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Certified Medical Assistant — Practice Exam

Ethics and professionalism: practice questions

Our Medical Assistant bank has 13 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

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Question 1

How should a medical assistant respond if a patient offers an expensive gift?

  1. Ask the patient for cash instead of a gift
  2. Politely decline and follow office policy
  3. Accept it only if no one else is watching
  4. Accept it and keep it secret from the provider
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B. Politely decline and follow office policy — Small tokens may be allowed under some policies.

Question 2

How often must the CMA (AAMA) credential be recertified?

  1. Every 60 months (5 years)
  2. Every 24 months (2 years)
  3. Every 12 months (1 year)
  4. It never needs to be renewed
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A. Every 60 months (5 years) — Recertification is by exam or continuing education.

Question 3

What is the main difference between law and ethics?

  1. There is no difference; the two terms always mean the same thing
  2. Ethics are written by courts; laws are written by professional groups
  3. Laws apply only to physicians; ethics apply only to medical assistants and nurses
  4. Laws are enforceable rules; ethics are moral principles of right conduct
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D. Laws are enforceable rules; ethics are moral principles of right conduct — Something can be legal but unethical.

Question 4

What is a conflict of interest?

  1. Any difference of opinion between a provider and a medical assistant
  2. A scheduling conflict that results in two patients booked at once
  3. A situation where personal interests could improperly influence professional decisions
  4. A disagreement between two patients in the waiting room about their turn
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C. A situation where personal interests could improperly influence professional decisions — Disclose and manage conflicts according to policy.

Question 5

What is the ethical principle of autonomy?

  1. Doing good for the patient whenever possible
  2. Avoiding harm to the patient at all costs
  3. Respecting a patient's right to make their own decisions
  4. Treating all patients fairly and equally
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C. Respecting a patient's right to make their own decisions — Beneficence = doing good; nonmaleficence = do no harm; justice = fairness.

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