CCMA Practice Test — Virginia 2026

Virginia does not license medical assistants at the state level. The Virginia Board of Medicine regulates physicians, but medical assistants are not a licensed profession in Virginia. MAs work under physician supervision with no state certification requirement. The NHA CCMA credential is voluntary in Virginia — but Inova Health System, Sentara Healthcare, and VCU Health all list CCMA (NHA) or CMA (AAMA) as a preferred qualification. The CCMA is particularly valuable for Virginia MAs who trained through work experience, since the work-experience eligibility path makes it more accessible than the CMA for experienced but informally trained MAs. Certified MAs in Virginia earn $5,000–$7,000 more per year than uncertified MAs in comparable roles.

CertPrepAcademy offers a free CCMA practice test in NHA style — 35 questions for a quick warm-up or 70 questions for a full simulation — with detailed explanations for every answer. No account required. Start immediately — your progress is saved automatically. For targeted prep, use the topic quizzes to drill individual domains: Clinical Procedures, Patient Care, Pharmacology, and more.

The CCMA exam is administered by PSI on behalf of NHA. Schedule at any PSI testing center in Virginia through the NHA candidate portal at nhanow.com after eligibility is confirmed. Major PSI testing center locations in Virginia: Richmond, Virginia Beach, Arlington (NoVA), Roanoke, Charlottesville, Norfolk. Two eligibility paths: • Path 1: Graduate of an NHA-approved or CAAHEP/ABHES-accredited medical assisting program. • Path 2: One year of full-time clinical work experience as a medical assistant (no formal program required). Must be 18+ with a high school diploma or equivalent. Photo ID required. Results available immediately at the testing center; official NHA certificate follows.

CCMA and CMA (AAMA) pay is very close in Virginia — most employers treat both credentials as equivalent. Northern Virginia (NoVA) commands the highest salaries in the state due to DC proximity. Richmond and the coastal markets (Virginia Beach/Norfolk) are mid-range. The certified MA salary premium in Virginia is $5,000–$7,000 per year over uncertified pay.

Virginia's healthcare market is anchored by Inova in NoVA, Sentara Healthcare on the coast, VCU Health in Richmond, and Carilion Clinic in Southwest Virginia. Both CCMA and CMA are accepted interchangeably at all major systems. Top Virginia employers where CCMA is listed or accepted: • Inova Health System — dominant NoVA health system with five hospitals; CCMA accepted alongside CMA in most outpatient MA postings. • Sentara Healthcare — largest health system in Southeast Virginia (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton Roads); CCMA and CMA treated as equivalent. • VCU Health — Richmond academic medical center; CCMA accepted in outpatient and specialty MA roles. • Carilion Clinic — integrated system in Roanoke; CCMA accepted in physician practice MA positions. • HCA Virginia Health — hospitals across Richmond and Northern Virginia; CCMA and CMA both accepted. • Bon Secours Mercy Health (Virginia) — Catholic system in Richmond and Hampton Roads; CCMA accepted in most MA postings.

No. Virginia does not license medical assistants. There is no state board exam, no mandatory certification, and no registration requirement. You work under physician supervision. Most major Virginia employers — Inova, Sentara, and VCU Health — prefer or require CCMA (NHA) or CMA (AAMA) certification, but that is an employer standard, not Virginia state law.

No. The CCMA is a national exam administered by NHA through PSI testing centers. The same 180-question exam is used in all 50 states. Virginia has no state-specific MA exam. You schedule through nhanow.com. PSI has centers in Richmond, Arlington, Virginia Beach, Roanoke, and Charlottesville.

Yes. The CCMA's work-experience eligibility path requires one year of full-time clinical work as a medical assistant — no formal MA program is required. If you are already working as an MA in Virginia, you may be eligible to apply immediately through NHA at nhanow.com. This path is especially common among Virginia MAs working in community health centers and physician group practices, where many candidates trained on the job rather than through accredited programs.