Information on Medical Transcription Jobs
- A career diploma in medical transcription qualifies you to work for a number of employers.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Most employers prefer to hire medical transcriptionists who have completed post-secondary education in the field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This training can be completed at a voctional school, career college or community college. Classes may be on campus or through an online training program. Courses typically include medical terminology, anatomy and computer literacy. Programs take eight months to a year to complete, depending upon the school. Some are self-paced. However, training on the job is still possible, but certification is not available to those not trained in an accredited program. - Exams may be completed online.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Certification can be obtained through the Association of Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). There are two main types of certification: Registered Medical Transcriptionist and Certified Medical Transcriptionist. Medical transcriptionists with less than two years on the job or those working in a single specialty environment can sit for the Registered Medical Transcriptionist exam. Candidates for the title Certified Medical Transcriptionist must be Registered Medical Transcriptionists, work in an acute care specialty or multi-specialty environment. On-site exams are provided through Kryterion, an exam proctoring service. Online proctored exams are also available. - Healthcare professionals dictate medical records for transcription.Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
Medical transcriptionists listen to dictated medical records using a device called a dictaphone. This enables them to start, stop and replay the dictation. The types of documents transcribed include discharge summaries, medical history, physical examination reports, operative reports, consultation reports, autopsy reports, diagnostic-imaging studies, progress notes and referral letters. Transcriptionists also must edit for grammar and clarity. According to the AHDI, critical thinking is a large part of the practical skills required for this occupation. - It is not uncommon for medical transcriptionists to work from home.Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Hospitals, private practices and clinics are the main employers of medical transcriptionists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics website states, "The majority of these workers are employed in comfortable settings, such as hospitals, physicians' offices, transcription service offices, clinics, laboratories, medical libraries, government medical facilities or their own homes." Medical transcriptionists may start their own transcription business after several years on the job, according to the ADHI.
