In the past few years, the demand of medical transcriptionists or MTS has been on the rise. The increasing need for qualified and trained medical transcriptionists is attributed to the growing need for improved quality of care, especially among the elderly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor estimated that the demand of medical transcriptionists would increase by as much as 11% through 2018. The job prospects and the salary are promising as well. For these reasons, starting a medical transcriptionist career is recommended to individuals who are interested in writing and health care at the same time.
There is no doubt that to become a good medical transcriptionist, one must have the right medical transcriptionist training and education before employment. Having a strong familiarity on medical terms and jargons is a must to function efficiently. However, having an appropriate medical transcriptionist training or a strong medical background is not enough. It is essential that an MT has the right qualities and attitudes to succeed in this job. Working as an MT looks much easier than it really is. A medical transcriptionist career can be stressful and frustrating at times. Not all dictations are recorded clearly and logically. The level of stress further increases as one has the responsibility to be accurate and effective at all times. Medical transcriptionists have to constantly check for references, clarify details and information and make certain revisions without changing any relevant detail that may alter the overall findings. Medical transcriptionists may work in comfortable settings but they are also vulnerable to the effects of being sedentary. Back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and eye problems are common in these trained professionals.
To become a good medical transcriptionist, one must have excellent listening and grammar skills to transcribe and produce accurate and logical medical reports. He or she must also have good skills in English usage, punctuation, spelling and editing. It is vital that an MT has the ability to work efficiently under pressure. Improved outputs are also achieved when one has the ability to concentrate. Developing a keen eye for details and the ability to use logic and reasoning are greatly beneficial for individuals who are aspiring to start a medical transcriptionist career. Having an excellent eye, hand and auditory coordination is also vital to have an easier time during transcription.
A diploma or an associate’s degree in medical transcription may be obtained through enrollment in medical transcriptionist schools like community colleges and vocational schools and through signing up in distance-learning programs. A diploma is usually completed in one year, whereas an associate’s degree is usually completed in two years. Both programs include classroom lectures and on-the-job experience supervised by certified or registered medical transcriptionists. Both programs may include courses in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, healthcare documentation and communication systems and introduction and advanced courses in medical transcription. Each student enrolled in a program is also required to complete a certain number of hours in actual training under the supervision of a certified and experienced medical transcriptionist.