Medical Assistant Certification (CMA / RMA) General Medical Knowledge and Foundations Syllabus

General Medical Knowledge and Foundations syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Medical Knowledge and Foundations in Medical Assistant Certification (CMA / RMA), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Medical Terminology

   5 topics

   • Word Structure
     • Roots, prefixes, and suffixes
     • Combining vowels and combining forms
     • Building and deconstructing terms
   • Body Systems Terminology
     • Directional terms, planes, and body cavities
     • System-specific roots (cardio, derma, gastro, neuro)
   • Common Abbreviations and Symbols
     • Approved clinical abbreviations
     • Error-prone and do-not-use abbreviations
   • Diagnostic, Surgical, and Procedural Terms
   • Spelling, Pronunciation, and Plurals
2. 2

   Anatomy and Physiology

   4 topics

   • Levels of Body Organization
     • Cells, tissues, organs, systems
     • Homeostasis
   • Major Body Systems
     • Integumentary, skeletal, muscular
     • Cardiovascular, respiratory, lymphatic
     • Digestive, urinary, reproductive
     • Nervous, endocrine, sensory
   • Structure-Function Relationships
   • Common Pathology by System
     • Signs and symptoms
     • Etiology and risk factors
3. 3

   Behavioral Science and Communication

   5 topics

   • Developmental Stages
     • Erikson's psychosocial stages
     • Maslow's hierarchy of needs
   • Defense Mechanisms and Coping
   • Therapeutic Communication
     • Active listening and feedback
     • Verbal vs nonverbal communication
     • Barriers to communication
   • Cultural Competence and Diversity
   • Death, Dying, and Grief Stages
4. 4

   Nutrition and Patient Education

   4 topics

   • Macronutrients and Micronutrients
   • Therapeutic and Special Diets
     • Diabetic, cardiac, renal diets
     • Food allergies and restrictions
   • Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate
   • Patient Education Techniques
     • Assessing learning needs and readiness
     • Health literacy considerations

General Medical Knowledge and Foundations flashcards for Medical Assistant Certification (CMA / RMA)

23 of 50 cards from the General Medical Knowledge and Foundations deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the four basic word parts used to build medical terms?

   Word root (base meaning), prefix (added before the root), suffix (added after the root), and combining vowel (usually 'o', links parts for easier pronunciation).

2. In the term 'cardiology', identify the combining form and the suffix and give the meaning.

   Combining form: cardi/o (heart); suffix: -logy (study of). Meaning: the study of the heart.

3. What does the suffix -itis mean, and what does -ectomy mean?

   -itis means inflammation; -ectomy means surgical removal/excision (e.g., appendectomy = removal of the appendix).

4. Distinguish the suffixes -otomy, -ostomy, and -ectomy.

   -otomy = cutting into / incision; -ostomy = creating a new permanent opening (stoma); -ectomy = surgical removal of a part.

5. What is the rule for using a combining vowel between a word root and a suffix?

   Keep the combining vowel when the suffix begins with a consonant; drop it when the suffix begins with a vowel (e.g., gastr/o + -itis = gastritis; gastr/o + -enterology keeps the o).

6. Match these combining forms to their body system meaning: nephr/o, pneum/o, oste/o, derm/o.

   nephr/o = kidney (urinary); pneum/o = lung/air (respiratory); oste/o = bone (musculoskeletal); derm/o = skin (integumentary).

7. What is the meaning of the prefixes hyper-, hypo-, brady-, and tachy-?

   hyper- = excessive/above normal; hypo- = deficient/below normal; brady- = slow; tachy- = fast (e.g., tachycardia = fast heart rate).

8. What do the combining forms hepat/o, hem/o, cyt/o, and neur/o mean?

   hepat/o = liver; hem/o (hemat/o) = blood; cyt/o = cell; neur/o = nerve.

9. What do the medical abbreviations NPO, PRN, STAT, and BID stand for?

   NPO = nothing by mouth; PRN = as needed; STAT = immediately; BID = twice a day.

10. What do the abbreviations TID, QID, q, and HS mean in prescriptions?

    TID = three times a day; QID = four times a day; q = every; HS = at bedtime (hour of sleep).

11. What do the abbreviations BP, HR, RR, and Tº represent in vital signs documentation?

    BP = blood pressure; HR = heart rate; RR = respiratory rate; Tº = temperature.

12. Name three abbreviations on 'The Joint Commission Do Not Use list' and what should be written instead.

    U/u (write 'unit'); IU (write 'international unit'); QD/QOD (write 'daily'/'every other day'); also trailing zero X.0 mg and lack of leading zero .X mg should be avoided.

13. What is the difference between a diagnostic and a therapeutic procedure?

    A diagnostic procedure identifies or measures a disease/condition (e.g., MRI, biopsy, ECG); a therapeutic procedure treats or manages the condition (e.g., chemotherapy, physical therapy, surgery).

14. Define the suffix -scopy and give an example procedure.

    -scopy = visual examination with a scope. Example: colonoscopy = visual examination of the colon.

15. What do the suffixes -graphy, -gram, and -graph mean?

    -graphy = the process of recording; -gram = the record/image produced; -graph = the instrument used to record (e.g., electrocardiograph makes an electrocardiogram via electrocardiography).

16. What is the difference between '-plasty' and '-pexy'?

    -plasty = surgical repair or reconstruction (e.g., rhinoplasty); -pexy = surgical fixation/suspension of an organ (e.g., nephropexy).

17. Give the correct plural forms for: diagnosis, vertebra, bacterium, and bulla.

    diagnosis → diagnoses; vertebra → vertebrae; bacterium → bacteria; bulla → bullae.

18. State the plural rule for medical terms ending in -is, -um, and -ex/-ix.

    -is → -es (metastasis/metastases); -um → -a (ovum/ova); -ex or -ix → -ices (apex/apices, appendix/appendices).

19. List the six levels of body organization from simplest to most complex.

    Chemical (atoms/molecules) → Cell → Tissue → Organ → Organ system → Organism.

20. What are the four primary types of tissue in the human body?

    Epithelial (covering/lining), connective (support/binding), muscle (movement), and nervous (communication/control).

21. Define 'cell', 'tissue', and 'organ' in the context of body organization.

    Cell = the basic structural and functional unit of life; tissue = a group of similar cells performing a common function; organ = two or more tissue types working together for a specific function.

22. Name the major body systems and one primary function of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

    Major systems include integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic/immune, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive. Cardiovascular = transports blood/oxygen/nutrients; respiratory = gas exchange (oxygen in, carbon dioxide out).

23. Which body system regulates the body using hormones, and which uses electrical impulses?

    The endocrine system regulates using hormones (slow, widespread effects); the nervous system uses electrical impulses (rapid, targeted effects).

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