The ABC's of the CMT Exam

by Pat Bowen, CMT

The Medical Transcriptionist Certification Program (MTCP) is the credentialing program of the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT). To become a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT), you must pass a two-part test. The purpose of the MTCP Core Certification Exam is to "assess entry-level skills and core knowledge."

When asked if I think certification is necessary, I tell people to approach it as a personal challenge — not because they think it will get them a job or a raise in pay; it may and it may not. I encourage students who wish to take the CMT test to take the written part right after finishing the course (while everything is fresh) and then wait as long as possible to take the practical part of the exam. You are allowed up to two years to take the practical test after passing the written test. The more work experience (listening experience) you have, the better.

Part I (written) of the test is given electronically at testing centers across the country. No reference materials are permitted during the test. Passing score is 85 (not a percentage). It consists of 120 multiple-choice questions covering the following areas:

Part II (practical) is 15 minutes of dictation representing a variety of report types and specialties. The exam site is chosen by the candidate, although it cannot be in a home office. Reference materials, abbreviation expanders, spell checkers, etc., are allowed. Each candidate must identify an appropriate proctor. Results are available 10-12 weeks after taking the test. Passing score is 85 (not a percentage). Tip: The AAMT Book of Style is a must-have reference for this part of the test.

Type of reports on the practical exam include: discharge summary, history and physical, consultation, letter, clinic note, operative report, radiology, pathology and progress note. Seventy to eighty percent (70-80%) of the test will be dictation from orthopedics, cardiovascular, otorhinolaryngology, pulmonary, internal medicine, gastrointestinal/biliary/hepatic, urology, obstetrics/gynecology, endocrinology and general surgery. Twenty to thirty percent (20-30%) of the test will cover hematology/oncology, ophthalmology, neurology, infectious disease, immunology, dermatology, psychiatry, dentistry/oral medicine and nutritional/metabolic.

Costs of getting and maintaining CMT: The written and practical tests cost $150 each. Retakes cost the same. You must pass the written exam in order to take the practical exam.

To maintain your CMT, you must attain 30 hours of continuing education credits (CEC’s) in a 3-year period. These can be earned at local, state and national AAMT meetings, as well as through exercises in JAAMT (Journal of AAMT). The annual certification maintenance (ACM) fee is $15-20 per year. Note: You do not have to be a member of AAMT to be a CMT.

Further information: For the MTCP Exam Guide, call AAMT at 800-982-2182.

Comment from someone who recently passed the CMT written test: By far, I thought the hardest part was the anatomy/physiology. For part of the test I felt like I was taking a medical board exam and not an MT exam! They would give an obscure term and ask what body system or organ you would find it in. It is multiple choice, but still, I had never heard many of the terms! But there were many that I knew only from the reports I had typed. I think you learn more from typing up reports than you do from just reading an anatomy book. There were also some tough grammar questions, which gave me some problems. I have always had problems with identifying what part of speech a word is -- I don't know a prepositional phrase from a dangling participle. I know how to put sentences together so that they look right, I just could never remember why!

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