CMA Practice Test — Texas 2026

Texas does not license medical assistants at the state level. The Texas Medical Board regulates physicians and licensed healthcare professionals, but medical assistants are not among them. MAs in Texas work under physician supervision without any state certification requirement. The AAMA CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) credential is voluntary in Texas — but the state's large and competitive healthcare market means most major employers, including HCA Healthcare's Texas division, Baylor Scott & White Health, and UT Southwestern Medical Center, list CMA or CCMA as a preferred or required qualification. Texas has one of the largest MA workforces in the country, which makes differentiation through certification even more important. Certified MAs in Texas earn $5,000–$7,000 more per year than uncertified MAs in the same role. Texas's lower cost of living means absolute salaries are lower than California or New York, but the certification premium as a percentage of base pay is comparable.

CertPrepAcademy offers a free CMA practice test in AAMA 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 Patient Care, Pharmacology, Administrative, Anatomy & Physiology, and more.

The CMA exam is administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of AAMA. Schedule at any Pearson VUE testing center in Texas through the AAMA candidate portal at aama-ntl.org after eligibility is confirmed. Major Pearson VUE testing center locations in Texas: Houston (multiple sites), Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Plano, Arlington. Eligibility: • Graduate of a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited medical assisting program (there is no work-experience path for first-time CMA candidates). Must be 18+ with a high school diploma or equivalent. Photo ID required. Score reports are released through the AAMA portal typically within a few business days after testing.

The CMA credential adds $5,000–$7,000 per year over uncertified MA pay in Texas. Texas's large healthcare sector and competitive job market mean certified MAs are in high demand, particularly in the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas, which are among the largest healthcare markets in the country.

Texas has one of the largest and most diverse healthcare markets in the country, with major hospital systems, integrated physician networks, and community health centers all competing for certified MAs. Top Texas employers where CMA is listed or accepted: • HCA Healthcare — Texas is one of HCA's largest markets; dozens of hospitals and outpatient facilities across Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio list CMA or CCMA as a required or preferred credential. • Baylor Scott & White Health — largest nonprofit health system in Texas; CMA commonly listed in MA postings. • UT Southwestern Medical Center — major academic medical center in Dallas; CMA preferred in physician practice settings. • Texas Health Resources — large integrated system in DFW; CMA or CCMA accepted in MA roles. • Memorial Hermann — large Houston-based health system; CMA listed as preferred in clinical MA postings. • Community Health Centers of Texas — statewide FQHC network; certified MAs preferred for expanded clinical scope.

No. Texas does not license medical assistants at the state level. There is no state board exam, no mandatory certification, and no state registration requirement for MAs. You work under the supervision of a licensed physician or other qualified provider. Most major Texas employers — particularly large health systems like HCA Healthcare, Baylor Scott & White, and UT Southwestern — require or strongly prefer CMA (AAMA) or CCMA (NHA) certification, but that is an employer requirement, not a state law.

No. The CMA exam is a national exam administered by AAMA through Pearson VUE testing centers. The same 200-question exam is used in all 50 states — Texas has no separate exam or state-specific content. You schedule through the AAMA candidate portal after receiving eligibility confirmation from AAMA. Pearson VUE has testing centers across Texas including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, and Plano.

The CMA requires completing a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited medical assisting program. Most Texas certificate programs run 9–12 months. After graduating, you apply through AAMA and schedule at a Pearson VUE center — most candidates sit for the exam within 30–60 days of application. Study time is typically 4–8 weeks. Total time from program start to credential: approximately 10–14 months. There is no work-experience path for first-time CMA candidates.

Both are widely recognized in Texas, and most major employers accept either. HCA Healthcare, Baylor Scott & White, and UT Southwestern all list CMA (AAMA) or CCMA (NHA) as interchangeable in their MA job postings. The CMA is often slightly preferred at academic medical centers and large integrated systems due to its longer history and CAAHEP/ABHES program requirement. The CCMA is more common among MAs who trained through work experience rather than a formal program. On salary, the credentials pay the same.