At IEO, we are often asked, "What's the difference between CCHI and NBCMI?" While most people know that CCHI, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, and NBCMI, the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters, are two national certification processes for medical interpreters, the difference between these two organizations is less known, however.

The content of the written test that each group administers is one thing that distinguishes one organization from the other. For example, a large portion of CCHI's written exam focuses on how an interpreter should manage an interpreting encounter. Moreover, the bulk of the written exam for NBCMI deals with medical terminology and medical specialties in working languages.The written exams for CCHI and NBCMI are both in multiple-choice format.

Other differences can be found in the oral performance exams of the two certifying bodies.  CCHI's oral exam tests interpreters in the three modalities of consecutive, simultaneous and sight translation. On the other hand, NBCMI's oral exam includes consecutive interpretation and sight translation into the target language but not simultaneous interpretation or sight translation into English. In addition, NBCMI also tests interpreters on their overall linguistic knowledge of their working languages as well as their knowledge of medical terminology in their working languages.

To learn more about each organization and their testing procedures and guidelines, be sure to check out the CCHI and NBCMI candidate handbooks.

If you need to fulfill the 40-hour training requirement prior to taking either the CCHI or NBCMI test, Interpreter Education Online offers preparatory courses for both tests. Please visit our Programs and Products page for more information.