Is Being a Dual-Certified Medical Interpreter Worth It?

Many interpreters ask whether becoming a dual-certified medical interpreter is worth the time, cost, and effort. After holding dual medical interpreter certification for several years, my answer is simple:

In my experience, it is not worth pursuing both certifications.

I was certified through both the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) and the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI).

While certification itself is valuable, maintaining two credentials did not meaningfully improve my career outcomes.

Here’s why.

How I Became Dual Certified (Unintentionally)

Dual certification was never my goal.

I began the process with CCHI and passed the written exam. Shortly after, I moved abroad. When I returned to the U.S., I was living in Hawaii, which at the time did not offer a local testing site for CCHI’s oral exam.

Rather than wait indefinitely, I pursued certification through NBCMI and earned the CMI–Spanish credential.

Later, CCHI invited me to participate in a pilot group for their E-to-E Oral Examination, offering a discounted fee and an extension so I would not lose credit for my previously passed written exam. By then, CCHI had started offering testing in Hawaii, so I decided to move forward.

That is how I ended up dual certified.

The Biggest Perceived Advantage: Exposure on Two Public Rosters

The biggest argument in favor of dual certification is increased exposure.

Both CCHI and NBCMI maintain public registries of certified medical interpreters. In theory, being listed on both rosters doubles your visibility and your chances of being contacted.

In practice, this benefit was limited.

What Happens in Real Life

During most of the years I was dual certified, I lived in Hawaii, a smaller market with significantly less demand for Spanish interpreters than states like Texas or California.

What I consistently observed was:

• Agencies, not direct clients, were the ones using certification rosters

• Agencies typically searched both rosters anyway

• Being on both often resulted in duplicate inquiries from the same agency

In other words, dual certification did not meaningfully expand my reach. Agencies looking for interpreters tend to check all available sources regardless.

“Bragging Rights” and Marketing Value

Some interpreters pursue dual certification for marketing purposes. On a résumé, holding both credentials can look impressive, especially to clients unfamiliar with the certification landscape.

However, among informed clients and agencies, dual certification did not carry extra weight.

Those who understand the profession already recognize that either certification meets industry standards.

Cost vs. Return on Investment

Maintaining dual certification requires:

• Two renewal cycles

• Two sets of CE requirements

• Two renewal fees

• Ongoing administrative tracking

When I look back, I don’t see a return that justified that extra effort. There was no noticeable difference in:

• Job volume

• Client quality

• Pay rates

• Professional standing

My Honest Recommendation

If you’re deciding between CCHI and NBCMI, my advice is simple:

Choose one.

Select the certification that best aligns with:

• Your language pair

• Your geographic location

• Your testing preferences

• Your long-term career goals

But unless you have a very specific, strategic reason, I do not recommend pursuing both.

After years of being dual certified, I can confidently say that it did not meaningfully change my career outcomes.

Final Thoughts

Certification matters. Professional standards matter. But more isn’t always better.

Competence, experience, reliability, and professionalism will take you much further than holding multiple credentials that the industry already views as equivalent.

If you’re early in your career and weighing your options, I hope this real-world perspective helps you make an informed decision.