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Becoming
a certified medical transcriptionist is really a personal
choice. At present, there is no requirement for MTs to become
certified at this time. To become certified you will need
to pass an exam given by the AAMT (American Association of
Medical Transcriptionists). This is a two part exam, written
and practical and takes about 5 to 6 hours to complete. It
is a very in depth exam and most MTs take a prep course before
taking the exam. The exam consists of two parts. The first
part is a written exam which consists of 120 multiple choice
questions about anatomy,
physiology,
medical terminology, English and grammar, etc.The second part
of the exam is a practical test where you transcribe several
different reports. Once certified it means you can use the
letters “CMT” (certified medical transcriptionist)
behind your name. You must recertify every 3 years.Certification
is highly regarded in some circles of the MT field and some
MTs believe it opens doors for better opportunities.
Personally, I feel medical transcription certification
is a personal choice. Although, certification gives you the
opportunity to prove your skills as an MT, not being certified
does not take away from them.I have never run across a physician
or account manager who has asked me whether I am certified
or not. They are merely interested that I can efficiently
complete the work, follow all the privacy regulations and
charge them a reasonable rate.
I don’t know of any MTs who have lacked
opportunities due to not being certified either. Again, the
choice is a personal one and for some it is a great sense
of personal achievement.If you do decide to become certified,
it will be a great personal achievement. It will take a time
and financial commitment. At present, the AAMT fee for the
CMT exam for US and Canada is $195 US dollars for AAMT members
and $275 for non AAMT members |
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