Medical Transcriptionist Testing
Medical transcriptionists take exams to confirm their skills and meet the requirements to apply for jobs. There are two main exams that medical transcriptionists take. The first exam is the Registered Medical Transcriptionist Exam. This lower level exam is taken by recent graduates of medical transcription schools, according to Seminole State College. The second exam, the Certified Medical Transcriptionist Exam, is more advanced and targets test takers with two years of work experience.
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AHDI
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The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, AHDI, controls the tests for both the Registered Medical Transcriptionist credential and the Certified Medical Transcriptionist credential. Since the Registered Medical Transcriptionist is expected to be a recent graduate, there is not a great deal of emphasis on specialty areas or research on this first exam, although the exam does require the applicant to have basic medical knowledge.
Applicant Requirements
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Anyone may register and take either of the medical transcriptionist exams. A medical transcription degree or work experience is not required to take and pass these tests. AHDI does recommend that applicants prepare for these exams, as the RMT exam is designed for a graduate of a medical transcription course and the CMT exam is designed for a transcriptionist with two years experience. AHDI further recommends that applicants for the CMT exam have two years of experience specifically in acute care, as the exam covers surgical dictation and other specialties.
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Test Application Process
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The medical transcription tests are given by Prometric test centers. These test centers provide professional testing in many different specialties. The test applicant first applies to the authority, AHDI, sending in a $10 fee and application to take this exam. If AHDI approves the application, the test applicant receives an Authorization to Test letter which can be used to sign up for the exam at a Prometric testing center. Authorization to Test letters expire after 90 days, so the applicant should apply when they will have time available for several alternate test dates during the 90-day window.
Medical Knowledge
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Medical transcription requires knowledge in many areas of medicine. A transcriptionist must know how to record inpatient and outpatient records. A transcriptionist must be prepared to record communication from medical professionals who do not speak English as their first language and must understand the regional dialects of doctors. The exam covers specialties such as radiology, hematology, psychiatry and oncology.
Additional Skills
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The Certified Medical Transcription exam covers topics in addition to transcription itself. According to AHDI, a transcriptionist should also know how to edit as well as proofread reports. Transcription involves the use of computers, so the transcriptionist should also be familiar with computer software including word processors and email programs.
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References
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