The answer is – yes, you can become a medical transcriptionist if you already have experience or background in medical transcription. If you have worked in a physician’s office or hospital and built up that knowledge and/or experience that is a plus and you can probably get hired without taking an MT course. It is important that you have experience transcribing reports and not just the knowledge and foundation of medical terminology. You have to have both in order to integrate these two together.
Most medical transcription agencies or employers look to hire medical transcriptionists that have had formal medical transcription training given by an online program, vocational school, community college, etc. or have worked at a hospital or physician’s office dealing with some sort of medical transcription prior; these requirements vary from one employer to the next.
A medial transcriptionist should posses the knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, transcribing reports, and also have good grammar and writing skills. If you feel that you do not posses these skills and/or need some brushing up then it would be better that you take a course and get the proper training. A training course can usually take up to several months to two years to complete, depending on which route you take. Vocational schools, community colleges, and online schools offer training in medical transcription. The most popular and easiest to obtain in 4-6 months would be taking an online training program. Many people start a career in medical transcription because it requires little higher education and jobs in this field are plentiful.
The question now is; which is the right online training program for me? When you search online you will find a number of schools that offer training, but which is the right one? This was something that overwhelmed me also.
When looking for an online school, make sure that they offer the following things:
AHDI – Approved curriculum – Make sure the training program offered by the school is an approved curriculum so that you assure the training you are getting prepares you to have all the skills and experience needed to start working as soon as you graduate.
Prepare students for speech recognition – As the medial transcription industry evolves you want to make sure you stay up-to-date with all the new technology out there, so this is a great plus to learn.
Practice actual doctor dictations – Look for a school that gives you hands-on experience dictating actual doctor dictations and covers a wide variety of medical specialties. This is great so that you can get a feel of what you will be transcribing when you start working as a medial transcription.
Materials included in your enrollment – Look to see what is included in your tuition payment. A good school should include everything needed for your training, including curriculum and materials, online library of medial words, student support and technical support, foot pedal, certification, and graduate resources.
Tuition price: Now this was important to me because I was not going to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a medical transcription school. Remember if it sounds too good to be true than it is, so look for something reasonable and affordable.
Student support and job placement for its graduates – Make sure that the school offers instructor support while completing your online course program and graduate support when you graduate. This is important because recruiting partners that have partnered with the school will hire medical transcriptions that have completed the school’s program.
Now that you have researched all these things, the time has come to pick a school. I went with Career Step and was really happy with the training I received from them and the support I got after I graduated. I am currently a successful medical transcriptionist and know that they have trained me well. I would recommend them to any one that is interested in getting trained as a medical transcriptionist. Make sure to do your homework and research to find a school that will prepare you for your future as a medical transcriptionist.