Healthcare Jobs in Medical Transcription

Do you have great attention to detail? Are you interested in medical jargon? Do you like to work with computers? Well, if you answered yes to these questions, a job in medical transcription could be for you. Training programs are relatively quick and put you in the work force quickly with a desirable career, as well as a great salary.

Training. Medical transcription training can be completed in as little as 6 months and up to 2 years. Programs can be taken at community colleges, vocational schools, and some medical facilities. There are some online and self-study formats that let you work from home at your own pace. Training programs consist of course work in medical terminology, laboratory terminology, pharmaceutical terminology, transcription formatting, and clerical duties. Training also educates students with important knowledge about legal issues surrounding patient care and health records. It is also important that transcriptionists have proper pronunciation and grammar, as well as practical hands on experience.

Certification. Upon completion of a training program, students are eligible to take a national certification examination. The exam is administered by the American Association for Medical Transcription, and successful completion offers the transcriptionist the title of Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT). Certification is highly recommended for employment, though currently not required in all states. Once certified, CMTs must fulfill continued education requirements in order to maintain certification.

Job Description. Medical transcriptionists can be employed in a number of healthcare settings including hospitals, physician's offices, nursing homes, clinics, home health or public health agencies. Some transcriptionists work in private transcription businesses or as independent contractors. In a given day, medical transcriptionists may record medical records and correspondence for a number of patients. In many cases transcriptionists listen to information on a head set and type it into the computer.

Salary. Medical transcriptionists have respectable wages of an average $25,000 annually. However, salary increases for those with more experience and managerial positions. The demand for medical transcriptionists is also very stable, as the need for managing medical documents is essential to a properly run medical facility.

Entering the field of medical transcription is a quick process. Training programs are widely available and affordable. It is a great career in healthcare and offers many opportunities for advancement.

Angela Oliver is a contributing author for Healthcare-TrainingCenter.com, offering free no-obligation information about healthcare careers. Please visit the site at http://www.healthcare-trainingcenter.com/programs-medical-transcription.asp to learn more about medical transcription.