Medical transcription is a challenging career. As a medical transcriptionist, one accurately and swiftly transcribes medical records dictated by doctors and other medical professionals, including history and physical reports, clinic notes, office notes, consultation notes, operative reports, lab reports, x-ray reports, pathology reports, and discharge summaries. Medical transcriptionists, or MTs, assist physicians and surgeons by transcribing, formatting, and proofreading their dictated medical reports of patients' histories. This dictation usually covers everything that takes place between the healthcare provider and the patient.
The information dictated by doctors is usually recorded either in tape format or by digital voice-processing systems. Transcriptionists usually listen to the recordings on a headset and key the text into a personal computer, editing as necessary for grammar and clarity. MTs then return the transcribed documents to the physicians or healthcare professionals for review and signature or correction. The documents they produce eventually become parts of patients' permanent files.
Every time a person is admitted to a hospital, is seen in an emergency room, has an x-ray, or has a patient interaction with a medical professional, a report is generated. As an MT, you are the one responsible for transforming these reports from dictated form to written form to be stored in the patients' databases. Medical transcriptionists focus on medical technology, correct grammar usage, and computer literacy and thereby contribute to the overall success of a medical practice.
A medical transcription career is unique in that as an MT, you can work in an office, work from home and in an office, or eventually just work from home. Many MTs are employed in comfortable settings, such as hospitals, physicians' offices, transcription-service offices, clinics, laboratories, medical libraries, government facilities, or home-based offices. They work as employees or subcontractors for hospitals and transcription services or as self-employed, independent contractors. Most MTs who work in hospitals or physicians' offices work a standard 40-hour week. Self-employed transcriptionists are more likely to work irregular hours, including part-time hours, evenings, or weekends; they may also be on call.
The current median salary for a typical medical transcriptionist in the United States is $46,916. MT salaries can vary widely, however, and actual earnings are determined by a few different factors. MTs who work from home and have their own accounts will usually make more money than MTs who work in a traditional job setting.
If you have your own MT business, you can have more control over your earnings. The more accounts you generate, the more opportunities you have to make money. As the business grows, you can even hire subcontractors and take on more work. The business can grow exponentially and become very lucrative.
With a home-based business, if you do all the work yourself, you can earn anywhere from $20,000 per year to $50,000 per year. If you create a larger transcription service and hire subcontractors, you can make between $50,000 and $200,000 or more annually. There really is no limit to how much you can make; the earning potential is there, and there are many opportunities to take advantage of.
Medical transcription is a field that offers relatively quick entry, and it can be an easy transition for those who already have medical backgrounds. Transcriptionists generally complete postsecondary training in medical transcription offered by vocational schools, community colleges, or distance-learning programs. Completion of a two-year associate degree or one-year certificate program including coursework in anatomy, medical terminology, healthcare documentation, and English grammar is the usual requirement. Many of these programs include supervised on-the-job or externship experience.
If you're looking for fulfilling work that can generate a lot of income, medical transcription might be a good career choice. And if you choose to work from home, you can set your own hours and have limitless income potential.
As a medical transcriptionist, you are contributing to society by providing a much-needed service and ensuring fast patient care in the medical system. It can be highly rewarding work, providing not only job satisfaction but also job security. To put it succinctly, "As long as people are getting sick, transcriptionists will be in demand."
To learn more about medical transcription careers and certification and for advice on choosing an education program, contact:
American Association for Medical Transcription
3460 Oakdale Road, Suite M
Modesto, CA 95355
800-982-2182
www.aamt.org
