Transcription vs. Copy Typing - What are They and How Do They Differ?

Many people are confused as to why transcription (audio typing) apparently costs more than copy typing, as both are typing services. This article aims to explain the differences between the two services and what makes up the costs for a transcription service.

Firstly let?s take copy typing. This normally refers to the typing of written ?copy? ? this maybe a previously typed document (perhaps typed on a typewriter and needing to be input into a Word Processor) or a hand-written document. The cost will vary depending on the ease of readability but with basic copy typing there is no editing or interpretation required; the typist simply types what is written in front of them. The cost of the typing services will vary according to how difficult the writing is to decipher ? it will be relatively cheaper if the original document is very clear handwriting or type-written.

Transcription, on the other hand, has no copy for the typist to look at, only an audio recording, which may be an audio tape, video, DVD or audio digital recording. This brings with it a number of issues that copy typing does not have: is the speech clear; is the content comprehensible (e.g. highly technical content might be full of words the transcriptionist is not familiar with); is the recording quality good (e.g. is there any background hiss on the tape or background noise from the surroundings the tape was recorded in); do you need verbatim transcription (word for word with all ?ums and ers?, speech patterns and fillers such as ?you know?, ?know what I mean? or ?kind of? repeated often through the recording; do you want the transcript edited to improve the grammar and sentence structure?

Clearly transcription is much more involved than copy typing. Another thing to bear in mind is that an hour of recording is not equivalent to an hour of transcription time. Even an experienced transcriptionist will be able to average four times as long for a good, clear one-to-one interview ? so an hour of recording will take an average of four hours to transcribe. ( Industry standards obtained from the Industry Production Standards Guide (I998), published by OBC, Columbus, OH, USA) A group, or a poorly recorded transcript, will take commensurately longer. Thus when you receive a quote per hour of recording it may seem like a lot of money, but remember this is NOT your transcriptionist?s hourly rate but rather a quote for a minimum of four hours of her/his time.

Transcriptionists also have to make sense of what?s being said, punctuate the speech correctly and use the right homophones (words like there/their/they?re that sound the same but are spelt differently.)

Many transcriptionists specialise in a particular area so that they are familiar with the technicalities e.g. medical transcription, legal transcription. Others are more generalist and work on less technical transcripts such as research interviews and market research focus groups, video or telephone conferences, seminars and conferences. These may all, of course, contain technical data and if they do it?s helpful to provide your transcriptionist with a list of keywords or, at very least, some background information about your work. Otherwise Google is a wonderful tool if used properly to research the topic but that will add to the total time taken to produce your transcript, and therefore the cost.

Hopefully it is now clear that transcription requires more skill than ?straightforward? copy typing with no editing or formatting involved, and therefore commands a higher hourly rate.

There are a number of things you can do to reduce the cost of the transcription though, and these are detailed in some of my other articles. (See below).

Penguin Transcription (http://www.penguin-transcription.co.uk), part of Penguin Office Services (http://www.penguinofficeservices.co.uk), offers an affordable transcription service by tailoring each quote to the exact requirements of the client. The more information the client can provide us with, and the better the quality of the recording for transcription, the more affordable the transcription service will be. Why not visit our site and fill in an enquiry form at http://www.penguin-transcription.co.uk/PTS_enquiry_form.html to receive a quote for your transcription requirements. More information about transcription is available through other ezine articles listed at http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Anne_Hickley.

This article is copyright, Anne Hickley, 2007.

Digital Versus Analog Recordings for Transcription

Firstly it is useful to understand the differences between digital and analog audio. This applies to any recordings, not just to recordings of voice for transcription. Analog machines, such as tape cassette recorders, record sounds as wave forms, the way that the sound occurs in nature. Digital machines record sound by taking samples of the signal and storing them as bits of data, in the same way as a computer stores information. Because of the way the sounds are recorded digital recordings have a higher signal-to-noise ratio. Noise here refers to any background noise but when comparing analog to digital recordings it really refers to recorder-induced noise such as ?tape hiss?. So the quality of the digital recording is better. That alone is a good reason to consider using digital recording rather than analogue tapes!

There are other good reasons though. Not least of these is the fact that copies of analog recordings deteriorate in quality, so sending a copy of your master tape to a transcriptionist can result in a poor quality transcription, because the quality of the audio is poor. Digital recordings can be copied again and again with no deterioration in quality because all that?s being copied is a series of bits of data.

Of course when using digital recordings you do need to check that your transcriptionist can transcribe from the file type you are using, or convert it. Most transcriptionists will be able to transcribe from any standard analog cassette and many can transcribe from micro and mini cassettes and video. So long as they have the relevant tape transcription machine they can transcribe the tape. Not so, unfortunately, with digital.

Most digital audio file types are compressed and a codec (the algorithm used to reduce the number of bites contained in large files by eliminating redundant data) and the transcriptionist or transcription software will need access to the codec that has produced the compressed file. However, this is often not an issue as PCs and many types of transcription software come with a variety of codecs already installed. It is certainly important to check with your transcriptionist though that they can work with your file type. Please see my separate article on digital file types for transcription for more information on this.

Digital file types are also easily manipulated and this can be useful when recording for transcription. If there are parts of the file you do not want transcribed it is a fairly simple matter to remove those parts and only send the transcriptionist the parts that should be transcribed. Alternatively, because a digital recording indicates where you are in it second by second, you can send the transcriptionist instructions such as ?transcribe between 3 minutes 20 seconds and 60 minutes 10 seconds.? This does not work on analog media as, even if you and your transcriptionist both have tape players with minute counters, the level of accuracy is quite poor.

Another huge benefit from the point of view of the transcription itself is that in a transcription from a digital recording your transcriptionist can mark the precise time that an inaudible word occurs. If that time is 3 minutes and 22 seconds then you can go back to your copy of the recording and almost instantly find 3 minutes and 22 seconds, play the word, and hopefully fill in the blank. With an analog recording on tape the transcriptionist can mark an inaudible word but it's not possible to note the time with any degree of accuracy and you will either need to flick back and forth through the tape to find it or listen through the whole recording.

There are various ways to make a digital recording. Perhaps the commonest when recording for transcription is onto a card, in much the same way as a digital camera records pictures onto a card. The recorded files can then be transferred onto your computer and sent to your transcriptionist via email (if compressed), FTP, file sharing sites or, in some cases, a file-sending box located on the transcriptionist?s website.

Minidiscs have an excellent sound quality but many transcriptionists are unable to transcribe from them as the data needs to be transferred to PC first and then usually converted for use in transcription programmes.

DVDs and CDs also need to be converted before use in transcription software.

Recording can also be done directly onto a computer hard-drive using various types of software and an external microphone. However, when conducting interviews the presence of a laptop and large microphone might be rather intrusive.

However the recording is made and stored, it should be possible, with the right equipment and software, to convert the file into something you can download onto your PC and send to your transcriptionist by one of the methods mentioned above. So digital recordings not only improve on quality but can save you time and money. Recordings can be ?instantly? transferred to the transcriptionist instead of posting audio cassettes, you save money on postage costs to and from your transcriptionist and a better quality transcription will cost less to transcribe as it will take less time.

All in all, in a comparison between digital and analogue recording for transcription, digital recordings come out well ahead.

Penguin Transcription (http://www.penguin-transcription.co.uk), part of Penguin Office Services, offers an affordable transcription service by tailoring each quote to the exact requirements of the client. The more information the client can provide us with, and the better the quality of the recording for transcription, the more affordable the transcription service will be. Why not visit our site and fill in an enquiry form at http://www.penguin-transcription.co.uk/PTS_enquiry_form.html to receive a quote for your transcription requirements.

This article is copyright, Anne Hickley, 2007.

Benefits of a Medical Transcription Business

You have decided to start a home based business. Now the problem is choosing which business to pursue. Usually, before a person decides to begin their business, a lot of research needs to be done. Your demographic area determines if the product you have to sell will be in demand by the public. Marketing a product that is already saturated in the area in which you live spells disaster for your business in its infancy. This article cuts through all of that research and presents you with a home based business product whose demand will continue to increase over the coming years.

Medical transcription is an at home business that offers tremendous benefits for those who choose to pursue it. One benefit of this business is setting your own hours of operation. The problem with traditional office jobs is that they are not structured to accommodate children’s school schedules, family illnesses, and emergencies. My children go to school late so going to work at an earlier hour means leaving them home to see themselves off to school in the morning. The flexible hours that this home based business provides allows you to tend to family issues as they arise. You don’t have to get permission to leave work because you are the boss!

Another benefit of a home based business like this is the low overhead. “Overhead” refers to the costs involved in operating your business that are subtracted from the bottom line to determine your business profits. Other new businesses that require a building or need to employ workers will have higher operating costs including employer provided health insurance.

At home, the cost to you will be limited to the equipment used to retrieve the dictation, a computer with word processing software (if you don’t already own one), a desk, a chair, and a phone. Most of what you need, you may already have. Also, these things can be written off on your taxes as a business expense, and that includes the square footage of the room that you choose to be your base of operations. Less overhead costs equal more profits for your business.

Medical transcriptionists are employed in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and transcription services. Most companies that hire medical transcriptionists require hospital experience. Length of service differs from company to company. The beauty of this field is that you can work in the hospital setting to gain the necessary experience and grow your business at the same time. Working part-time in a hospital or office will give you a feel for the industry in your particular area. Joining a professional medical transcription organization will help you network among others in the profession to increase your business.

Beginning any new business requires time and hard work. A medical transcription business offers low overhead, flexible work schedules, and a product that will stay in demand as long as there are doctors. These benefits make it appealing to those who are tired of the grind and want a more balanced family life.

For more information on starting a medical transcription online information and help getting started as an MT visit - http://www.askthemt.com/ – an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions

Why Medical Transcription is a Great Way to Work from Home

Are the confines of a "nine to five" job not for you? If you are looking for an occupation that offers a change of pace, think about starting your own home based business. A home based business provides a work schedule that is centered on the needs of your life and not the other way around, which is typical of a traditional job.

If a home based business is a venture you want to pursue, consider a business in the medical field. Besides computers, the medical field is one of the fastest growing areas of employment. As current medical professionals age out, the need to replace them is urgent.

Medical transcription is a growing career that can be managed as a home based business. The job of a medical transcriptionist is to accurately translate a doctor's audio dictation into text form for patient medical records. A medical transcriptionist needs to have good communication and language skills. The most important skill is a working knowledge of medical terms including drug abbreviations, surgical terms, laboratory test abbreviations, laboratory values, medical specialty terms, and anatomy. Good word processing skills are also needed to present a professional finished product to your clients.

A medical background is not a necessity for a home based business in medical transcription. Online and correspondence courses are offered to provide all the training you will need to pursue this career. This is an added bonus. You can train at home to start a business at home! These programs will not only teach you medical terminology, but also familiarize you with the latest equipment and software used in the transcription industry.

Working from home in the medical profession is a career that will always be in demand. As long as doctor's practice, they will dictate medical procedures to make their lives easier. Someone will also be needed to translate these dictations into text documents. So, you won't have to worry about your business becoming defunct in a couple of years unless you want it to. There is job security in the medical transcription industry. You can grow your business as much or as little as you want. The sky's the limit.

So, if you are the type of person who is ambitious, entrepreneurial, an effective listener and communicator, the home based medical transcription business is the perfect way to work from home. You can break out of the traditional job mold forever.

For more information on starting a medical transcription online information and help getting started as an MT visit - http://www.askthemt.com/ - an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions

Medical Transcription Tips-Staying Organized

When operating a business, it is important to be organized. The day to day operations will run smoother if your "i's" are dotted and your "t's" are crossed. Here are a few tips to keep you organized when running a medical transcription business.

1. What day is it? Keeping a daily schedule of events will help you to manage your time. Since you are running an at home business, you are the secretary also. A desk calendar will give you the ability to look at the whole month at a glance when scheduling work over the phone. Your quick scribbles can then be transferred to a monthly planner that can be taken with you wherever you go. This avoids the problem of missed deadlines and too many projects scheduled at one time.

2. Invest in a filing cabinet. No office should be without one. Invoices and contracts should be filed appropriately so they are easily called upon if needed. Keep folders for each client. Any correspondence should be filed in these folders, too. Utilizing a filing system avoids a big pile of papers on the corner of your desk. Filing should be done on a weekly basis.

3. Invest in bookkeeping software. Programs like Quicken or MS Money should be purchased for your business. Good recordkeeping is vital to a strong business. Keep track of money coming in from clients and money going out for expenses like equipment and office supplies. An accurate accounting of your finances will make filing the yearly tax forms a breeze.

4. Install a separate telephone line. The important thing about establishing a business in your home is to keep it separate from all other household business affairs. The last thing you want is your young child answering a call from a client. A separate telephone line allows all calls related to the business to be routed to a separate answering machine so missed calls can be identified and promptly returned.

5. Purchase business cards. The point of any business is to grow. You never know who you may meet at a party or other event. Business cards are a great networking tool. They advertise what you are all about and can increase the client base for your particular services.

Your medical transcription business will grow by leaps and bounds with a little business savvy. Treat your home office as if it were a separate entity. To keep up with the changes, organization is needed to keep things from getting out of control.

For more information on starting a medical transcription online information and help getting started as an MT visit - http://www.askthemt.com/ - an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions

Medical Transcription - A Profession Whose Time Has Come

Medical Transcription is the process of interpreting and transcribing the dictation made by healthcare professionals, such as doctors, regarding patient status, treatment procedures, prognoses, diagnoses etc.

The Medical Transcriptionist may also edit the text that is produced by voice recognition software, and requires extensive knowledge of medical pharmacological and anatomical terms.

Medical Transcriptionists in the past would listen to dictations and type it themselves, but with voice recognition software this has become mostly unnecessary. Today the medical transcriptionist usually just edits the output of the software which can range from a few corrections to major changes, because voice recognition software still has not been perfected.

The purpose of medical transcription and the medical transcriptionist remains the same as it was in earlier times, to keep a record of a patient's medical status and treatment. Ancient medical transcription has been noted as writing on ancient cave walls and in documents of lost civilizations.

Not until the late 20th century was Medical Transcription recognized as a profession. Prior to that those that did Medical Transcription were given menial labels such as typists, medical secretaries, dictating machine operators, or word processors.

For those who practice medical transcription, this was and is a highly unjustified job title since the profession requires a wide knowledge of highly technical medical terms. Thus, in 1999, MedicalTranscription was assigned its own job classification and those practicing it were officially called Medical Transcriptionists.

The profession of Medical Transcription has basically been underground, and most people have not heard about it. Nonetheless, Medical Transcription is essential in the ever growing health care industry.

Health care staff do not have the time to write every single bit of information they gather from patients. As a result, the demand for qualified Medical Transcriptionist professionals is rapidly growing, in addition to the fact of the increasing numbers of new medical procedures coming into the mainstream, doctors simply don't have the time to personally transcribe all their findings.

The profession of Medical Transcription is very versatile as well. After a few years of education, Medical Transcriptionists can acquire work from medical transcription firms who receive dictations made by doctors and turn these orders over to medical transcriptionists to be transcribed.

As part of that versatility, a Medical Transcriptionist may be able to work full or part-time from home. The American Association for Medical Transcription is the governing body in the United States that certifies Medical Transcriptionists.

Although you may not need certification to work as one, a certification from the AAMT will certainly increase you're "market value" and credibility.

Medical Transcription has grown out of its infancy of merely listening and transcribing the words dictated by a doctor. Medical Transcription has matured and now requires specific education and knowledge regarding medical language, Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes, physical anatomy, physiology, disease processes, medical science and procedures, medical instruments, pharmacology, laboratory instruments, laboratory test results, medical reference material techniques and many, many more.

Carol Benkman is free lance writer who does research and writing in a variety of fields ranging from outdoor sports, animals, animal rescue, to technical fields such as medicine, psychology, engineering and spirituality.

Medical Transcriptionist From Home

Medical transcription is a career offering earning potential from working at home. A person needs to listen to audio notes of the doctor on a patient. Then he has to transcribe it into a written document. This is then sent back to the doctor for approval.

A medical transcriptionist needs to have knowledge about medical terms, physiology, anatomy as well as the abbreviations used. The person should also be fluent in English and have good grammar and punctuation skills, as well as an aptitude to work on a personal computer and with the software for word processing. It is also important for a transcriptionist to have good hearing and listening skills. Employers generally give applicants a pre-employment test and favor individuals with experience.

An aspirant can earn a medical career diploma from home in one year by studying for as little as one hour a day. The student can also earn as well as learn by working part time with a clinic or doctor, during the duration of the course. There are various colleges, recognized by The American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT), offering courses that certify a medical transcriptionist. These colleges boast dedicated and expert instructors and support staff to help complete the work.

To educate students, different regional accents and background noises are used in the educational recordings. The students are tested on their speed of picking up words, keyboard skills, command of the English language, knowledge of the human anatomy and medical terminology. Medical terminology and abbreviations are also taught. On successful completion of the course, the student is awarded the Medical Transcription Certificate.

A medical transcriptionist is an important part of any health care team. A good transcriptionist with knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and medical record keeping is a valuable asset to any hospital, clinic or physician.

Medical Transcriptionist provides detailed information on Medical Transcriptionist, Medical Transcriptionist Jobs, Medical Transcriptionist Training, Medical Transcriptionist Salary and more. Medical Transcriptionist is affiliated with Electronic Medical Record.

Medical Transcriptionist Online

Medical transcription is a career that involves creating lucid and readable medical documents from the audio tapes on which the doctors have made notes. These documents are then used for keeping medical records and insurance reimbursement.

It is important for the transcriptionist to be able to understand medical terminology, physiology, human anatomy, pharmacology and diagnosis. They must also be able to understand and translate abbreviations and medical jargon into their expanded forms. They should be able to apply the particular principles that are involved with medical records. They should also ensure the legal and ethical necessities required for keeping patient information confidential.

Most health care services pass on audio transcript to medical transcriptionists using digital or analog dictating equipment. The Internet is a very convenient and popular medium for transmitting notes. Transcriptionists obtain dictations over the net and are able to promptly send the transcribed documents to clients.

Medical transcriptionists work by initially listening to recordings on a headset and using a foot pedal to pause the recording when required. They type the text onto a personal computer or word processor, editing for grammar. The documents they mainly write include history of patient, consultation reports, physical examination reports, diagnostic imaging and even operative reports. They are also expected to produce discharge summaries, autopsy reports, progress notes and referral letters. The documents are then sent back to the client and once approved are filed among the permanent documents of the patient.

Another method uses speech recognition technology, which translates sound into text and creates drafts of the reports. This is most often done electronically. These reports need to be formatted, edited and checked for any medical mistakes. Medical fields using standardized terminology, such as pathology or radiology, benefit the most from speech recognition technology. Speech recognition technology is expected to become more popular once it becomes more sophisticated and advanced.

Medical Transcriptionist provides detailed information on Medical Transcriptionist, Medical Transcriptionist Jobs, Medical Transcriptionist Training, Medical Transcriptionist Salary and more. Medical Transcriptionist is affiliated with Electronic Medical Record.

Medical Transcriptionist Job Openings

Medical Transcription is a career that is emerging as a big job provider for many. It is not a traditional job or a desk-bound 9 to 5 job. There are avenues by which transcriptionists can work from the confines of their homes, do part time jobs or freelance. It has lot of flexibility as far as working hours are concerned.

A medical transcriptionist is part of a health care team. Their knowledge of, physiology, anatomy, medical terminology and medical record make them important to any physician. These skills are in demand and also can allow someone to earn a lot of money. Transcriptionists are generally employed in hospitals, by physicians, in transcription service offices and other such places. Experienced medical transcriptionists progress to supervisory and managerial positions. They are also in a position to freelance from home and do editing, consulting or teaching in the various accredited schools. Some further educate themselves and train to become medical coders, medical records and health information technicians and administrators.

Job opportunities, in the coming years, are expected to rise for medical transcriptionists. Their employment is predicted to grow faster than the average for all occupations. It is expected that jobs for medical transcriptionists will increase to a high of 23% by 2012. The demand for transcription services will increase because of a growing aging population. Older age groups usually receive more medical diagnostic tests, treatments, and medicine trials that require recording. Thus, more transcriptionists will be needed to revise patient records, amend records from speech recognition systems, and recognize discrepancies in medical reports.

Medical transcriptionists earned $13.64 for an hour in 2004. The highest 10 percent earned $19.11. Average hourly earnings were $13.83. In the offices of physicians and in business support services, they were paid an average of $13.40, hourly.

Medical Transcriptionist provides detailed information on Medical Transcriptionist, Medical Transcriptionist Jobs, Medical Transcriptionist Training, Medical Transcriptionist Salary and more. Medical Transcriptionist is affiliated with Electronic Medical Record.

Medical Transcription Business

Medical transcription refers to the transcribing of medical records that have been dictated by health care professionals. This could be analysis, progress reports, chart notes, physicals, histories, and even letters. However, given the lack of time, most healthcare professionals simply dictate notes. Converting them into typed documents has opened up opportunities for several transcription businesses. People who perform the task of a medical transcription are known as a medical transcriptionist or a medical transcriber. There is an increasing risk of litigation faced by health care professionals. Hence, keeping a record of every piece of information has become essential. For this very reason, many people are now looking forward to starting a medical transcription business.

If an individual has a strong understanding of medical terminology and procedures, he can use the expertise and can establish a successful business in medical transcription. Medical transcriptionists generally make good amount of money by transforming physicians' dictated medical records into written copies. People consider this a lucrative business. The start-up costs are fairly low; hence, financing is required in very few cases. The infrastructure that a medical transcription business would essentially require includes computers, word processing software, an audio cassette player, and an Internet connection.

Skills and training that are needed to succeed as medical transcribers include a degree that can be offered by many vocational schools, community colleges, or online courses. The transcriptionists must also have very good listening skills to be able to decipher dictated notes. They should be able to type fast and accurately. An aptitude for medical science and language can also help.

Hospitals, physicians, medical and diagnostic laboratories, outpatient care centers, offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, audiologists and counselors are typical clients requiring medical transcription services. Transcription businesses can approach these organizations in order to acquire their transcription work. They may present in the form of monthly assignments or projects. They can get paid according to these assignments or on monthly basis.

Due to the continually evolving medical industry and new terminologies, it is essential for businesses to keep themselves informed of the latest jargon used in the industry. It is essential to refresh the knowledge base every three years and get certificates to justify the same.

Medical Transcription provides detailed information on Medical Transcription, Medical Transcription Service, Medical Transcription Courses, Medical Transcription at Home and more. Medical Transcription is affiliated with Online Medical Transcription Courses.

Transcription - An Explanation

If your wondering what exactly the word Transcription means, then you are at the right place to check this out. Lets not make it very complicated and put this in simple words. Transcription is nothing but converting recorded audio or video dictations into written form. The basic idea of transcribing is to listen something in a spoken version and have the ability to type the same into a document for future reference.

Many might consider medical transcription to be quite simple and easy. Well if that was the case the industry would have not paid you as much as the current medical transcriber are earning. Becoming a medical transcriber requires a lot of hard work and stress management skills on part of the transcriber. It is not just typing blankly what you are hearing there are many aspects that are to be considered besides listening and typing.

Boom of Internet marks the glory of medical transcription jobs

Internet to a great extent has created a buzz in the online world. Together with the development of the latest technology, finding a job as a medical transcriber is easier than ever before. Nowadays, one can easily find hosts of medical equipments, computer software programs; training courses and books that can help you in becoming a successful home based medical transcriber.

The development of Internet has increased the demand for a transcriber in different fields. As a transcriber you will find that there are many individuals and fields that may require your services. Some of these include doctors, universities, lawyers, marketers, corporations, conference organizers, lecturers, researchers and so on.

Why do individuals and Companies require a transcriber?

? Dictating records with the help of a medial transcriber is far easier than typing everything themselves. Moreover creating dictations and hiring someone else to transcribe the audio saves on time, when they have other things they need to be doing.
? It is not everyone?s cup of tea to have the speed and accuracy in typing that medical transcribers have. Even a minor mistake on part of the typist can result in future problems on part of the company or the employer. This makes it very much important to have a professional medical transcriber rather than a hiring a part timer.
? Apart from typing down the recorded audio or video dictations a medical transcriber can also be used to fill in patient records, provide the necessary information to board members or in court of law as evidence or record keeping.

This article may be reproduced as long as the following resource box remains intact:

For complete help and advice on transcription, read the E-book ?Home Based Transcription Guide - How to make Money Listening to Words!? created by Nathian Jackson. This E-book will give you complete details about transcription, and teach you the ways of earning money through transcription without spending a single penny. This E-Book can be found at www.transcriptiontips.co.uk

? 2006-2009 Nathian Jackson

Medical Transcription Schools - Avoiding Online Scams

Medical transcription is a lucrative profession which allows you the flexibility to work from home. Unfortunately, it's this appeal that has opened the doors for less than honest online medical transcription schools.

If you don't know a lot about MT, then I will assure you it is a real profession and a real possibility. It is not a get rich quick scheme or overnight money maker.

If you're shopping around for an online medical transcription course, here are a few things to keep in mind.

How to choose the right course and avoid scams

Make sure the company offering the course is reputable and has been around for a long time. You can do this by checking with the Better Business Bureau. Here are a few other things to look for.

Send the school an email asking a question about their course. If they respond promptly in a professional matter that's a good sign. If they seem overly pushy be a bit weary.

Look at their website. Is it professional? Do they give you statistics about their success rates, student testimonials, Q and A section?

Do they have an online student log in area or online support if you have questions?

Are their company details listed on their website? Such as how long they've been in business, contact details (mailing address and phone number).

Do they make exaggerated promises about their course? If they are promising you will make a lot of money in a short time, then be careful. No one can really predict how much you will make or how long it will take you. They should give general statistics and figures in an unbiased way.

Do they provide financial aid or payment assistance?

Do they have a list of graduates or companies which have hired their graduates?

Do they give you updates of students who have graduated from their school?

Do they have a student message board, a newsletter or information which will make you feel part of a community?

Studying from home can be lonely at times, a reputable course will offer you assistance from the very beginning until you find a job.

Mila Sidman is an experienced MT and owner of www.AskTheMT.com - an informative website dedicated to answering all your medical transcription questions.