Occupations like medical transcription require excellent communication and organizational skills. The job of medical transcriptionist is to listen to physicians’ recording and then transcribe those recording into medical reports as advised. Since medical transcriptionists need to accurately transcribe what they listen on the recordings, they need to be quite well versed with medical terminology. Most of the times, professionals will be listening to a lot of medical jargon, short forms and other abbreviated terms used in the field of medicine and healthcare. The transcriptionist must carefully listen to all these jargon and abbreviated terms of medical science and translate them into expanded forms. The dictated recordings that medical transcriptionists listen to are sent by physicians and other healthcare professionals.
Medical transcriptionists usually listen to these medical recordings on a headset. They make use of foot pedal which can be used to pause the recording as and when required. As they listen to these recording they transcribe them on a computer into a word editor. Correction of grammar and other rectifications needs to be done by the medical transcription. Medical transcriptionists produce a variety of medical documents including medical report, operative report, physical examination report and consultation report among others. After the medical transcriptionist has transcribed the documents, the latter are sent back to the physicians.
With a few years of experience in the field, medical transcription can advance their career even more and make it more profitable. The duty of an experienced medical transcriptionist is to produce completely error free documents. Professionals need to possess capability to accurately transcribe the assessment of patients. Accurate translations and transcription guarantees superior quality patient care. Medical transcriptionists can either work in a physician’s office or from home. Working in a physician’s office requires medical transcriptionists to do a couple of other tasks like responding to mails, answering the telephone and receiving patients among others. Medical transcriptionists also need to abide by some legal and ethical requirements applicable in the medical field. Professionals must keep confidential all the patient information that they transcribe.
Educational Background, Training & Certifications
Training in medical transcription can be obtained locally, through distance learning mode or online. Multiple vocational schools and colleges provide postsecondary training to candidates. Candidates can either decide to obtain a 2-year associate degree or 1-year certifications. During their educational training, students are trained in subjects like anatomy, physiology, medical terminology and legalities involved in healthcare documentation. Sound knowledge of English grammar and punctuation is high recommended to make the most of your medical transcriptionist career. Refresher training programs are also offered for transcriptionists who have some previous experience in the medical field. Additional certifications may be required to gain advantage over others. The Association of Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) awards two certifications to transcriptionists – Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) and Certified Medical Transcriptionist. Those who have completed graduate training programs in medical transcription are eligible to apply for the RMT certification.
Career Outlook
Job opportunities for medical transcriptionists are excellent. After completing the relevant training programs, candidates can apply for job at places like hospitals, transcription service offices, medical clinics, laboratories and other medical and healthcare facilities. Professionals can also decide to start transcription services at their home. Home-based offices are also a good option to earn from your career. Usually, medical transcriptionists work 40 hours a week. However, if you operate from a home-based office, you may need to work part time, in the evenings or at weekends. Hours can be set as per your and clients requirements. Medical transcriptionists have to sit at the computer for hours. Around 112,000 jobs for professionals are expected through the year 2012. The median annual income of a medical transcriptionist is $29,950.
