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If you're like most people, your encounters with health care professionals are likely to be with doctors, nurses and medical secretaries. But in the health care system there are many people working crucial jobs behind the scenes. Medical transcriptionists, also called MTs, are among these people, as they play a pivotal role in patient care by creating a written record of doctor/patient interactions.
What is a Medical Transcriptionist and What Do They Do?
After seeing a patient, a doctor dictates a description of the interaction and sends the recording to an MT, who then listens and transcribes what the doctor has said. This document is returned to the doctor, or the health care provider who dictated it, and after approval becomes part of the patient's official medical record.
But the job of a medical transcriptionist demands more than just writing down what you hear on a recording. MTs must have knowledge of medical terminology and health care practices, so they can interpret abbreviations or specialized vocabulary the doctor might use as well as catch errors in a doctor's audio report, correcting these or flagging them for review as appropriate. Because future treatments and diagnoses might be informed by a patient's medical history, it's imperative for patient records to be accurate. So MTs must be scrupulous, detail-oriented and exercise good judgment.
The job also requires a mastery of English grammar and usage. Editing skills are increasingly important, as voice recognition technology is used more and more. By automatically translating speech into written text, this technology does some of the work traditionally undertaken by MTs. But because the technology is not sophisticated enough to comprehend everything a doctor says or make sense of medical language, medical transcriptionists must still heavily edit the records created through voice recognition.
Beyond working with voice recognition technology, MTs need to be comfortable working with computers. The internet is becoming the preferred method for receiving audio files and returning transcriptions to doctors and it's expected that creating and storing medical records electronically will become standard practice.
What Are the Steps to Becoming a Medical Transcriptionist?
While there are no strict educational requirements for medical transcriptionists, most MTs attain academic credentials in addition to a high school diploma. This credential might be an associate's degree or a certificate from one of the many schools offering courses to prepare you for the job of MT. In these programs, your classes will most likely be in the health care-related sciences and writing. Some schools have been accredited by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) and it's a good idea to consider these schools if you're thinking about a career as an MT.
Once you've trained to become a medical transcriptionist, you can look for jobs in a variety of locations, such as:
If you are a freelance transcriptionist or a contractor for a medical transcription company, you could even enjoy the benefits of working from home.
How to Become a Great Medical Transcriptionist
Commit to Continuing Education. Great MTs keep up with the latest medical research and trends. One excellent way to inform yourself is by joining a professional organization like AHDI, which maintains a web site and offers valuable resources, including current articles on important topics, to members. Or you might take classes to brush up your skills or deepen your knowledge of a subject pertinent to medical transcription. Also, be sure the reference books you use when transcribing, such as medical dictionaries or transcription style guides, are the most recent editions.
Test yourself. AHDI administers two tests for medical transcriptionists. Upon passing the first test, you are credentialed as a Registered Medical Transcriptionist. The second test, designed for more experienced transcriptionists, covers a greater variety of subjects. If you pass this test, you're designated a Certified Medical Transcriptionist. So you can advance your career and become a great MT by preparing for and passing these tests, which allows you to take on more complex assignments and train other MTs.
Career Outlook for Medical Transcriptionists
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not expect outsourcing to diminish the demand for MTs in the U.S. and predicts an 11 percent growth rate for the profession in the next eight years. In 2009, the median annual salary for medical transcriptionists was $32,600.
Becoming a great medical transcriptionist is ultimately about attaining experience while maintaining intellectual curiosity and your drive to serve both doctors and patients well.
Resources for Medical Transcriptionists
These schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).
Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.
| School | Locations | Degrees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antonelli College | MS, OH | Associate | |
| Ashworth College | Online | Diploma | |
| Brown Mackie College | OH | Diploma | |
| Fortis College | PA | Diploma | |
| Kaplan University KHE | IA, MD, NE | Associate, Certificate | |
| Kaplan University Online | Online | Associate | |
| Rasmussen College | FL, IL, MN, ND, WI | Associate, Diploma | |
| Stratford Career Institute | Online | Diploma | |
| Sullivan University | KY | Diploma |
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