The reports that a medical transcriptionist transcribes may include, but are not limited to clinical notes, lab evaluations, physical and psychiatric evaluations, autopsy reports, and operative or treatment details. It is very important that medical transcriptionists be familiar with medical terms and abbreviations. To accurately transcribe reports that have been dictated, a knowledge and general understanding of medical terminology and diagnostic procedures is often necessary.

Medical transcriptionists most often receive dictation that has been recorded with a tape, digital system, or some other type of voice file. While listening to the recordings, medical transcriptionists key text into a computer or word processing program. In some cases, transcriptionists are responsible for catching errors and editing text for optimum clarity. After completing the transcription, the document that is created becomes a written record of medical/patient history.

Transcribing services, libraries, laboratories, and medical facilities most often employ medical transcriptionists. On average, four out of ten medical transcriptionists work in hospitals, while three out of ten worked in a physician’s office.

A growing number of medical transcriptionists are self-employed, working at home on a freelance basis. Thanks to the Internet, it is not always necessary for a medical transcriptionist to be located on site.