How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist

How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist

The Basics on Becoming a Medical Transcriptionist

Are you investigating how to become a Medical Transcriptionist and what the career entails? The main Medical Transcriptionist job duties are to convert audio recordings made by healthcare professionals into written reports. These audio recordings may describe emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews as well as office visits.

As part of the transcribing process Medical Transcriptionists will also translate medical abbreviations into full form, find errors and missing information in a report, and enter medical reports into electronic health records systems.

According to O*NET, 56% of Transcriptionists have a postsecondary certificate (and more have at least some college experience). So while most Medical Transcriptionists may have earned a postsecondary education, it is not a requirement. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many employers prefer to hire those who have completed postsecondary training due to the understanding of medical terminology, anatomy and other factors required to perform the job.

Medical Transcriptionist Salary Potential

  • Lowest 10th%
    $22,160
  • Median
    $33,380
  • Highest 90th%
    $51,260

 

States with the Highest Employment Levels

STATES2019 ANNUAL MEAN WAGENUMBER OF JOBS
California$39,5605,270
Florida$34,6404,440
Texas$31,7904,280
New York$34,9102,700
Pennsylvania$35,4502,640
 
 

How Do Your Skills Stack Up?

Day to day life

As reported by O*NET, these types of tasks are conducted every day in this role or are extremely important – would you feel comfortable performing these tasks as part of the day to day life of a Medical Transcriptionist?

Did You Know?

According to O*NET, here are a few interesting pieces of information:

  • 56% have a Post-Secondary Certificate, 26% have some college, but no degree, and 11% have a High School Diploma.
  • 80% of respondents said they continually or almost continually spend time sitting down.
  • 53% said they have a lot of freedom when it comes to determining tasks, priorities, and goals
  • 58% said their work week typically consists of 40 hours.

FAQs About How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist

What is the average Medical Transcription salary?

According to the BLS, the 2019 median annual wage for a Medical Transcriptionist was $33,380. 

What skills do Medical Transcriptionists Possess?

According to O*NET, Medical Transcriptionists are usually proficient in areas such as time management, communicating to others effectively, reading and writing comprehension as well as active listening – taking the time to listen to what people are saying and asking appropriate questions at appropriate times.

What job titles are similar to or the same as a Medical Transcriptionist?

If you are looking to become a Medical Transcriptionist and are searching job boards, you may want to include these types of job titles: Clinical Medical Transcriptionist, Documentation Specialist, Medical Language Specialist, Medical Secretary, Medical Transcriber, Medical Transcription, Medical Transcription Supervisor, Medical Transcriptionist, Radiology Transcriptionist, Transcriptionist.

What are common types of software I would have to learn as a Medical Transcriptionist?

Medical Transcriptionists use a few key pieces of software including word processing, voice recognition software (for example Crescendo Systems DigiScribe-XL), and medical software (which would include programs such as SpeedUp Trans, Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking Medical, and SpectraMedi EasyFlow). They may also use specialized spell checkers for Pharmaceuticals.

Job information sourced from O*NET 

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