In addition to onsite and online undergraduate and graduate programs in healthcare administration and management, there are a number of programs that offer certification and registration (both terms meaning the same thing) for career healthcare managers.
When researching programs, some questions you should ask are:
- How long has the program been in existence?
- How many people have been credentialed through the program?
- What are prerequisites (education, experience, references, other)?
- Does the program have an education component in the form of mentoring, coaching, conferences, webinars, online classes, or in-person classes? Cost associated with each?
- What information is covered in the exam? How can I learn this information?
- What is the exam format (objective, essay, interview, presentation, other)?
- What is the exam media (paper & pencil, online at home, online at testing center, other)
- What are costs if the exams have to be repeated?
- Do you have any data about the earning power or success of those credentialed through your program versus those from other programs?
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American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
Cost: Membership requires a Bachelor’s degree. Annual dues are tiered and escalate from $150/year to $325/year over five years. Fellow exam is $450, recertification is every three years.
- Fellow American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE)
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American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE)
Cost: The education arm of Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), $275 annually (one-time $95 application fee), knowledge assessment $95, Body of Knowledge Review $29 each domain, exam workbook $119, objective exam $165, essay exam $165
- Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE)
- Fellow American College of Medical Practice Executives (FACMPE)
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American College of Physician Executives (ACPE)
Cost: Membership $280/year, Master’s degrees for physicians only
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst (online part-time MBA)
- University of Southern California (Master of Medical Management)
- Carnegie Mellon University (Master of Medical Management)
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International Association of Registered Health Care Professionals (ARHCP)
Cost: $120/year for membership, $385 per exam
- Registered Medical Manager (RMM)
- Registered Medical Coder (RMC)
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Physician Office Managers Association of America (POMAA)
Cost: Annual membership $110, study guides $100 each, exams $275 each
- Certified Practice Manager (CPM)
- Medical Coding Specialist (CPM-MCS)
- Human Resource Specialist (CPM-HRS)
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Practice Management Institute (PMI)
Cost: $799 – $999 for each program and exam – program available in-person, online or self-study. Annual recertification $75/year
- Certified Medical Office Manager (CMOM)
- Certified Medical Compliance Office (CMCO)
- Certified Medical Insurance Specialist (CMIS)
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Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (PAHCOM)
Cost: $195/year membership, study guide $150, practice test $150, exam $385, recertification every 2 years $75
- Certified Medical Manager (CMM)
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The American Academy of Medical Management (AAMM)
Cost: $378/year membership – certification is available with or without exam for $259, recertification is $179 every 3 years
- Certified Medical Staff Recruiter (CMSR)
- Certified Administrator in Physician Practice Management (CAPPM)
- Executive Fellowship in Practice Management (EFPM)
- Physician Fellowship in Practice Management (PFPM)
- Fellowship in Medical Staff Development (FMSD)
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You may also want to read an earlier post on Manage My Practice: “How Does One Become a Medical Practice Manager?”
and read the other posts in the Category : A Career in Medical Management by clicking on the category on the sidebar to the right.
