How To Become a Medical Transcriptionist

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How Long Does It Take, What Degree Do You Need, and More

Medical Transcriptionists

Medical Transcriptionists transcribe medical reports recorded by physicians and other healthcare practitioners using various electronic devices, covering office visits, emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate abbreviations into fully understandable form. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form for review and signature, or correction.

Salary
$37310
Becoming One
Medium
Education
Post-secondary certificate
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match



What degree do you need

Recommended degree level

Post-Secondary Certificate

We did a survey to ask other Medical Transcriptionists what degree they had when they became a Medical Transcriptionist. Here are the results.
a Post-Secondary Certificate
55.53%


College Certificate
25.6%


High School Diploma
11.15%


One of the most common questions that we always get is what major or degree do I need to become Medical Transcriptionists or what courses do I need to take.

We also asked Medical Transcriptionists what did they major in college or university and here are the top 5 most popular majors that came up.

Medical Transcription

Employers prefer to hire medical transcriptionists who have completed postsecondary training in medical transcription, which is offered by many vocational schools, community colleges, and distance-learning programs. A 1-year certificate program or 2-year associate’s degree normally includes coursework in anatomy, medical terminology, risk management, legal issues relating to healthcare documentation, and English grammar and punctuation.



How hard is it

Difficulty
Not Too Hard

You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be a Medical Transcriptionist. For example, an electrician must complete three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Careers in this difficulty category will usually need 1 or 2 years of on-the-job training and informal training with experienced workers. These careers usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Similar careers include hydroelectric production managers, travel agents, electricians, court reporters, and medical assistants.


Related work experience required
1 to 2 years

1 to 2 years
36.02%


6 months to 1 year
20.96%


2 to 4 years
18.38%


Job training
1 to 3 months

1 to 3 months
45.35%


3 to 6 months
25.76%


Up to 1 month
21.53%



License and certifications

Do you need any license or certification
Recommended but not required

Although certification is not required, some medical transcriptionists choose to become certified. The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity offers the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) and the Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS) certifications.


Skills required

We asked other Medical Transcriptionists if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.

1. Active Listening what does this mean
2. Reading Comprehension what does this mean
3. Writing what does this mean
4. Time Management what does this mean
5. Speaking what does this mean

= Hot in-demand that most employers are looking for


Knowledge required

Just like any other job, you will need certain know-hows to excel at your job. Medical Transcriptionists are generally very knowledgeable in these 5 key areas.

1. Clerical what does this mean
2. English Language what does this mean
3. Computers and Electronics what does this mean
4. Medicine and Dentistry what does this mean
5. Customer and Personal Service what does this mean


Learn more about Medical Transcriptionists

Summary
Job Description
Salary
Requirements (You are here)
Quiz

Related to Medical Transcriptionists Requirements

Medical Transcriptionists requirements, how to become Medical Transcriptionists, degree required to be a Medical Transcriptionist, Medical Transcriptionists license and certifications, majors to be a Medical Transcriptionist, is it hard to become a Medical Transcriptionist and how long does it take


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