How To Become a Medical Records and Health Information Technician

Stan T.Career, RequirementsLeave a Comment

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

Medical Records Technicians

Medical Records Technicians compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system. Process, maintain, compile, and report patient information for health requirements and standards in a manner consistent with the healthcare industry's numerical coding system.

Salary
$48270
Becoming One
Medium
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality



What degree do you need

Recommended degree level

High School Diploma

We did a survey to ask other Medical Records and Health Information Technicians what degree they had when they became a Medical Records and Health Information Technician. Here are the results.
High School Diploma
48.06%


College Certificate
20.57%


Associate’s Degree
19.93%


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

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

Health Information or Medical Records Technology
Medical Insurance Coding Specialist or Coder

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation, although they may have an associate’s degree. Many employers also require professional certification. Postsecondary certificate and associate’s degree programs in health information technology typically include courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, health data requirements and standards, classification and coding systems, healthcare reimbursement methods, healthcare statistics, and computer systems.



How hard is it

Difficulty
Not Too Hard

You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be a Medical Records and Health Information Technician. 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
6 months to 1 year

6 months to 1 year
40.35%


1 to 2 years
19.69%


2 to 4 years
13.85%


Job training
Up to 1 month

Up to 1 month
39.89%


1 to 3 months
31.32%


3 to 6 months
13.97%



License and certifications

Do you need any license or certification
Recommended but not required

Most employers prefer to hire Medical Records and Health Information Technicians who have professional certification. A Medical Records and Health Information Technician can earn certification from several organizations. Some organizations base certification on passing an exam. Others require graduation from an accredited program. Once certified, technicians typically must renew their certification regularly and take continuing education courses. Certifications include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR), among others. Many coding certifications require coding experience in a work setting.


Skills required

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

1. Reading Comprehension what does this mean
2. Active Listening what does this mean
3. Writing what does this mean
4. Speaking what does this mean
5. Critical Thinking 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 Records Technicians 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. Customer and Personal Service what does this mean
5. Administration and Management what does this mean


Learn more about Medical Records Technicians

Summary
Job Description
Salary
Requirements (You are here)
Quiz

Related to Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Requirements

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians requirements, how to become Medical Records Technicians, degree required to be a Medical Records and Health Information Technician, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians license and certifications, majors to be a Medical Records and Health Information Technician, is it hard to become a Medical Records and Health Information Technician and how long does it take


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.