by CourseAdvisor

Medical Transcription is one of a group of rapidly growing allied health careers. A medical transcriptionist's primary responsibility is to listen to recordings that doctors have dictated and enter the information into documents that become parts of patients' medical records.

Most medical transcriptionists work for hospitals and physicians' offices, but not necessarily in the office or hospital. Medical transcription work doesn't involve much interaction with other people, so many medical transcriptionists can arrange to work at home as either subcontractors or telecommuting employees. This is an excellent, high-paying career for stay-at-home moms.

The general transcription process is:

• Listening on a headset to dictation made by physicians and others
• Keying the information into a word processing program
• Returning the documents for the physicians’ review and sign-off

Technological advances affect the way transcription is done. Workers transmit dictation and medical records over the Internet. Also, speech recognition software can reduce the time spent keying in data, shifting the role of the transcriptionist from typist to editor.

To successfully transcribe medical information, you should understand medical information and jargon, work well with computers, and have good grammar. You must also respect patient confidentiality and adhere to medical records standards.

Most employers prefer to hire people with formal training in medical transcription. These programs are usually one-year certificate or two-year associate programs that are offered through vocational schools, community colleges, and distance learning classes.

The American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) administers an exam resulting in a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) designation. If you pass the exam and earn the CMT credential, you prove to employers that you are competent and that your skills are up-to-date. CMTs must recertify every three years through continuing education.

Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-2007 Edition; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor