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Free CCMA practice · Updated October 2026

CCMA clinical terms and specialties practice questions, with every answer explained

Foundational knowledge is 15 of the 150 scored items on the NHA CCMA. Answer 10 exam style questions on clinical terms and specialties and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.

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Where the CCMA points are150 scored items
General patient care
28
Foundational knowledge
15
Infection control and safety
15
Patient intake and vitals
14
Phlebotomy
12
Care coordination and education
12
Administrative assisting
12
Source: NHA CCMA test plan (2022)You are here ↑
Score 0/0
Q1Specialties

Which specialist treats disorders of the skin?

What these clinical terms and specialties questions test

These questions cover specialties, diagnostic terms, procedures, body systems terms and positional terms. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the CCMA.

SpecialtiesDiagnostic termsProceduresBody systems termsPositional termsAbbreviations

All 10 questions with answers explained

Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.

Q1Which specialist treats disorders of the skin?
  1. Dermatologist
  2. Nephrologist
  3. Neurologist
  4. Hematologist

Answer: A. 'Dermat/o' means skin, so a dermatologist treats skin, hair, and nail conditions.

Why not B: A nephrologist treats kidney disorders.

Why not C: A neurologist treats nervous system disorders.

Why not D: A hematologist treats blood disorders.

Exam tactic: Specialty = root + -logist.

Q2What is the meaning of 'cyanosis'?
  1. Paleness from reduced blood flow
  2. Bluish discoloration of the skin from low oxygen
  3. Yellowing of the skin from bilirubin
  4. Redness of the skin from dilated vessels

Answer: B. 'Cyan/o' means blue. Cyanosis is a bluish color of the skin, lips, or nail beds from inadequate oxygenation.

Why not A: Paleness is pallor.

Why not C: Yellowing is jaundice.

Why not D: Redness is erythema.

Exam tactic: cyan blue, xanth/jaund yellow, erythr red, leuk white.

Q3What does the suffix '-gram' refer to?
  1. The instrument used to record
  2. The specialist who reads it
  3. The process of recording
  4. The record or image produced

Answer: D. '-gram' is the record itself (electrocardiogram, mammogram). '-graph' is the instrument that records, and '-graphy' is the process of recording.

Why not A: The instrument is '-graph'.

Why not B: A specialist would be '-logist'.

Why not C: The process is '-graphy'.

Exam tactic: gram = record, graph = device, graphy = process.

Q4Which term refers to the voice box?
  1. Esophagus
  2. Trachea
  3. Larynx
  4. Pharynx

Answer: C. The larynx is the voice box, containing the vocal cords. The pharynx is the throat, the trachea is the windpipe, and the esophagus carries food to the stomach.

Why not A: The esophagus is the food tube.

Why not B: The trachea is the windpipe.

Why not D: The pharynx is the throat.

Exam tactic: Larynx voice, pharynx throat.

Q5The elbow is ___ to the wrist.
  1. Superficial
  2. Distal
  3. Proximal
  4. Medial

Answer: C. Proximal means closer to the point of attachment to the trunk, and distal means farther from it. The elbow is closer to the shoulder than the wrist is, so it is proximal.

Why not A: Superficial means toward the body surface.

Why not B: Distal means farther from the trunk.

Why not D: Medial means toward the midline.

Exam tactic: Proximal = closer to the trunk.

Q6What does the abbreviation 'NKDA' mean on an allergy list?
  1. No known drug allergies
  2. No known diagnosis available
  3. New known drug allergy
  4. Not kept during admission

Answer: A. NKDA means no known drug allergies. The allergy status is verified with the patient at each visit and documented.

Why not B: This is not the meaning of NKDA.

Why not C: NKDA indicates the absence of known drug allergies.

Why not D: This is not the meaning of NKDA.

Exam tactic: NKDA / NKA: no known (drug) allergies.

Q7Which specialist focuses on the medical care of older adults?
  1. Obstetrician
  2. Podiatrist
  3. Geriatrician
  4. Pediatrician

Answer: C. 'Ger/o' refers to old age; geriatricians specialize in the care of older adults. Pediatricians care for children, obstetricians for pregnancy and childbirth, and podiatrists for the feet.

Why not A: Obstetricians manage pregnancy and delivery.

Why not B: Podiatrists treat the feet.

Why not D: Pediatricians treat children.

Exam tactic: Ger/o old, ped/o child, pod/o foot.

Q8A patient reports dysphagia after a stroke. What symptom is the patient describing?
  1. Difficulty urinating
  2. Difficulty breathing
  3. Difficulty swallowing
  4. Difficulty speaking

Answer: C. 'Dys-' means difficult and '-phagia' means eating or swallowing. Dysphagia is different from dysphasia, which is difficulty with speech.

Why not A: Difficulty or painful urination is dysuria.

Why not B: Difficulty breathing is dyspnea.

Why not D: Difficulty speaking is dysphasia.

Exam tactic: phagia eat, phasia speak, pnea breathe, uria urine.

Q9A surgeon schedules an arthroscopy of the knee. What will the procedure involve?
  1. Surgically fusing the bones of the joint
  2. Looking inside the joint with a small scope
  3. Recording the joint's range of motion
  4. Surgically removing the entire joint

Answer: B. 'Arthr/o' means joint and '-scopy' means visual examination with an instrument. Arthroscopy uses a small camera inserted into the joint.

Why not A: Surgical fusion of a joint is arthrodesis.

Why not C: Recording would use '-graphy'.

Why not D: Removal would use '-ectomy'.

Exam tactic: -scopy look, -graphy record, -desis fuse.

Q10What does the term 'renal' refer to?
  1. The liver
  2. The lungs
  3. The kidneys
  4. The stomach

Answer: C. 'Renal' refers to the kidneys (from 'ren/o'). 'Nephr/o' is the Greek-based root for the same organ.

Why not A: The liver is 'hepatic'.

Why not B: The lungs are 'pulmonary'.

Why not D: The stomach is 'gastric'.

Exam tactic: Renal kidney, pulmonary lung, hepatic liver, gastric stomach.

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More about the CCMA

PassPulse is an independent exam preparation tool. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), American Medical Technologists (AMT) or the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). Exam, credential and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the exams described.

These practice questions are written by PassPulse to reflect the published exam content outline. They are not actual exam questions. Questions, answers and explanations may contain errors or be out of date, and they are for exam study only, not for clinical or professional practice: always check facts against the certifying body's official materials, current standards and your employer's policies. Scores and projections on this page are estimates based on a small number of questions and do not predict your result on the real exam. Area weights come from the official outline as of the date shown; always confirm current exam details with the certifying body.
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