MA500 EXAM #1 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is the first thing the medical assistant should do when answering a telephone call?
a) Put the caller on hold.
b) Finish with the patient who is at your desk.
c) Find out who the caller is.
d) Identify the practice and himself or herself. - ANS Identify the practice and himself or
herself.
How often should the medical assistant check back with a caller who is on hold?
a) At least every 10 seconds
b) At least every 20 seconds
c) At least every 30 seconds
d) At least every minute - ANS At least every 30 seconds
Which of the following items should be readily available when taking telephone messages?
a) Desk clock, computer clock, or wristwatch
b) Loose-leaf notebook
c) Paper clips
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,d) Telephone book or Rolodex containing telephone numbers - ANS Desk clock, computer
clock, or wristwatch
When is call forwarding used?
a) When a telephone call must be transferred to a different extension.
b) When the line is busy and the call is sent to voicemail.
c) When all incoming calls are rerouted to another telephone number.
d) When the person answering the telephone wants to be able to identify a caller before
answering the telephone. - ANS When all incoming calls are rerouted to another telephone
number.
Which of the following is true about voicemail?
a) It is built into the telephone system.
b) It requires a separate answering device attached to each telephone.
c) It requires one separate electronic device for the entire office.
d) It requires an independent company that answers the telephone for a number of clients. -
ANS It is built into the telephone system.
If a caller asks for the office manager by name, what should the medical assistant usually do?
a) Ask for the caller's name and then transfer the call to the office manager's extension.
b) Ask for the caller's name and offer to take a message for the office manager.
c) Place the caller on hold and call the office manager to find out if she wants to take the call.
Offer to transfer the call to the office manager's voicemail. - ANS Ask for the caller's name
and then transfer the call to the office manager's extension.
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, Which of the following calls is put through immediately to the doctor, even if the doctor is with
a patient?
a) A laboratory reporting negative results.
b) Another doctor to whom a referral was made.
c) An angry patient who insists on speaking to the doctor.
d) A caller who says that she will only speak with the physician. - ANS Another doctor to
whom a referral was made.
What is the purpose of taking messages for the physician even if he or she is in the office?
a) To allow the physician to avoid constant interruptions while he or she is seeing patients
b) To be sure that patient's understand how important the physician's time is
c) To encourage patients to make appointments if they have questions for the physician
d) To save the expense of having one person assigned to answering incoming calls
e) All are correct - ANS o allow the physician to avoid constant interruptions while he or she
is seeing patients
Which of the following types of call does the medical assistant usually handle only by taking a
message?
a) Requests to schedule appointments
b) Billing inquiries
c) Requests for results of laboratory tests or diagnostic procedures
d) Requests for directions to the office - ANS Requests for results of laboratory tests or
diagnostic procedures
How can the medical assistant take telephone messages in an organized manner?
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ANSWERS
What is the first thing the medical assistant should do when answering a telephone call?
a) Put the caller on hold.
b) Finish with the patient who is at your desk.
c) Find out who the caller is.
d) Identify the practice and himself or herself. - ANS Identify the practice and himself or
herself.
How often should the medical assistant check back with a caller who is on hold?
a) At least every 10 seconds
b) At least every 20 seconds
c) At least every 30 seconds
d) At least every minute - ANS At least every 30 seconds
Which of the following items should be readily available when taking telephone messages?
a) Desk clock, computer clock, or wristwatch
b) Loose-leaf notebook
c) Paper clips
1 COPYRIGHT © 2025 SIRJOEL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,d) Telephone book or Rolodex containing telephone numbers - ANS Desk clock, computer
clock, or wristwatch
When is call forwarding used?
a) When a telephone call must be transferred to a different extension.
b) When the line is busy and the call is sent to voicemail.
c) When all incoming calls are rerouted to another telephone number.
d) When the person answering the telephone wants to be able to identify a caller before
answering the telephone. - ANS When all incoming calls are rerouted to another telephone
number.
Which of the following is true about voicemail?
a) It is built into the telephone system.
b) It requires a separate answering device attached to each telephone.
c) It requires one separate electronic device for the entire office.
d) It requires an independent company that answers the telephone for a number of clients. -
ANS It is built into the telephone system.
If a caller asks for the office manager by name, what should the medical assistant usually do?
a) Ask for the caller's name and then transfer the call to the office manager's extension.
b) Ask for the caller's name and offer to take a message for the office manager.
c) Place the caller on hold and call the office manager to find out if she wants to take the call.
Offer to transfer the call to the office manager's voicemail. - ANS Ask for the caller's name
and then transfer the call to the office manager's extension.
2 COPYRIGHT © 2025 SIRJOEL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, Which of the following calls is put through immediately to the doctor, even if the doctor is with
a patient?
a) A laboratory reporting negative results.
b) Another doctor to whom a referral was made.
c) An angry patient who insists on speaking to the doctor.
d) A caller who says that she will only speak with the physician. - ANS Another doctor to
whom a referral was made.
What is the purpose of taking messages for the physician even if he or she is in the office?
a) To allow the physician to avoid constant interruptions while he or she is seeing patients
b) To be sure that patient's understand how important the physician's time is
c) To encourage patients to make appointments if they have questions for the physician
d) To save the expense of having one person assigned to answering incoming calls
e) All are correct - ANS o allow the physician to avoid constant interruptions while he or she
is seeing patients
Which of the following types of call does the medical assistant usually handle only by taking a
message?
a) Requests to schedule appointments
b) Billing inquiries
c) Requests for results of laboratory tests or diagnostic procedures
d) Requests for directions to the office - ANS Requests for results of laboratory tests or
diagnostic procedures
How can the medical assistant take telephone messages in an organized manner?
3 COPYRIGHT © 2025 SIRJOEL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
