The ASPMA

What The ASPMA does

The American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants (ASPMA) is a U.S.-based, non-profit professional membership association founded in 1964 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, serving podiatric medical assistants and the Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) who employ them. It operates as the only nationally recognized certification body for podiatric medical assistants, with the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) endorsing the PMAC (Podiatric Medical Assistant, Certified), PRAC (Podiatric Radiology Assistant, Certified), and PAAC (Podiatric Administrative Assistant, Certified) credentials. ASPMA offers three certification exams (Administrative at $425 / 356 questions, Clinical at $425 / 339 questions, Radiology at $425 / 135 questions), each bundled with a study guide, plus an annual re-certification fee of $75 and a continuing medical education (CME) requirement of 20 credits per year.

The technology backbone consists of an online certification examination platform hosted via Course Webs and a Member365 membership portal used for CME loading, recertification uploads, event registration, and membership renewals. Distribution is split between self-serve online channels and conference-based delivery at regional and national podiatry events, including the APMA Annual Scientific Meeting and the Midwest Podiatry Conference, where written exams and review courses are administered in person. Additional engagement channels include a quarterly ASPMA Journal, the Sandra Lohrentz Educational Center, and an active email and social-media presence.

The organization is run by an 8-employee staff supported by a volunteer board, with Cheryl Bailey as President and Karen Keathley as Executive Director as of 2026. Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues, certification exam fees, re-certification fees, and study guide sales, supplemented by corporate sponsorships (Bako Diagnostics at the Platinum tier) and conference-related activities. The membership base is highly fragmented across many small podiatry practices; the organization has no parent company, no venture capital or private equity ownership, and no disclosed financial statements.

Name

The ASPMA

Legal name

American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants

Website

https://aspma.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ASPMA is a non-profit U.S. professional association founded in 1964 that certifies podiatric medical assistants through APMA-recognized PMAC, PRAC, and PAAC credentials, supported by a Member365 portal and quarterly journal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association & Medical Assistant Certification

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medical Assisting (Clinical & Administrative) (EDAOAJAA)

Keywords

• Podiatric medical assisting
• Medical assistant certification
• Continuing medical education
• Professional association membership
• Podiatry certification exams

Headquarters

HQ city

Itasca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from podiatric medical assistants and DPMs, including new member applications and renewals
2. Certification Exam Fees: One-time fees for Administrative, Clinical, and Radiology certification exams, including study guides
3. Re-Certification Fees: Annual re-certification fees for maintaining PMAC, PRAC, and PAAC credentials
4. Study Guide Sales: Extra study guides sold to members for exam preparation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The ASPMA is a professional membership association that provides nationally recognized certification (PMAC, PRAC, PAAC) for podiatric medical assistants, along with continuing medical education programs, a quarterly peer-reviewed journal, and the Sandra Lohrentz Educational Center. It also hosts the Annual Scientific Meeting held in conjunction with the APMA and administers the Zelda Walling Vicha Memorial Scholarship program for podiatry students.

Product overview

The American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants (ASPMA) is a professional membership organization that provides certification, education, and professional development services for podiatric medical assistants. The organization offers three certification exams (Administrative, Clinical, and Radiology) priced at $425 each, a quarterly journal for member education, and CME programs through the Sandra Lohrentz Educational Center. The core certifications are PMAC (Podiatric Medical Assistant, Certified), PRAC (Podiatric Radiology Assistant, Certified), and PAAC (Podiatric Administrative Assistant, Certified). ASPMA also hosts an annual scientific meeting and awards scholarships through the Zelda Walling Vicha Memorial Trust Fund. The organization operates member portals through Member365 and delivers online courses through Course Webs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sandra Lohrentz Educational Center: Educational center providing tools and resources for podiatric medical assistants to further their careers
• Zelda Walling Vicha Memorial Scholarship

Products and services

• Administrative Certification Exam

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 continuing education credits awarded per journal article published
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered platinum and core.

• Bako DiagnosticsplatinumOthersBako Diagnostics is a premier diagnostic and therapeutic services provider focusing on lower extremity skin, soft tissue, and bone pathology. They serve as a Platinum Level Sponsor of ASPMA, providing diagnostic expertise to the podiatric medical community.
• American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPMA is the national professional organization for podiatric physicians. ASPMA is an affiliated organization, and the ASPMA exam is the only assistant certification recognized by APMA. ASPMA holds its annual scientific meeting in conjunction with APMA events.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT): ASRT is the national professional society for radiologic technologists with membership, CE, and journal offerings. Comparable to ASPMA in association-and-education delivery model, though focused on a broader radiology workforce rather than podiatry-specific assistants.

Direct peers

• National Healthcareer Association (NHA): NHA is a leading allied-health certification body offering credentials including CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) and various specialty certifications. It competes with ASPMA in the medical-assistant certification space, with a more productized, exam-prep-heavy delivery model.
• National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT): NCCT provides certification exams for medical assistants and other allied health professionals. It is comparable to ASPMA in product structure (certification-based revenue, multiple specialties, online exam delivery) but operates at greater scale across multiple allied-health disciplines.
• American Medical Technologists (AMT): AMT certifies medical assistants (RMA credential) and allied health professionals across multiple specialties. Like ASPMA, it operates a membership association with certification products, continuing education requirements, and re-certification cycles.
• American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA): AAMA is the primary national professional association for medical assistants offering the CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) credential. It is the most direct competitor to ASPMA, operating the same membership-and-certification model but for general (rather than podiatry-specific) medical assistants across the U.S.

Others

• American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA): APMA is the parent professional association for Doctors of Podiatric Medicine and ASPMA's most important strategic partner — it is the body that recognizes ASPMA's certification as the only national credential for podiatric assistants. APMA is not a competitor but the upstream gatekeeper that defines ASPMA's addressable market.

Broad incumbents

• American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE): ACHE is a large healthcare professional association offering the FACHE credential with membership, continuing education, and annual congress. It is a scaled-up model of the same membership-certification-CE architecture that ASPMA operates at a much smaller specialty level.
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): ARRT is the dominant U.S. certification body for radiologic technologists. ASPMA's PRAC (radiology) certification for podiatric assistants sits in an adjacent space; ARRT represents both a competitive threat and a benchmark for radiology credentialing rigor that ASPMA must match.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aspma
• Facebookfacebook.com/theaspma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-aspma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The ASPMA