This page is for medical transcriptionists and healthcare documentation specialists preparing for the credential exams run by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity. It lays out the exam format, fees, and retake rules from AHDI sources. It also links to free practice sets, written with AI tools and not taken from real exams, for each content area.
The MT has 120 questions and takes about 3 hours[1][2] (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). The former CMT credential was rebranded in 2013: RHDS (level, verified Oct 22, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
According to Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). The former CMT credential was rebranded in 2013: RHDS (level, “The 120-question CHDS exam consists of multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank transcription against audio, and SRT editing against audio.”[1]
The MT credential line is run by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). The former CMT credential was rebranded in 2013, and AHDI now offers the RHDS exam and the higher CHDS exam. CHDS requires RHDS first, plus at least 2 years of acute-care experience.
Exams are delivered by live online proctoring through Examroom.ai. The CHDS exam has 120 questions that mix multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank transcription against audio, and SRT editing against audio. A maximum of 3 hours is permitted, and the session ends at that time even if you are not finished.
Fees are $100 member and $180 list for RHDS, and $150 member and $230 list for CHDS. Registration starts with a $10 eligibility application, and an Authorization-to-Test email follows within 5 business days.
Results are pass/fail only. AHDI does not publish cut scores or give feedback on performance. You see the result on screen at the end and by email 30 minutes later. If you fail, there is a 4-month wait before a retake, and the full exam fee applies again.
The CHDS credential is valid for 3 years, and recertification takes 30 CECs. Fees and rules can change, so check the AHDI pages before you book.
The content areas below are copied from the official MT content outline published by Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). The former CMT credential was rebranded in 2013: RHDS (level. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Clinical Medicine[7] | MT Medical Terminology & Anatomy Practise prefixes, suffixes, anatomy terms, and drug names until you can spot a wrong term from context while listening. |
| Documentation Standards and Style[7] | MT Report Formatting Standards Practise report structure, punctuation, and editing rules, since the audio and SRT editing tasks test them directly. |
| Health Information Technology, Privacy, and Security[7] | MT HIPAA Privacy & Security Rules Practise what counts as protected information, who may see it, and how speech recognition and record systems fit into privacy duties. |
Prepare for the MT - Certified Medical Transcription exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: A MT professional encounters an unfamiliar situation while performing surgical & radiology reports duties. What is the most appropriate first action?
Answer: B. Consult relevant standards, guidelines, or a qualified supervisor before proceeding
Explanation:
The correct answer is to consult relevant standards, guidelines, or a qualified supervisor before proceeding. Documentation feeds patient care, so an unfamiliar situation should be checked against an authoritative source rather than settled by guesswork.
Proceeding on general assumptions is wrong because it trades accuracy for speed and can put an error into a medical record. Skipping the task is wrong because it leaves the work undone and does not resolve the doubt. Applying a solution from an unrelated field is wrong because rules from another setting may not fit healthcare documentation.
The rule to remember: when you are unsure, verify with a reliable source or a supervisor first, and keep a record of what you checked.
Question: In the context of report formatting standards, what role does continuous professional development play for MT practitioners?
Answer: B. It ensures practitioners remain current with evolving standards, technologies, and best practices
Explanation:
The correct answer is that continuous professional development keeps practitioners current with evolving standards, technologies, and best practices. Formatting conventions, software, and regulations change, and a transcriptionist who stops learning gradually falls out of step with them.
Calling it optional and only for career advancement is wrong because it supports everyday competence, and credential maintenance depends on it. Saying it is required only in the first year of certification is wrong because the obligation continues for as long as you hold the credential. Treating it as networking with no practical benefit is wrong because the main value is current knowledge you use on the job.
The rule to remember: learning is an ongoing part of holding the credential.
Question: What does the prefix 'brady-' mean in medical terminology?
Answer: B. Slow
Explanation:
The correct answer is slow. The prefix brady- comes from a Greek root meaning slow, which is why bradycardia is a slow heart rate and bradypnea is slow breathing.
Fast is wrong because that meaning belongs to the opposite prefix, tachy-, and mixing the two up is a common slip. Normal is wrong because normal rates are usually marked by terms such as normo- or eu-. Irregular is wrong because irregularity is described with other words, such as arrhythmia, and not with brady-.
The rule to remember: learn prefixes as opposite pairs, so brady- and tachy- reinforce each other. Heard in dictation, a prefix often tells you which spelling or meaning is plausible.
Start with the AHDI exam pages so you know the format, the content areas, and the registration steps. Then take the practice test once without notes to see which areas feel weakest.
Work through the sets that match those areas. For vocabulary and anatomy, use Medical Terminology & Anatomy and Drug Names & Dosage Notation. For style and editing, use Grammar, Punctuation & Editing Standards, Report Formatting Standards, and Speech Recognition & Editing. For privacy, use HIPAA Privacy & Security Rules.
After each set, read the explanation for every question you missed and write down the rule behind it. Return to the same set later and see whether the rule held.
Our questions are not real exam questions and cannot replace audio work. Since the exam includes transcription and SRT editing against audio, spend time on real dictation, timed in sessions that match the exam limit. Because a failed attempt means a wait and a full fee again, book only when your practice results are steady.
The CHDS exam has 120 questions: multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank transcription against audio, and SRT editing against audio. A maximum of 3 hours is permitted, and your session is terminated at that time even if you are not finished. Check the AHDI exam page for the current format before you book.
AHDI reports pass or fail only. It does not publish its exam cut scores and does not give candidates specific feedback on their performance. You will see a pass/fail report on screen at the end of the exam, and an email arrives 30 minutes after you finish.
RHDS costs $100 for eligible members and $180 list price. CHDS costs $150 for eligible members and $230 list price. Registration also involves a $10 eligibility application. These fees cover only one exam, so a retake means paying the full exam fee again.
You need to hold the RHDS credential first, plus at least 2 years of acute-care transcription experience or a multi-specialty equivalent. After you apply and pay the $10 processing fee, an Authorization-to-Test email should arrive within 5 business days.
There is a 4-month waiting period before you can take the exam again. The listed prices cover the cost of only one exam, so the full exam fee applies to each retake. AHDI gives no specific performance feedback, so use that time to review all content areas.
The CHDS credential is valid for 3 years. Recertification requires a minimum of 30 continuing education credits (CECs), with at least 26 of them in the core areas of Clinical Medicine, Technology and Tools, Professional Development, and Medicolegal issues. Confirm current rules with AHDI.
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