AMIA Health Informatics Certification (AHIC) Exam

Candidates can schedule an exam appointment as soon as the ATT notice has been received. The exams are administered at secure, computer-based test centers around the world through our test delivery partner, Pearson Vue. To ensure exam security, there are multiple, equated exam forms, the items within each exam form are presented to each candidate in random order, and the test centers operate under strict security protocols. For a full list of test center locations and additional information about testing, please visit www.pearsonvue.com.

Failure to Schedule an Exam Appointment

If a candidate does not schedule an appointment for, or take the exam during, the original 180-day exam eligibility period for which he or she was approved, and the candidate does not request an extension before the last date of the original eligibility period for which he or she was approved, the candidate forfeits the exam fee in its entirety.

Candidates who subsequently wish to re-apply will need to submit a new application and pay the then-current fees to continue their pursuit of certification. Such re-applications will be subject to all eligibility criteria in effect at the time of the new application.

Cancelling or Rescheduling an Exam

Once deemed eligible, candidates have 6 months (180 days) to take and pass the exam. Candidates may reschedule their exam 5 days or more before their scheduled exam date without paying additional fees.

It is mandatory that candidates who need to cancel or reschedule their exam FIRST make those arrangements directly with the exam delivery provider (via the contact information provided in the ATT notice) and THEN notify AMIA of the change via email to certification@amia.org. Only the candidate may request a cancellation, regardless of whether the exam fee was paid by the candidate or another party.

The exam delivery provider is unable to honor cancellation or rescheduling requests received fewer than five (5) days prior to a scheduled exam appointment. Exams cancelled or rescheduled fewer than five (5) days before the scheduled exam appointment result in the candidate forfeiting all fees; if there is still time within the exam eligibility period, the candidate may pay the retake fee to reschedule the exam.

Failure to Appear for a Scheduled Exam

If a candidate fails to appear for the scheduled exam appointment, the candidate forfeits all fees. If a candidate arrives late for a scheduled exam appointment, admission to the test is at the discretion of the Test Center staff. Candidates arriving late may not be allowed to test, in which case all fees will be forfeited, and the candidate will need to pay the retake fee to reschedule the appointment.

Refunds will not be given to candidates who fail to appear or arrive late for their exam appointments for any reason.

Exigent Circumstances

If a candidate is unable to keep an exam appointment due to an exigent circumstance that arises within the five (5) days prior to the scheduled exam appointment, the candidate is required to submit a formal request to reschedule due to exigent circumstances, accompanied by supporting official documentation, by email to certification@amia.org in order to avoid forfeiting fees. This information must be received by the AMIA Certification Department within seven (7) calendar days after the candidate’s scheduled exam appointment. The following exigent circumstances will be considered if appropriately supported by official documentation:

• Emergency room visit or hospitalization
• Severe medical condition requiring non-elective hospitalization (of the candidate or the candidate’s spouse, child or other legal dependent, parent, grandparent, or sibling)
• Death of an immediate family member (the candidate’s spouse, child or other legal dependent, parent, grandparent, or sibling)
• Jury duty
• Active military duty

In summary: Candidates who do not schedule and take an exam – and fail to request an extension – within the 180-day exam eligibility period, and candidates who cancel within five (5) days of the scheduled exam appointment or fail to show up on time for a scheduled exam appointment – and do not provide sufficient official documentation of an acceptable exigent circumstance (at the sole discretion and interpretation of AMIA’s certification department staff) – will forfeit all fees.

One point is granted for each correct answer. There is no penalty assessed for an incorrect answer; points are scored only for correct answers.

The “cut score” (passing point) for the examination has been set according to accepted practices for standardized testing. The modified Angoff method was utilized to set the exam’s cut score. This is a common testing and measurement technique, through which a panel of subject-matter experts determine the difficulty of each exam item and recommend the cut score based on the expected performance of a minimally qualified candidate. The HICC Cut Score Task Force performed this type of formal cut score study and recommended the exam’s cut score, which was subsequently considered and recommended by the HICC Exam Committee, and then was considered and approved (as originally recommended by the Cut Score Task Force of subject-matter experts) by the HICC.

There are 150 multiple-choice questions on the AHIC exam, all of which are scored. Exam scores are reported to candidates as scaled scores ranging from 0 to 800 (rather than as raw scores). Candidates must achieve a scaled score of 600 or higher to pass the AHIC™ exam.

To support ongoing professional growth and help direct continued studies, score reports provide a dashboard summary of the candidate’s performance in each of the major content areas of the exam – but for exam security purposes, the score reports will not indicate which specific exam questions the candidate answered correctly or incorrectly.

Initial Certification Fees:

• Exam – AMIA Member: USD $996
• Exam – Nonmember: USD $1,322
• Exam Retake: USD $503 per retake
• Supplemental International Exam: USD $100
• Eligibility Extension: USD $150

Recertification Fees

• Recertification via PDUs – AMIA Member: USD $499 per 4-year recertification period
• Recertification via PDUs – Nonmember: USD $699 per 4-year recertification period
• Recertification via Exam – AMIA Member: USD $899
• Recertification via Exam – Nonmember: USD $1,199
• Inactive Status: USD $99
• Emeritus Status: USD $998

All fees are non-refundable and non-transferrable under any circumstances. Please refer to relevant sections of this guide for additional information.

Please arrive at the test center 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. This will give you adequate time to complete the necessary sign-in procedures. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, you may be refused admission, and the exam fees will be forfeited.

You will be required to present one form of original (no photocopies), currently valid (unexpired), government-issued ID that includes your name, photograph, and signature. The first and last name that you used to register must match exactly the first and last name on the ID that is presented on test day; if there is a difference between your first and last name as they appear on your ATT Notice and as they appear on the ID that you will present on test day, please contact the AMIA Certification Department immediately at certification@amia.org.

If your name on your ID does not EXACTLY match the name provided in your exam application, you will not be allowed to test, will be considered a no-show and will forfeit all fees, and will have to pay the retake fee to reschedule your exam.

All IDs required must be issued by the country in which you are testing; alternatively, if you do not have a qualifying ID issued from the country in which you are testing, an International Travel Passport from your country of citizenship is required. If possible, please bring a second government identification (that matches the same requirements as the primary ID) to your exam appointment, in case there is an issue with your primary identification.