News and Announcements


Hub-CMI ExpirationAugust 24, 2022

Dear Hub-CMIs,

Please be aware of the exam deadlines below:

  • If you were granted your Hub-CMI in 2020 you will be required to pass your oral exam by your expiration date. This only applies to Hub-CMIs who have a CMI option (Spanish, Russian, Korean, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Mandarin).
  • If you are not sure of your expiration date, please check the registry:
    https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/search-cmi-registry

What can I do to prevent my written exam from expiring?

For CMI languages: If you passed your written exam and we offer an oral exam in your target Language (Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean or Vietnamese), you must schedule and pass your oral exam by your written exam expiration date. If you are unable to take and pass the oral exam before the expiration date, you will be required to reregister and take the written exam again. If you do not know your expiration date, please visit the NBCMI registry:
https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/search-cmi-registry

For all other languages: If we DO NOT offer an oral exam in your target Language, you will be required to renew your credential every 4 years. Please check the NBCMI registry if you are not sure when your credential expires:
https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/search-cmi-registry

Thank you so much for participating in the NBCMI programs. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

NBCMI Staff
[email protected]


Upcoming Exam Deadlines for 2022March 1, 2022

Dear CMI and Hub-CMI candidates,

Please be aware of the exam deadlines below:

For CMI languages: If you passed your written exam in 2020 and we offer an oral exam in your target Language (Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean or Vietnamese), you must schedule your oral exam before your credential expires in 2022. If you are unsure of your expiration date you may look it up in the NBCMI registry:
https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/search-cmi-registry

If you are unable to take and pass the oral exam before your expiration date, your written exam/Hub-CMI will expire and you will have to register and retake the written exam.

For all other languages: If we DO NOT offer an oral exam in your target Language, you will need to apply for the Hub-CMI credential if you do not have one. Your Hub-CMI credential will be valid for 4 years. If you are unsure of your expiration date you may look it up in the NBCMI registry:
https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/search-cmi-registry

Thank you so much for participating in the NBCMI programs. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

NBCMI Staff
[email protected]


NBCMI Scholarship Awards for 60 Hour Training Course Awards!January 21, 2022

We are pleased to announce the winners for the 60-hour Medical Interpreter Training Course! We received close to 200 applications and an overwhelming amount of support and gratitude for making this scholarship possible. In partnership with MiTiO, 25 scholarships for the 60 hours Medical Interpreting Certificate Course were be awarded; 10 scholarships for the Hub-CMI and 15 for the CMI credentials. More than ever, medical interpreting has become essential in closing the health care disparities gap and critical to providing quality care. We are proud to support the medical interpreter community as they pursue their goals and aspirations.

CMI Candidates:
Name Language
Lily Wang Batta Mandarin
Michelle Leva Spanish
Jelena Skopinceva Russian
Jieyu Shen Mandarin
Qianying Guan Cantonese
Eliana Caballero Spanish
Ariel Díaz de Leon Spanish
Angelina E Riz Spanish
Sergio Velasco Spanish
Zhiqiang Cheng Mandarin
Sissy Cardenas Spanish
Claudia Carolina Burgos Zuniga Spanish
Benjamin Nathan Serio Spanish
Hsiao Fang Liang Mandarin
Catherine Bedeski Spanish
HUB-CMI Candidates
Name Language
Rupa Shrestha Nepali
Sher Salim Khan Hindi
Samir Kalini Arabic
Sandra Abdelnour Arabic
Merajuddin Massod Farsi
Bivechana Gautam Nepali
Chahira Issolah French
Oleksandra Guirlina Ukrainian
Nageh Soliman Arabic
Viviane Mai Vang Yang Hmong

NBCMI Scholarship Opportunity for 60 Hour Training Course UpdateDecember 13, 2021

The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) is pleased to announce that the NBCMI/MiTio (Medical Interpreting and Translation Institute Online) scholarship awards will go out before the new year. We received close to 200 applications and an overwhelming amount of support and gratitude for making this scholarship possible. In partnership with MiTiO, 25 scholarships for the 60 hours Medical Interpreting Certificate Course will be awarded; 10 scholarships for the Hub-CMI and 15 for the CMI credentials. More than ever, medical interpreting has become essential in closing the health care disparities gap and critical to providing quality care. We are proud to support the medical interpreter community as they pursue their goals and aspirations.

If you submitted a scholarship application you will be contacted directly via email. Due to the number of applicants, we are not able to answer individual emails at this time. Thank you so much for your interest and participating in the scholarship program.

Warm regards,
NBCMI Staff


NBCMI Scholarship Opportunity Extended Until November 18thSeptember 23, 2021

The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) is pleased to announce that we have we have extended our scholarship application deadline until November 18th to allow for additional documents to be submitted.

MiTio is sponsoring the scholarship and will require an additional prerequisite requirement of 3 years of experience in the health care industry. Please note, this does not have to be in the form of medical interpreter experience. For example, a nurse, nurse’s assistant, dental hygienist and doctor will all qualify. If you submitted your documents and also have work experience in the medical field, please upload your employment letter as part of the last missing prerequisite. This is also an opportunity for you to upload additional documents that you may have omitted when you submitted your application.

Please refer to the instructions below on how to upload additional files to your profile:

Login to your NBCMI profile by clicking Member Login at the top of the page https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/

Follow the instructions for re-setting your password if needed. When you get to My Profile, you will see your name tag. Under the name tag, click on Upload Files. When you are finished uploading, click "Next" at the bottom of the page, then "Submit" on the next page.

For questions, please contact us at: [email protected]

Thank you for your interest in the NBCMI Programs!

Warm regards,
NBCMI Staff and Directors


NBCMI Scholarship Opportunity for 40 Hour Training CourseJuly 30, 2021

The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) is pleased to announce that we have teamed up with the Medical Interpreting and Translation Institute Online (MITIO), an international educational institution based in the United States, to provide 25 scholarships for the 60 hours Medical Interpreting Certificate Course, valued at $849 each. We will award 10 scholarships for the Hub-CMI and 15 for the CMI credentials. In COVID-19 times, more than ever, medical interpreting has become essential in closing the health care disparities gap and critical to providing quality care. We are proud to support the medical interpreter community pursue their goals and aspirations.

About the MITIO course: This course is designed to give interpreters the specialized knowledge and skills needed to work as an interpreter from anywhere in the world. The 60-hour certification course includes six separate units, in which you’ll learn everything from interpreting modes and roles to International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) ethics, standards, and university-level medical terminology. With the NBCMI remote testing platform, candidates from around the globe are eligible. The course is provided in English.

The entire course is designed to be completed within six weeks, but it can be accomplished in as little as two or spread out over a longer period to fit your busy schedule. You are given six months to complete the course.

Upon completion, you’ll earn your IMIA - CMIE-accredited medical interpreter certificate and walk away with the requisite skills needed to perform at a professional level and be eligible to take the CMI Certification Exam. For further course information please visit the link below:
https://www.mitio.org/medical-interpreter-training

How to Apply for the Scholarship Program: Enrollment begins today and awards will be granted to the first 10 interpreters applying for the Hub-CMI and 15 applying for the CMI programs who register for the NBCMI program and fulfill all program prerequisites with the exception of the medical interpreter training requirements. Registration for the scholarship program will close on August 15, 2021 and awards will be granted September 30th, 2021.

Prior to applying we invite you to visit the NBCMI website and learn about our programs:
https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org

If you can meet all scholarship prerequisite requirements at this time, we welcome you to submit your application by visiting the link below:
https://nbcmi.memberclicks.net/scholarship-ed

For questions, please contact us at: [email protected]

Thank you for your interest in the NBCMI Programs!

Warm regards,
NBCMI Staff and Directors


Exam Deadlines

Dear CMI and Hub-CMI candidates,March 23, 2021

Please be aware of the deadlines listed below when scheduling your exams:

  • If you passed the written exam in 2019 it will expire on December 31st, 2021
  • You will either have to pay a $35.00 re-registration fee and take the oral exam this year or apply for Hub-CMI
  • All written exams taken before December 2018 have expired

What can I do to prevent my written exam from expiring?

For CMI languages: If you passed your written exam and we offer an oral exam in your target Language (Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean or Vietnamese), you must schedule your oral exam before December 31st, 2021. If you are unable to take and pass the oral exam before this date, you will have to register and take the written exam again. Alternatively, you may apply for the Hub-CMI credential which is valid for 2 years. You will then have 2 years to take and pass the oral exam with no option for renewal.

For all other languages: If you passed your written exam during 2019 and we DO NOT offer an oral exam in your target Language, you will need to apply for the Hub-CMI credential and your credential will be valid for 4 years.

Thank you so much for participating in the NBCMI programs. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

NBCMI Staff
[email protected]


Written Exam Expiration

Dear CMI and Hub-CMI candidates, January 12, 2021

We are pleased to announce we will extend the expiration deadline for all written exams taken prior to December 2018. Please be aware that beginning March 1st, 2021 all written exams taken before December 2018 will expire. The Hub-CMI is a viable option for those who have a written exam set to expire.

What can I do to prevent my written exam from expiring?

For CMI languages: If you passed your written exam and we offer an oral exam in your target Language (Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean or Vietnamese), you must schedule your oral exam before March 1, 2021. If you are unable to take and pass the oral exam before this date, you will have to register and take the written exam again. Alternatively, you may apply for the Hub-CMI credential which is valid for 2 years. You will then have 2 years to take and pass the oral exam with no option for renewal.

For all other languages: If you passed your written exam previous to 2018 and we DO NOT offer an oral exam in your target language, you will need to apply for the Hub-CMI credential and your credential will be valid for 4 years.

Thank you so much for participating in the NBCMI programs. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

NBCMI Staff

[email protected]


COVID Vaccinations for Medical Interpreters

Letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to "include on-site medical interpreters among the listed examples of health care personnel (HCP) eligible for Phase 1 vaccinations, and to include on-site interpreters in other settings (community interpreting, educational interpreting, state and local government offices, court and interpreters in legal or administrative law settings) among 'other essential workers' per the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)."

Read the letter


Hub-CMI Go-Live

The National Board is pleased to announce the launch of The Hub-CMI Credential

The Hub is a written test available for all languages starting on May 27, 2020. It will be easily accessible online with select onsite options starting in June. Every qualified medical interpreter in any language will have access to take this test and obtain the Hub-CMI credential. For those six languages already certified, the HUB-CMI interpreter will have the opportunity to continue growing, taking the next step towards the CMI credential.

Read the full announcement



All NBCMI Exams Go Online

Recently the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have issued updated guidance on measures to be taken to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 disease. In particular, the CDC lowered the number of people that should be able to congregate in the same space from 50 to 10 in the United States.

In order to take precautionary measures, the National Board will move all testing operations online until further notice. Our online proctoring service has the capacity to offer exams around the clock and on weekends to meet the needs of our candidates.

There is much to learn about the newly emerged COVID-19, including how easily it spreads and how it will impact the health care system and the United States as a whole. We recommend you follow the World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Disease Control (CDC) and your local public health officials for up to date information and recommendations.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or would like to arrange to take your exam online.


The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) COVID-19 Statement

The current global crisis affects us all, particularly those actively engaged in battling this pandemic in our hospitals and other care facilities. Doctors, nurses, first responders, hospital staff and many more in similar roles are our most crucial assets in the fight against COVID-19.

It was brought to our attention that some medical interpreters who continue to work on-site in hospitals during these uneasy times have been denied masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE), which are absolutely vital for the prevention of infection. Not only does this put our interpreters in danger of being infected by the virus, but it also increases the risk that they may inadvertently spread the virus to others.

The world has changed suddenly, quickly, and drastically – no one would claim that there has been enough time to rebuild our entire system and adapt to the expanding needs of healthcare workers and hospital facilities.

Doctors and nurses are on the front lines, and providing them with PPE is a top priority. However, onsite medical interpreters also interact with patients directly. This close proximity to COVID-19 victims potentially compromises the health of the interpreters and anyone around them.

We fully recognize that resources are scarce right now. Healthcare administrators are working tirelessly to protect personnel and provide patients with the care they need, all while keeping abreast of CDC guidelines. Healthcare workers need to be patient as every day more comprehensive and precautionary measures are taken. In the meantime, if PPE cannot be provided to medical interpreters, then interpretation services must be provided remotely. The majority of hospitals have already switched to remote interpretation, and this system has proven to be safe and efficient. Interpreters may continue to work as VRI or OPI, or from dedicated call centers. As our healthcare system is rapidly adopting telemedicine practices, so can our interpreters be transitioned to fully remote operations.

Transitioning to all remote services may seem like a daunting task that requires more time and resources; but now, more than ever, the key to providing continued interpreting services lies in the creation of a task force of technicians and advisers that can develop and implement effective systems and train interpreters in their use.

Read the full statement


COVID- 19 Interpreter Resources and Information

A listing of online resources covering:

  • Health
  • Webinars
  • Mental Health
  • Symptoms Check
  • Articles

View COVID- 19 Interpreter Resources and Information document


Cybersecurity

Due to a number of internet scams, the National Board has implemented elevated security measures for the NBCMI Interpreter Registry. The new interface will allow employment agencies to contact interpreters through a secure platform that doesn’t disclose your email address.

Read the full announcement


Free Monthly Webinar - Register Now

The National Board offers a free Webinar on how to prepare for the National Board exams. Get informed, ask questions and Get Certified!

Monthly Webinar Schedule & Registration

Results of the 2017 Job Analysis Study of the Certified Medical Interpreter are now available!

The job analysis described in this report was conducted in 2017 at the request of the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI). The purpose of the study was to describe the job activities of a certified medical interpreter in sufficient detail to provide a basis for updating professional, job-related oral and written certification examinations. The NBCMI Job Analysis Advisory Committee (JAAC) conducted the activities necessary to identify job responsibilities and to develop specifications for a Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) certification examination. The JAAC represented varied regions and practice settings. All JAAC members were experts in the duties and activities associated with the profession. The study involved developing job task and knowledge lists and survey, distributing the survey, and analyzing the survey responses. Specifications for a Certified Medical Interpreter certification examination were developed based on survey responses. 

Read the full report


Share your Story!

The Board of Directors want to highlight your successes and what having the CMI credential means to you.  We invite you to share you experiences by emailing the National Board at staff@certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org