Are you ready to join the ranks of over 105,000 medical transcriptionists around the country? Great! But before you get started, you will need some training and education first. But don’t run yet, the medical transcription training programs are not long, so you don’t have to worry about taking the next five years to study before you can enter the career field! In fact, some are not only pretty short, but they can be completed right from where you are sitting now (or the comfort of your own home).
Medical Transcription Training
The good news about becoming a medical transcriptionist is that there is no one way to enter the career field. There are no licensing requirements, and there is no set way for you to gain your training. There is a variety of ways that you can gain medical transcription training, so you are able to choose the route that best suits your needs and goals.
Some of the medical transcription training options include:
- Medical transcription degree options through community colleges. These would usually take two years to complete, but you would earn an associates degree. There are some schools that may also offer medical transcription degrees for those that would like to attend longer and earn a bachelor’s degree.
- There are medical transcription training programs that lead to a certificate, as well as a diploma. These would usually be offered at vocational schools or can be found and earned online. Distance education medical transcription training programs are increasingly becoming popular because you can earn them from home, and they offer the same opportunity to enter the career field.
- Once you receive your training, you can opt to become certified in the field. This certification, which is offered through the Approval Committee for Certificate Programs, is not required, but can help establish a more professional appearance and may be helpful in getting work. This certification may be even more important for the many people who do medical transcription from home, as they seek work independently.
Choosing the Right Medical Transcription Training
If you are seriously interested in becoming a medical transcriptionist, you should start by finding the right medical transcription training program. To do this, simply contact several schools to see what their programs are like. Be sure to ask questions, such as what you can expect to learn, how long the program is, what it leads to (e.g., certificate, diploma, etc.), and what the program costs. You will then need to compare the programs to find which one is going to help you meet your career goals.
At the very least, you want a medical transcription training program that is going to teach you basic medical terminology, how to transcribe, the importance of accuracy, how to produce medical reports, discharge summaries, autopsy reports, progress notes, and more. You want as much information covered in your medical transcription training as possible, so you are well prepared to enter the field.
Online Medical Transcription Training
As you conduct your search for medical transcription degree or training programs, you will find that there are many online learning options available. Many of these programs will give you the information you need to enter and succeed in the career field, but it is important to still gather information from several in order to make your decision. Remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. You will also want to compare costs of each program, as there may be a big difference in online programs. The more expensive does not necessarily mean that it is better.
Medical Transcription Careers
Those that work in the medical transcription career field earn an average hourly salary of around $15.41. Some earn as much as $18.55 per hour, or more. You will be able to make a decent living on the salary. Furthermore, almost half of all medical transcriptionists work from home, so that may be a major benefit for you if you want a career you can do from home. In addition, around 36 percent work in hospitals and 23 percent work in doctor’s offices. So you will have options when it comes to deciding where you want to work.
For those that want to work in a healthcare position but don’t want to spend years going to school, the medical transcription training and career is ideal. It will put you in a health-related career, making a decent salary with minimal training, and the opportunity to be your own boss and work right from home!