What is the CCHI EtoE Exam and the CoreCHI-Performance™ Certification?
Let me explain these concepts briefly and concisely.
CCHI stands for Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, a national organization responsible for certifying healthcare interpreters in the United States. CHI means Certified Healthcare Interpreter. Currently, CCHI offers three certification tiers:
- CoreCHI™ Certification
- CoreCHI -Performance™ Certification
- CHI™ Certification
The CoreCHI™ Certification is a credential obtained after passing a 100-multiple-choice written exam that tests knowledge of medical interpreting. There is no translation or interpretation in this exam, and it is a mandatory step to move up to any of the next tiers. This is the entry certification that all interpreters need to obtain, and it is available for all languages except for Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish. Interpreters of these three languages are required to take this exam, but they will not be granted the CoreCHI™ credential after passing it.
The CoreCHI -Performance™ Certification is the second tier of certification, which requires passing both the previously mentioned written exam and an oral exam to demonstrate cognitive interpreting skills. The special characteristic of this exam is that it is all in English, and no translation or interpretation is required. Since creating a bilingual test for every language is impractical, CCHI developed the English-to-English (EtoE) exam to evaluate interpreting skills alone. This certification is available for all languages except for Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish.
The CHI™ Certification is the third certification tier, currently available only to interpreters of Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish. These are the only languages that have an oral exam that tests the interpreters’ competency in both languages. To earn this certification, interpreters must pass both the written and bilingual oral exams. Moreover, interpreters of these languages cannot be granted any of the other certifications. They must pass both of these exams to receive the CHI™ certification.
To summarize, if you are an interpreter of Arabic, Mandarin, or Spanish, you need to pass two exams: the written and oral bilingual exams. If you are an interpreter of any other language, you can obtain the CoreCHI™ Certification (tier 1) by passing only the written exam. Alternatively, you can get the CoreCHI -Performance™ Certification (tier 2) by passing both the written and EtoE oral exams.
Currently, pursuing CoreCHI-Performance™ Certification is optional, but it will be obligatory in 2025. Interpreters with only the CoreCHI™ Certification will be required to take the EtoE exam to achieve the CoreCHI -Performance™ Certification. The CoreCHI™ Certification (tier 1) will disappear as a credential but will remain as the first step to earning CoreCHI -Performance™ Certification (tier 2) or CHI™ Certification (tier 3).
I hope this explanation was clear. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or check the additional resources below or check our special courses designed to help you prepare for any of these exams.
-David McCoy-Galicia, CMI, CHI™
MITS Phone number: 818.465.8425