Before you decide that MT is right for you, there are many idiosyncrasies that will occur as you learn. If you are from New York and the doctor you are transcribing is from Tennessee, you might have problems understanding certain words. There are many idiolects (not dialects, but regional pronunciations) in the United States alone. Since many medical professionals are from other countries such as India, their English (learned from the UK, usually) might be a challenge for you.Now you’ve decided that despite the peculiarities of the profession, you want to become a medical transcriptionist, who is called an MT (the vocation itself, Medical Transcription is also abbreviated as MT but in context, it will become clear of whom or of what you are talking).
What to Do Before You Become a Medical Transcriptionist
Do your research. MT courses are a dime a dozen but ask other MTs (to be explained below) which companies are actually hiring and which certificates from which schools are worth your hard-earned tuition. In this case, the Internet is both a blessing and a curse since you can find a plethora of information on MT. Everyone wants to stay at home and become Parent of the Year so they believe that the stay-at-home MT option will solve their financial dilemmas, however…
Be careful! Do NOT be roped in by “get-rich-quick” sites that promise you the moon and the cheese it produces. There are also books on the Internet that guarantee that you’ll be making some unrealistic sum of money in your first year. Unless your uncle is the president of an MT outsourcing company, your English grammar and spelling is impeccable and you miraculously memorized all of the medical (and legal) lingo in a few months, you’ll be making the normal $12 to $14 an hour like most first-year MTs, who are lucky enough to get a job first. Even though MT has proved to be pretty recession-proof, you will still need to get your size 12 in the door and keep it there for a while.
- Network with those in the know. For those of you who are familiar with Internet newsgroups (and you should anyway for support and networking purposes), sci.med.transcription is an excellent resource. Other MTs gather there and discuss tricks of the trade, advances in MT, etc. Most newsgroup members truly enjoy helping “newbies” since it gives them a sense of purpose and also reminds their ego where they began before they developed into MT gurus.
- Join the Association for Healthcare Documentation (AHDI). They have an abundance of invaluable information for any MT. If you are a student currently enrolled in a MT course, the cost is $55 (as of May 19, 2009). When you join a professional organization, it always looks good on your resume. Also, you can network, join professional development courses, and find much other helpful information such as advocacy groups for the MT.
Top Medical Transcription Schools
| Kaplan University Kaplan University offers students a great deal of benefits, including career placement assistance, financial aid for those who qualify, and day and evening classes for added convenience. Kaplan University’s high-quality, caring instructors want to give students the training they need to be successful in their respective fields and the education they need to stand out to potential employers. |  |
| Career Step Career Step offers two medical transcription education Diploma programs. The full Medical Transcription Editor program is a vocational course designed for students without medical transcription knowledge and skills, while the Medical Transcription Editor supplemental program is designed for those who have a solid foundation of medical transcription knowledge and skills. The Medical Transcription Editor program is estimated at 640 completion hours and the Medical Transcription training program is estimated at 570 completion hours, but both programs are completely self-paced and can be completed in as little as four months. |  |
| Medical Transcription Education Center Medical Transcription Education Center’s Certificate program is designed for the novice with no prior medical training. This diploma-level program offers approximately 940 clock hours of optimum training in many specialties, for home-based and on-site positions. The program is an online home-study course that provides beginning, intermediate, and advanced training. M-TEC’s program is designed to be completed in 12 months; however, students are expected to commit a minimum of 25 hours per week toward their studies. |  |
| Allied Schools Allied Schools recognize the vital need for a quality curriculum in medical transcription education. Students will find focused training modules that provide the college-level education they need to become medical transcriptionists. Through Allied Schools’ 685-hour Medical Transcriptionist Certificate program, students are prepared with a comprehensive education that provides hands-on, practical experience. |  |
| Ashworth College The Medical Transcription Course is comprised of 18 comprehensive lessons that give students the skills you need in less than 6 months. This comprehensive program covers basic medical procedures and terminology, a study of the human body, how diseases are diagnosed and treated, as well as real-world transcription practice. Students can start at anytime, study online at their own pace, and move ahead as quickly as they like. Graduates of the Medical Transcription Diploma program are prepared for a flexible and rewarding position as qualified medical transcriptionists. |  |
| US Career Institute US Career Institute offers a Certificate program in medical transcription that can be completed in as little as four month. After enrollment, students are sent course materials and are allowed to work at their own pace. Once the course is completed, graduates will be ready to work as medical transcriptionists. Article Source: Medical Transcriptionist |
