Published on 02/15/2006

Medical transcriptionist is a title most often associated with a professional who transcribes medical reports that have been dictated by a doctor or another medical professional.

Medical Transcriptionist Job Description

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.

Medical Transcriptionist Training & School

Most medical transcriptionists complete a training or certification program, though it is not always necessarily a requirement for employment. Training programs are available at vocational schools, community colleges, and distance learning schools.

Most schools offer either a two-year associate’s degree program or a one-year certificate program. Curriculum varies depending upon the school, but usually includes coursework in medical terminology, grammar, punctuation, and healthcare legality issues. Certain programs also include supervised hands-on training.

In addition to certain academic skills, medical transcriptionists must also be able to type quickly, as this is an important part of transcribing dictation. An eye for detail and a familiarity with computers, word processing programs, and dictation equipment is also essential.

A certification program that is administered by the American Association of Medical Transcriptionists (AAMT) is available to medical transcriptionists who wish to become certified. Certification is awarded to applicants who have passed a written and practical examination. Every three years certified medical transcriptionists (CMT) must earn continuing education credits to be re-certified.

Medical Transcriptionist Salary

The job outlook for medical transcriptionists is expected to be good. Job opportunities in this field are expected to grow faster than in the average occupation. As with most professions, job opportunities will be best for medical transcriptionists who have completed some type of education or certification program.

Earning and compensation methods vary for medical transcriptionists based on place of employment, geographic location, and level of experience or education. Most medical transcriptionists are paid hourly, but some are paid based on the number of words or lines that have been transcribed. Typical hourly earnings for medical transcriptionists are approximately $14 per hour.