17.2: CCHI
- Page ID
- 141212
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Certification Credentials and Exams Part I - CCHI Certification
Let’s talk about the exams and certifications available to healthcare interpreters. These certifications serve as formal credentials and are an important step for interpreters who want to demonstrate their skills and meet professional standards.
Two Certifying Bodies
There are two main organizations that offer healthcare interpreter certification in the United States. In California, both are recognized as equal, and both meet the certification requirements to practice in workers’ compensation settings.
I often get questions like: “Which exam should I take? Which one is better? Will one help me get more work?” The truth is, one exam is not “better” than the other. Instead, you should consider two things:
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Is certification available in your language?
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Which exam format and requirements fit you best?
Not every exam is offered in every language, so availability may guide your choice. I’ll provide links to each organization’s handbook and website, since requirements may change.
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI)
CCHI offers three types of certification:
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CHI Certification (available in Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish).
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A language-specific certification that tests your full skills, knowledge, and abilities.
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CoreCHI Performance
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A certification available for all languages except Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish.
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Tests knowledge plus interpreting skills through an English-to-English performance exam.
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CoreCHI
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Available to interpreters of all languages except Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish.
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A knowledge-based certification only, taken in English.
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👉 Important note: If you interpret in Arabic, Mandarin, or Spanish, you must take the full CHI certification. You cannot substitute CoreCHI or CoreCHI Performance.
General Requirements
To apply for certification through CCHI, you must:
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Be at least 18 years old.
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Have a high school diploma or equivalent, either from the US or from another country.
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Demonstrate language proficiency in both English and your language of service. This can be shown through:
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US high school or college transcripts in English.
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High school completion in another country (proves proficiency in that language).
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A language proficiency exam (for example, some HCI programs like HCI 310 include proficiency testing).
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Complete at least 40 hours of healthcare interpreting training. Experience alone does not count—formal coursework is required.
- HCI 310, for example, provides 54 hours of training, which meets this requirement.