Same CEHRS credential, same certifying body. Preppy costs $1,101 less and comes with an Auburn University certificate. MedCerts is faster on paper — 12 weeks — but that assumes 15 to 20 hours a week.
The winner
Preppy wins four of the six categories we scored.
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Reveal the code and open Preppy — it applies at checkout on either payment option.
CEHRS exam fee is not included in Preppy tuition — budget for it separately.
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The Verdict on Electronic Health Records Specialist Training
Six categories decide which electronic health records specialist program is the better buy. Preppy takes four, MedCerts takes one, and the four Preppy wins are the ones that determine whether your certificate turns into a job.
Final score across the six electronic health records specialist program categories above.
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Your electronic health records specialist certificate comes from a university
Preppy’s Electronic Health Records Specialist program is delivered with Auburn University, Office of Professional and Continuing Education, an accredited nonprofit. Your Certificate of Completion carries the institution’s name — a credential you frame, and one that lets you tell a hiring manager you trained through a university.
MedCerts issues its own certificate for its electronic health records specialist program. It is a well-known training company, but that credential is only ever worth what its name means to the person reading your résumé.
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Externship placement, not a reading list
Neither the CEHRS nor this role strictly requires clinical hours, but experience is what separates two otherwise identical résumés. Preppy runs an Externship Match Program into its healthcare employer network; MedCerts includes no placement at all.
You choose between externship placement and direct job placement assistance — one or the other, included either way.
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Self-paced electronic health records specialist training, no weekly hour expectation
You cover EHR navigation, chart abstraction, data integrity, release-of-information rules and HIPAA compliance on your own clock. Preppy’s program is 100% self-paced across 4–6 months with a full year of access; MedCerts’ 12 weeks assumes 15 to 20 hours every week — a commitment to plan your life around.
Most people training for electronic health records specialist work already have a job. If you can give it twenty hours one week and four the next, self-paced is the difference between finishing and quitting.
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MedCerts covers your CEHRS exam fee. Preppy doesn't.
Every MedCerts exam is paid for inside tuition. With Preppy you register and pay the NHA directly. The NHA lists that application at $134. Even with it added, Preppy comes in about $967 lower.
Preppy wins the electronic health records specialist package, not just the price
It would be easy to read this as a price comparison. It isn’t. Preppy is cheaper — $1,599 against $2,700 — but the reason it wins the electronic health records specialist comparison is what that buys alongside the coursework: a certificate issued by an accredited nonprofit university, a match into its clinical employer network, a schedule that bends around a working week, and a refund window if you change your mind.
EHR work is almost entirely screen-based, which makes the self-paced format a better fit here than in any clinical program in this set.
Where MedCerts earns its price: it pays for your CEHRS exam, and its Career Center stays open to you for a year after you finish.
What each Electronic Health Records Specialist program actually costs
Published tuition, with exam fees accounted for, so both columns mean the same thing.
Photo: student studying online
The comparison
MedCerts charges one flat $2,700 with every exam fee inside it. Preppy charges $1,599 and bills the CEHRS separately.
Neither qualifies for federal financial aid. Both offer interest-free monthly plans — Preppy at $299 × 6.
The OnlineDegree.com reader discount is applied by Preppy at checkout and is not counted here, so the real gap on a electronic health records specialist program is wider than the figure on the right.
Total to certified
- MedCerts tuition (exams included)
- $2,700
- Preppy tuition, paid in full
- $1,599
- CEHRS exam fee, paid to the NHA
- + $134
- Preppy total
- $1,733
- You could save choosing Preppy
- $967
Published tuition as of October 2026. The NHA lists the CEHRS exam application at $134; MedCerts includes exam fees in tuition and Preppy does not. Excludes scrubs and any background check a clinical site requires.
Key facts about becoming a Electronic Health Records Specialist
Photo: electronic health records specialist at work
After adding the CEHRS exam fee to Preppy’s side to match MedCerts’ all-in price.
Fully self-paced. MedCerts estimates 12 weeks at 15–20 hrs/week.
Students find their own site. Preppy matches you into its employer network.
Cancel within 30 days for a full refund.
- Preppy’s certificate is issued by Auburn University, Office of Professional and Continuing Education, an accredited nonprofit institution. MedCerts issues its own credential.
- Neither program requires prior healthcare experience. A high school diploma or GED is the only admission requirement at both.
- The NHA lists the CEHRS exam application at $134. MedCerts includes it in tuition; Preppy does not.
Facts verified October 6, 2026 against the sources at the bottom of this page.
Side-by-side Electronic Health Records Specialist comparison
| Category | Preppy | MedCerts |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $1,599 or $299 × 6 | $2,700 |
| Length | 4–6 months, fully self-paced | 12 weeks at 15–20 hrs/week |
| Certificate issued by | Auburn University OPCE accredited nonprofit institution | MedCerts — no university partner |
| Exam prepared for | CEHRS (NHA) | CEHRS (NHA) |
| Exam fee | Not included $134 to the NHA | Included |
| Clinical hours required | None required for certification | None required |
| Externship placement | Included Externship Match Program; choose externship or job placement | Not included |
| Job support | More complete Employer job board, résumé support, interview prep, advisors — plus externship placement | Career Center and coaches for 1 year — but no externship placement |
| Refund policy | 30 days | See enrollment agreement |
| Admission requirements | HS diploma or GED | HS diploma or GED |
| State availability | All states except KY | Nationwide |
Verified October 6, 2026 against each provider’s own program and FAQ pages, linked below. Terms change; confirm before you enroll.
How to enroll with Preppy
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1Reveal your code and open Preppy
The code applies at checkout on either payment option. No application, no prerequisites, no sales call.
—— $150 off coupon code copied · Preppy opened in a new tab -
2Work the electronic health records specialist coursework at your pace
Self-paced across 4–6 months, with a full year of access if you need it.
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3Register for the CEHRS and sit it
You book directly with the NHA, not through your program. Take the practice exams until you’re consistently passing, then schedule. $134, paid separately.
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4Do your externship, then apply
Clear your balance and finish the program, and Preppy’s Externship Match Program connects you with sites in its employer network. Sites hire their own externs often enough to ask directly.
Preppy vs MedCerts: Electronic Health Records Specialist questions
Is Preppy or MedCerts better for electronic health records specialist training?
Preppy, for most people training as a electronic health records specialist. It costs $1,599 against MedCerts’ $2,700, issues a Certificate of Completion from Auburn University OPCE rather than a company-issued credential, and includes externship placement support. MedCerts covers your CEHRS exam fee, which Preppy does not, so that is the trade-off.
Is Preppy cheaper than MedCerts for electronic health records specialist training?
Yes. Preppy’s Electronic Health Records Specialist program is $1,599 paid in full, or $299 × 6. MedCerts is $2,700. That is $1,101 less on published tuition. MedCerts includes the exam fee and Preppy does not, so add that to Preppy’s side. The NHA lists the CEHRS exam application at $134.
Does the MedCerts electronic health records specialist program include an externship?
No. MedCerts does not include an externship. Preppy runs an Externship Match Program that connects students with opportunities inside its healthcare employer network, and every student chooses between externship placement and job placement assistance at no extra cost.
Do Preppy and MedCerts prepare you for the same electronic health records specialist certification?
Both prepare you for the CEHRS from the NHA.
Is the CEHRS exam fee included in Preppy or MedCerts electronic health records specialist tuition?
MedCerts includes all exam fees inside its $2,700 tuition. Preppy does not — you register and pay the certifying body directly. The NHA lists the CEHRS exam application at $134.
How long does each electronic health records specialist program take, Preppy or MedCerts?
MedCerts estimates 12 weeks for its electronic health records specialist program at 15 to 20 hours a week. Preppy’s program runs 4–6 months and is fully self-paced with no weekly hour expectation, so motivated students finish faster and people juggling a job can take longer without penalty.
Which electronic health records specialist program is faster, Preppy or MedCerts?
Preppy, in practice. MedCerts’ 12-week estimate assumes 15 to 20 hours of coursework every week. Preppy is self-paced across 4–6 months with a full year of access, so you set the pace in both directions.
Is the MedCerts electronic health records specialist program accredited?
MedCerts is not a university and does not issue a university credential; it is a training provider whose programs prepare students for third-party certification exams. Preppy’s Electronic Health Records Specialist program is delivered in partnership with Auburn University, Office of Professional and Continuing Education, which issues the Certificate of Completion.
Does Preppy include job placement for electronic health records specialist graduates?
Preppy includes career support in tuition: a career platform where healthcare employers post electronic health records specialist roles, résumé feedback, interview preparation and course advisors. Students also choose between externship placement support and direct job placement assistance. Employment is not guaranteed by either provider.
Is Preppy's electronic health records specialist program legit?
Preppy is a StraighterLine company that partners with accredited nonprofit universities to deliver its certification training. The Electronic Health Records Specialist program is offered with Auburn University OPCE and prepares students for the CEHRS exam. It carries a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Can you get financial aid for the Preppy or MedCerts electronic health records specialist program?
Neither electronic health records specialist program qualifies for federal student aid, since that generally requires an accredited degree or certificate program. What often does apply to both: WIOA workforce grants, MyCAA for military spouses, and employer tuition reimbursement. Both offer interest-free monthly plans, which beats a private loan for a program this size.
What certification do you need to work as a electronic health records specialist?
No state licences electronic health records specialists in the way nurses are licensed, but employers expect a national certification. The Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) from the NHA is the credential these programs target.
Are there cheaper alternatives to MedCerts for electronic health records specialist training?
Yes. For electronic health records specialist training, Preppy at $1,599 is the lowest-priced option we have found that pairs a certificate issued by an accredited nonprofit university with externship and career support. Cheaper electronic health records specialist programs exist, but they issue their own certificate and leave clinical hours to you.
Is Preppy's electronic health records specialist program available in every state?
No. Preppy states its Electronic Health Records Specialist program is not currently available to residents of Kentucky.
Sources and verification
Checked October 6, 2026. We re-verify monthly.