Medical Transcription Training

Overview

Medical transcription, also known as MT, is an allied health profession that deals with the process of converting voice recorded reports of patients into text format as dictated by physicians or health professionals. A medical transcriptionist's day to day activities include document typing and formatting functions according to an established criterion. They transcribe the spoken word of the patient's medical information into an easy readable form. While a medical transcription profession does not require a mandate registration or certification, individuals may seek out registration or certification for their personal and professional reasons. Pursuing a graduate program is always a better option for having a higher career path.

The curriculum of a medical transcription degree includes introduction to medical transcription, medical terminology, business computing, survey of body system, diseases, diversity and health care, health and fitness. Other courses include medical editing, general psychology, medical laws and ethics, and medical coding. Certain colleges provide internship training to their students for an enhanced practical knowledge. The duration of this course might range anywhere between six months to one year.

Benefits

If you are looking for a career where you play a vital role in a doctor's day-to-day work, then pursuing a degree in medical transcription provides a good prospect. There is a lot of demand for students with medical transcription degrees. Apart from this, it also prepares you for a financially lucrative and rewarding future in the health and wellness industry. The income of the medical transcriptionists may be above $2 trillion by 2012. Veteran medical transcriptionists can expect a salary up to $40,000 a year on an average.You can either work for a healthcare company or take up freelancing and work from home.

Costs

The cost of medical transcription degrees is much less when compared to other degrees in the United States of America. An associate degree in medical transcription costs around $24,000 for a year.

Schools

There are many colleges in the United States which offer medical transcription degrees. The University of Cincinnati, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Rasmussen College, Richland Community College, and Brown College are some of the colleges which offer associate and bachelor's degree in medical transcription.

Testing & Preparation

When pursuing a medical transcription degree in the United States, you must have a completed high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) test certificate. You must also take the College Placement Test (CPT) with sub scores of 51.1 in reading and 52.1 in the sentence skills part. If you happen to be an international student, then your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores should be submitted. Certain colleges also conduct admission tests to select students. Apart from all this, you must have a typing speed of 45 words per minute.

Financial Aid

The American Health Information Management Association Foundation of Research and Education (FORE) and CAI Medical Transcription Scholarships are the largest scholarship providers in healthcare studies. Many colleges provide fees concessions for in-state students, while certain colleges also offer a discount in fees for the United States Military Service or a veteran member's dependent. You can also approach private banks such as Citibank and Fifth Third Bank to obtain loans.