Career Options for Medical Transcriptionists

The job outlook for the medical transcription industry is seen to grow by 6 percent in the next seven years. It may not be as fast as the progress for other professions, but it’s decent. Despite this slowdown, medical transcription is still one of those medical jobs that one can do without leaving the comfort of their own home. It is a perfect option for housewives, medical practitioners, retirees and other professionals who simply love to work independently.

The salary rate for medical transcriptionists is more than enough to pay the bills and support a family (especially for single moms). The median pay for medical transcriptionists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics is $32,900 annually, with an hourly rate of $15.82 per hour. And with outsourcing paving the way for an abundance of available jobs, the rates could go higher depending on the volume of output you produce.

Most companies that hire onsite medical transcriptionists require the latter to have at least some level of experience or certification. They, however, tolerate applicants without experience and train them themselves as long as the applicants are certified. Online companies, on the other hand, prefer medical transcriptionists who have an ample amount of experience in the field and certifications to show.

To become a medical transcriptionist, one has to train by enrolling in training such as www.meditec.com medical transcription course, which would teach him or her the rudiments of transcribing and basic medical terminologies. The course will then proceed to the training proper where the student is informed of how to operate the audio-transcription software and foot pedal. Additional techniques are also provided to ease the work of the transcriptionist and to help them better their skills.

The career path for medical transcriptionist is usually geared towards becoming a healthcare information management supervisory position or as an editor (Quality Assurance editor) or medical transcription trainer. In some cases, medical transcriptionists can also transition to the roles of medical billers and coders, or that of a healthcare administrator provided that they receive proper training and experience from their superiors. Some medical transcriptionists can also seek copy editing or transcribing jobs from other industries, like publishing or medical journalism. Seasoned ones, who have had more than five years of experience in the field, can also enter the academe as a medical transcription instructor or teacher. Indeed, the possibilities are endless with a medical transcription career.