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Medical Transcriptionist

The medical transcriptionist is the allied health professional who transcribes, edits and types physicians' dictated notes of patients' medical procedures and treatment. The medical transcriptionist must have sharp listening skills to translate physicians' oral comments into well-organized and accurate typewritten statements. The physician records patients' cases onto tape-recording devices and submits the cassettes to the medical transcriptionist. The transciptionist transcribes each report accurately, ensuring that the meaning does not change, translates complex medical terms and corrects usage, spelling and punctuation. The medical transcriptionist is able to detect discrepancies in dictation and edit them accordingly. The medical transcriptionist is a proficient typist, familiar with a variety of medical documents, including medical histories, physicals, consultation and operative reports.

Medical transcriptionists must be organized, prompt, able to type quickly and accurately. They work independently with little supervision in office settings in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, physicians' offices and insurance companies and with medical transcribing services.

Some medical transcriptionists concentrate in one particular area of the medical profession such as radiology, pathology or emergency room medicine. The medical transcriptionist may transcribe for one or a few physicians in a small medical practice, or for several hundred in a large health care facility.

Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that medical transcriptionists' opportunities will continue to grow. Transcriptionists may be employed in a hospital full-time or work from their homes on a part-time or free-lance basis.

Educational Requirements
Formal training programs are offered through universities, colleges, community colleges, vocational schools and adult educational programs. Programs generally include classroom and clinical experience and last from nine months (for a certificate) up to two years (for an associate degree). A high school diploma is required plus excellent typing, spelling and transcription skills. Medical transcriptionists are required to learn medical terminology either through on-the-job training or classes.

Educational Programs - Chicago Area