Pre-screening for the CMT exam

From: Jay Vance (digitalvance_at_aol.comdelete)
Date: 07/16/04 

Date: 16 Jul 2004 19:06:15 GMT

This is verbatim from the AAMT Candidate's Guide. I truly believe that this
should serve as a reasonable checklist for someone contemplating taking the
exam; a person should be able to tell whether or not they're really ready for
the test after thoroughly considering these guidelines:

EXAM CONTENT OUTLINE

Exam items are based on the content outline below in the percentages noted. Not
all items may be covered on the exam, and additional areas may be added as the
practice of medicine and medical transcription changes over time.

Medical Transcription-related Knowledge (approximately 50% of entire exam)

Medical language (approximately 40% of the knowledge section of the exam)

Meaning and spelling of prefixes, suffixes, combining forms, and root words.

Plural forms of medical terms.

Meaning and spelling of documented medical abbreviations, acronyms, eponyms,
homonyms, and synonyms.

Terminology and spelling related to anatomy/physiology, clinical medicine,
pharmacology, laboratory medicine, pathology, imaging studies, and other
diagnostic studies (e.g., EKG, EEG, EMG, etc.).

Specialty terminology and spelling. (Approximately 80% of the specialty
terminology questions will come from: allergy and immunology, cardiology,
emergency medicine, endocrinology, family medicine, gastroenterology, general
surgery, hematology/oncology, infectious disease, neurology,
obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otorhinolaryngology,
pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, podiatry,
psychiatry/psychology, pulmonary medicine, urology.)

Specialty terminology and spelling. (Approximately 20% of the specialty
terminology questions will come from: alternative medicine, cardiac surgery,
chiropractic, dentistry and oral surgery, dermatology, genetics, geriatrics,
neurosurgery, nutrition/dietetics, pain management, plastic surgery,
rheumatology, thoracic surgery, vascular medicine, vascular surgery.)

Anatomy and physiology (22%)
Structure and function of cells and tissues.
Structure and function of organs and systems.

Disease processes (15%)
Names of common diseases and conditions.
Signs and symptoms of common diseases and conditions.
Diagnosis and treatment of common diseases and conditions.

English language (12%)
Basic grammar rules.
Punctuation rules.
English usage.
The spelling of English words.

The healthcare record and important medicolegal issues (11%)
Basic medical report types and the elements of each.
Regulatory requirements (HIPAA, JCAHO, etc).
Principles and processes for keeping audit trails.
The purpose and content of the healthcare document.
Identify risk management issues.

Transcription Performance (approximately 50% of entire exam)
Approximately 55% of the items in the performance section of the exam will be
transcription, 30% editing, and 15% proofreading against the audio.

Report Types
The items in the performance section will come primarily from operative
reports, procedure notes, consultation reports, discharge summaries, history &
physicals, and secondarily from imaging studies and pathology reports. A small
percentage will come from clinic notes, letters, and progress notes.

Specialty Areas
The material in the performance section comes from a cross section of medical
specialties divided among four groups:

Group A: cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatrics,
hematology/oncology, hepatology, pulmonary medicine, rheumatology;

Group B: allergy and immunology, alternative medicine, chiropractic,
dermatology, emergency medicine, family medicine, genetics, infectious disease,
neurology, nutrition/dietetics, otorhinolaryngology, pain management,
pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, podiatry,
psychiatry/psychology, vascular;

Group C: general surgery;

Group D: cardiac surgery, dentistry and oral surgery, neurosurgery,
obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, thoracic
surgery, urology, vascular surgery.
Interpretability

Approximately 90% of the dictation in the performance section will be by clear
dictators on clear recordings, while the remainder will be by dictators who may
be difficult to understand or from recordings that are compromised in some
other way.

Transcription Issues Covered

Transcription issues stressed a great deal will be spelling, grammar,
punctuation, units of measure, medical symbols, abbreviations, lab data,
imaging data, and drug indications and dosages. Also covered will be risk
management issues, inconsistencies, and American slang and colloquialisms.
 
SAMPLE MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION-RELATED KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following drugs is a cardiac medication?
(A) nifedipine
(B) Flexeril
(C) lithium
(D) Proventil

2. A patient who is perspiring heavily is described by a physician
as sweating _____.
(A) perfusely
(B) purposely
(C) precipitously
(D) profusely

3. Exophthalmos a symptom of _____.
(A) exotropia
(B) hyperthyroidism
(C) Addison disease
(D) glaucoma

4. The glomerulus is part of what organ?
(A) liver
(B) gallbladder
(C) kidney
(D) pancreas

5. The primary purpose of a medical record is _____.
(A) research and statistics
(B) billing and reimbursement
(C) continuity of care
(D) risk management

6. Orchitis is inflammation of the _____.
(A) urethra
(B) testis
(C) epididymis
(D) prostate

7. What is the act of swallowing called?
(A) mastication
(B) deglutition
(C) dentition
(D) eructation

8. Which one is a symptom of COPD?
(A) indigestion
(B) coryza
(C) diarrhea
(D) dyspnea

9. Which term refers to an anatomical plane?
(A) axial
(B) rotational
(C) proximal
(D) inferolateral

Answers: 1. A 2. D 3. B 4. C 5. C 6. B 7. B 8. D
 9. A

Jay

"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." - Anais Nin

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