, the House of Delegates was accepted as
the legislative body of the national association.
At this meeting, the frst educational sessions were designed to
increase the professionalism of medical assistants.
The frst offcial publication, The Ambassador, was published.

1958
Tri-level membership was approved with one membership card for
local, state, and national membership.
A national emblem was selected.

1959
AAMA was incorporated in the State of Illinois as a not-for-proft
professional organization.
The national headquarters was opened in Chicago, Ill.
The Scholarship Fund was started with a $200 contribution from Maxine
Williams. It was later named the Maxine Williams Scholarship Fund.
A Certifcation Committee was appointed to develop the AAMA
Certifcation program.

1960
Tri-level membership in AAMA was voted as mandatory.

1961
The Certifying Board was established.

1962
A sample examination for Certifed Medical Assistants (CMAs) was
given at the convention with no credit given.

1963
The frst certifcation examinations were given in California, Kansas,
and Florida.

1966
A special committee was appointed to develop curriculum standards
for the training of medical assistants, as a prelude to collaborating
with the AMA in the accreditation of educational programs on a
postsecondary level.

1968
The AAMA Endowment was established as a public foundation for
educational, charitable, and scientifc purposes.
The name of the offcial publication was changed to The Professional
Medical Assistant.

1969
Essentials of an Approved Educational Program for Medical Assistants were
approved by the AMA Council on Medical Education and the AMA
House of Delegates.
Five two-year educational programs were accredited by the AMA
Council on Medical Education in collaboration with the AAMA
Program Approval Committee.
Mission Statement
The mission of the American Association of Medical Assistants
is to enable medical assisting professionals to enhance and
demonstrate the knowledge, skills and professionalism required
by employers and patients; protect medical assistants’ right to
practice; and promote effective, effcient health care delivery
through optimal use of the multiskilled CMA (AAMA).
Defnition of the Profession
Medical assisting is an allied health profession whose
practitioners function as members of the health care delivery
team and perform administrative and clinical procedures.Student and faculty memberships were approved as new categories 
of membership.
An Education Council was created to coordinate the educational
activities of the association.

1971
Certifcation eligibility requirements were broadened to include
medical assisting instructors and students.
The AMA House of Delegates approved a set of revised Essentials
for a basic one-year curriculum, thus allowing for the evaluation
of programs not only in community and junior colleges, but also in
vocational-technical, proprietary, and military-based institutions.

1972
A committee was formed to begin work on a guided home study course.
AMA/AAMA fled a petition with the U.S. Offce of Education seeking
recognition as the offcial accrediting agency for medical assisting
programs.

1973
The Curriculum Review Committee became the Curriculum Review
Board.

1974
The U.S. Offce of Education recognized AMA/AAMA as an offcial
accrediting agency for medical assisting programs in public and private
institutions.

1975
The revised certifcation program, consisting of a basic test plus 
three specialty examinations (Administrative, Clinical, and Pediatric)
was implemented.
The name of the In-Service Education Committee was changed to 
the Continuing Education Committee.
The AAMA House of Delegates approved the adoption of the
Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and stipulated that CEUs meet the
minimum criteria as promulgated by the National Task Force on the
Continuing Education Unit.

1976
The 20th Anniversary year of AAMA was a time for noting 
progress during two decades of educational service. Membership
reached 18,500 with 525 chapters in 47 states and the District 
of Columbia.
The number of AMA/AAMA accredited postsecondary programs
reached 117 in 108 institutions.
The highest number of medical assisting certifcates—1,959—were
awarded, making a total of 5,197 since the program’s inception.
A new category of membership—international—was instituted.
The Task Descriptor Project was initiated whereby an analysis of 475
medical assisting tasks in 18 categories was undertaken.
Continued recognition for a four-year period was extended by the
U.S. Offce of Education to the Curriculum Review Board in its
collaborative accrediting role with AMA.
The Continuing Education Committee offcially launched the CEU
Approval Program, whereby state societies and chapters that met
specifc guidelines could offer CEU credit to participants.

1977
Active membership was opened to any practicing medical assistant
who achieved AAMA certifcation.
The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) was engaged as the
test consultant for the AAMA certifcation examinations.
Responsibility for the accreditation of one- and two-year medical
assisting programs was transferred from the AMA’s Council on
Medical Education to the AMA-sponsored but independently operated
Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA).
The AAMA Endowment’s Curriculum Review Board remained the
recommending body.
Revised Essentials of an Accredited Educational Program for the Medical
Assistant were accepted by the AMA Council on Medical Education.

1978
The Continuing Education Board (CEB) was formed.
For the frst time, the AAMA basic Certifcation Examination was given
twice yearly (in January and June) at test centers nationwide.

1979
The DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) process analysis of the
medical assisting profession was conducted.

1980
The Certifcation Revalidation Program was offcially launched,
allowing Certifed Medical Assistants to revalidate their credentialing
by either the continuing education or examination methods.

1982
A Legislation Committee Subcommittee on State Legislation was
established to monitor grassroots legislation affecting allied health and
to encourage member involvement in the legislative process at the
local level.

1985
A position statement adopted that AAMA advocate the credentialing
of medical assistants through certifcation, with mandatory revalidation,
and that a record of Certifed Medical Assistants be maintained by
AAMA to serve as the verifcation of certifcation status.

1988
The AAMA logo was redesigned. 1989
The Continuing Education Board (CEB) began the Sponsor Approval
Program.
The new AAMA logo was introduced.
CMA pins were provided without cost for the new CMAs.

1990
The DACUM was published.

1991
The AMA’s CAHEA approved the 1991 Essentials and Guidelines for an
Accredited Education Program for the Medical Assistant.

1992
The CEB announced in-house registration of AAMA-CEU credits.
AMA proposed that a new independent accrediting agency be
established to replace CAHEA.

1993
Effective January 1, 1995, a change in recertifcation was implemented.
Of the 60 recertifcation points needed to revalidate the AAMA CMA
credential, 20 must be from AAMA-approved CEU programs. Specialty
credentials require 5 of the 20 points be AAMA-approved CEU programs.
Point distribution: General—15; Administrative—15; and Clinical—15;
with the remaining 15 applied to any of the three content categories.
The Task Force on Restructuring CAHEA recommended the
establishment of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs (CAAHEP) as the accrediting agency. Preliminary
announcement to dissolve CAHEA was made by AMA.

1994
The 38th House of Delegates passed a Bylaws amendment requiring
members of the Board of Trustees to be AAMA Certifed Medical
Assistants (CMA) holding current status.
The offcial dissolution of CAHEA was announced by AMA. The CRB
and AAMA Endowment voted to affliate with the Commission on
Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
The AAMA Endowment established the Surveyors Training Fund.

1995
The eligibility pathway for candidates of the AAMA Certifcation
Examination was changed to require graduation from a CAAHEP
accredited medical assisting program effective February 1, 1998.

1996
On June 25, AMA House of Delegates granted AAMA Offcial
Observer Status to the HOD.
The Board of Trustees approved plans to establish a website at 
www.aama-ntl.org.
The National Board of Medical Examiners completed the 1996
Occupational Analysis on Medical Assisting.

1997
The Role Delineation Study was completed and replaced the previous
DACUM Study.
Approximately 13,000 candidates sat for the Certifcation Exam, a
record number since its inception in 1963.

1998
The Advanced Practice Document was implemented for advance 
CE Sessions.
AAMA held a Content-Based Standard Setting Exercise requested 
by the NBME.

1999
The Certifying Board established mandatory recertifcation as follows:
“Beginning January 1, 2003, all CMAs employed or seeking employment
as medical assistants must have current status in order to use the CMA
credential in connection with employment.”
The Board of Trustees approved the Disciplinary Standards and
Procedures for Certifed Medical Assistants.

2000
There were more than 470 CAAHEP-accredited medical assisting
programs in 450 institutions across the United States.

2001
Partial autonomy for the Curriculum Review Board was approved.

2002
The name of the offcial publication, PMA, was changed to CMA Today. 
A CMA pin journeyed into space on board a NASA shuttle.

2003
A third administration of the AAMA CMA Certifcation/Recertifcation
Examination was established for October.
Health care provider level CPR was determined for mandatory for
CMA recertifcation, effective January 2005.

2004
Partial autonomy for the Certifying Board was approved.

2005
The new Vision Statement was approved by the Board of Trustees: The
vision of the American Association of Medical Assistants is to increase
recognition of Certifed Medical Assistants as the premier choice in
the Allied Health Professions. 2006
The AAMA held its 50th Annual Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., home
to the association’s charter meeting in 1956.
The Keynote Speaker was AAMA Founding Member Alice Budny,
AAMA President (1963). Fifteen AAMA Past Presidents were
introduced to the 50th House of Delegates. AAMA Founding Members
Roberta Antrim, CMA-AC, MHR, and Sylvia Klotz, CMA-C, also were
presented to the House of Delegates.
A slide presentation of the past 50 years of AAMA activities was
prepared and presented by Mary Lou Allison, CMA-C, AAMA Past
President (1992).

2007
AAMA successfully defended “Certifed Medical Assistant®”
trademark registration in a lawsuit brought by American Medical
Technologists (AMT).
The annual meeting name was offcially changed from convention 
to conference.
Approved the renewal of the contract with the American Academy 
of Professional Coders for fve years.
Appointed the Telemedicine Task Force to investigate the possibility
and/or feasibility of integrating CMAs into a federal program that
renders care via telemedicine to remote Inuit villages in Alaska.
Allocated funds for the AAMA President and Vice President to
represent AAMA at the annual meeting of the Professional Association
of Health Care Offce Management.

2008
Effective January 1, 2008, the credential changed from Certifed
Medical Assistant or CMA to Certifed Medical Assistant (AAMA) 
or CMA (AAMA).
In June 2008, the Curriculum Review Board (CRB) of the AAMA
Endowment was offcially changed to the Medical Assisting Education
Review Board (MAERB).
The 2003 AAMA Role Delineation Study: Occupational Analysis of the
Medical Assisting Profession was updated to the 2007–2008 Occupational
Analysis of the CMA (AAMA) and published in April 2008.
The Oklahoma Medical Assistants Society reorganized and submitted
bylaws. At the 2008 Annual Conference, the state society received a
new charter.1957   **Maxine Williams, CMA-A (AAMA)   Kansas

1958   Mary E. Kinn, CMA-A (AAMA), CPS   California
1959   *Lucille T. Swearingen   Oklahoma
1960   *Marian Little   Iowa
1961   Bettye Fisher Baldwin   Indiana
1962   *Lillie Woods   California
1963   Alice F. Budny   Wisconsin
1964   Judy Coleman, CMA-AC (AAMA)   Texas
1965   *Rose M. Merritt   Georgia
1966   *Marge Slaymaker   Kansas
1967   Elvera M. Fischer, RN, CMA-C (AAMA)   Illinois
1968   Margaret Swank Webber, CMA-C (AAMA)   Ohio
1969   *Mildred R. Crawford, CMA-AC (AAMA)   Texas
1970   *Ruth H. Dize   Virginia
1971   *Marie Young   Indiana
1972   *Helen Stephens   Utah
1973   Elisabeth Massey, CMA-AC (AAMA)   California
1974   Marian G. Cooper, CMA-C (AAMA)   Pennsylvania
1975   Betty Lou Willey, CMA-AC (AAMA)   Michigan
1976   Laura Lockhart Haynes, CMA-AC (AAMA)   Ohio
1977   Joan C. Michaels, CMA-A (AAMA)   North Carolina
1978   *Jeanne Green Bloom, CMA-A (AAMA)   Iowa
1979   *Wini A. Schwartz, CMA-AC (AAMA)   California
1980   *Jean Mobley, CMA-AC (AAMA)   Texas
1981   Dot M. Sellars, CMA-A (AAMA)   Virginia
1982   Mabel Ann Veech, CMA-A (AAMA)   Florida
1983   *Betty J. Mays, CMA-A (AAMA)   Arizona
1984   Janet M. Hensinger Connell, CMA-A (AAMA)   Kentucky
1985   Ivy Reade Relkin, CMA-AC (AAMA), BSEd   New York
1986   *Margaret Corcoran, CMA-AC (AAMA)   New Jersey
1987   Josephine M. Estrada, RN, CMA-AC (AAMA)   Texas
1988   Ann M. Jordana, CMA-AC (AAMA), RT   Florida
1989   Barbara E. Parker, CMA-AC (AAMA), CCS-P   Washington
1990   Juanita M. Blocker, CMA-C (AAMA), LPN   Alabama
1991   Jean E. Keenon, MAEd, CMA-A (AAMA)   Alabama
1992   Mary Lou Allison, CMA-C (AAMA)   Florida
1993   Janice C. Caplan, CMA-A (AAMA)   New York
1994   Geneva H. Straughan, MBA, CMA-A (AAMA)   Texas
1995   Cheryl A. Vineyard, CMA (AAMA), CPC, BUS   New Mexico
1996   Ima L. Backstrom, CMA (AAMA)   Arizona
1997   Carol S. Clapp, CMA (AAMA), EMT, CPC   Tennessee
1998   Norma J. Parker, CMA (AAMA)   Nebraska
1999   Glenda C. Cartee, CMA (AAMA)   South Carolina
2000   Joyce Y. Nakano, CMA-A (AAMA), BA   California
2001   Mary L. Dey, CMA-AC (AAMA)   Michigan
2002   Julianna S. Drumheller, CMA (AAMA)   Virginia
2003   Luella F. Wetherbee, CMA (AAMA), CPC   Idaho
2004   Theresa A. Rieger, CMA (AAMA), CPC   Oklahoma
2005   Lee F. Damon, CMA (AAMA)   New York
2006   Mary C. Dyer, CMA-A (AAMA)   Texas
2007   Rebecca L. Walker, CMA (AAMA), CPC   North Carolina
2008   Linda A. Brown, CMA (AAMA)   New Jersey
1967   Mary E. Kinn, CMA-A (AAMA), CPS
1976   *Maxine Williams, CMA-A (AAMA)
1976   *Carmen Kline, CMA-A (AAMA)
1981   Marian G. Cooper, CMA-C (AAMA)
1982   *Mildred R. Crawford, CMA-AC (AAMA)
1983   *Lucille Swearingen
1992   Laura Lockhart Haynes, CMA-AC (AAMA)
1993   Ivy Reade Relkin, CMA-AC (AAMA), BSEd
1995   Josephine M. Estrada, RN, CMA-AC (AAMA)
1996   Jean E. Keenon, MAEd, CMA-A (AAMA)
2000   Crystal Coleman, CMA-AC (AAMA)
2003   Ann M. Jordana, CMA-AC (AAMA), RT
2005   Glenda C. Cartee, CMA (AAMA)
2006   Mary Lou Allison, CMA-C (AAMA)
2009   Janice C. Caplan, CMA-A (AAMA)

Past National Presidents
Life Members
*Indicates deceased.
**Maxine Williams, CMA-A (AAMA) and *Carmen Kline, CMA-A (AAMA), co-chaired the founding meeting of the AAMA in 1955.
Note: Italics indicate name changes after presidency. Also, the state in which the person resided at the time of presidency is indicated.
*Indicates deceased.
Note: Italics indicate name changes after presidency.1957  1st  San Francisco, Calif.
1958  2nd  Chicago, Ill.
1959  3rd  Philadelphia, Pa.
1960  4th  Reno, Nev.
1961  5th  Dallas, Texas
1962  6th  Detroit, Mich.
1963  7th  Miami Beach, Fla.
1964  8th  Oklahoma City, Okla.
1965  9th  New York City, N.Y.
1966  10th  St. Louis, Mo.
1967  11th  Los Angeles, Calif.
1968  12th  Columbus, Ohio
1969  13th  Honolulu, Hawaii
1970  14th  Des Moines, Iowa
1971  15th  Atlanta, Ga.
1972  16th  Phoenix, Ariz.
1973  17th  Washington, D.C.
1974  18th  Denver, Colo.
1975  19th  Louisville, Ky.
1976  20th  Chicago, Ill.
1977  21st  San Francisco, Calif.
1978  22nd  Boston, Mass.
1979  23rd  New Orleans, La.
1980  24th  Kansas City, Kan.
1981  25th  Milwaukee, Wis.
1982  26th  Houston, Texas
1983  27th  New York City, N.Y.
1984  28th  Portland, Ore.
1985  29th  Lexington, Ky.
1986  30th  Chicago, Ill.
1987  31st  Chicago, Ill.
1988  32nd  Richmond, Va.
1989  33rd  Charleston, S.C.
1990  34th  Los Angeles, Calif.
1991  35th  Pittsburgh, Pa.
1992  36th  Seattle, Wash.
1993  37th  Indianapolis, Ind.
1994  38th  Orlando, Fla.
1995  39th  San Antonio, Texas
1996  40th  Philadelphia, Pa.
1997  41st  Minneapolis, Minn.
1998  42nd  Columbus, Ohio
1999  43rd  Nashville, Tenn.
2000  44th  Albuquerque, N.M.
2001  45th  Buffalo, N.Y.
2002  46th  Portland, Ore.
2003  47th  Detroit, Mich.
2004  48th  Greensboro, N.C.
2005  49th  Colorado Springs, Colo.
2006  50th  Milwaukee, Wis.
2007  51st  Louisville, Ky.
2008  52nd  Chicago, Ill.
2009  53rd  Houston, Texas
AAMA Annual Conferences
website: www.aama-ntl.org