CMRT certification in 2025 — is it still relevant for medical records jobs?
I've been working as a medical records clerk for two years and my supervisor suggested I look into the CMRT. I was skeptical at first but decided to go for it. Passed last month with a 71% — the pass threshold is 70% so it was closer than I wanted, but a pass is a pass.
The exam covers health information management basics, HIPAA release of information rules, ICD and CPT coding fundamentals, records retention schedules, and medical terminology. I studied for 6 weeks at about 1.5 hours per day using AHIMA study materials and a used medical terminology workbook. The coding section hurt my score the most — I'm not a coder by trade so the ICD-10 question logic was harder than expected even at the introductory level the exam covers.
Records retention rules are very specific. The exam tests federal minimum retention standards and the general principles for different document categories. I made a one-page summary of retention periods by record type and reviewed it every day for the last two weeks — that probably saved me on three or four questions.
I got a $2.75/hour bump at my current employer after passing and the credential opened up two job applications that had it listed as a preferred qualification. It's not going to replace an RHIT but for someone in a clerical records role it's a tangible differentiator.
I'd brush up hard on release of information rules, especially what makes an authorization defective and the difference between releasing to the patient vs. a third party. That section had about 15 questions on my exam and the scenarios were detailed enough to trip you up if you're fuzzy on the rules.
The records retention schedule questions on my exam were very specific about the differences between adult patient records, minor patient records, and psychiatric records. Those distinctions matter legally and the exam doesn't give you much context — you just need to know the numbers.
I got a $3/hour raise after earning mine two years ago. My manager said it was the clearest signal that I was serious about the field rather than just treating the job as temporary. Worth it for the compensation bump alone if your employer recognizes it.