how to become a medical transcriptionist

Download Article

Medical transcriptionists, or healthcare documentation specialists, listen to recorded dictation from physicians and translate them into written reports. Medical transcription is a flexible job. It offers the possibility of working in a structured office environment or from home. There are no formal requirements for becoming an medical transcriptionists other than a high school diploma. However, education beyond high school and certification training can make you a more competitive job candidate.

1
Earn your high school diploma or GED. A high school diploma or GED is the only formal requirement for becoming a medical transcriptionist. If you're an adult without a high school diploma, you can take a test to earn your GED.^[1]
- Most states require you to be at least sixteen years old before you can take the GED.
- You can take the GED without attending classes first, but it helps to review the material before you take the test. There are many online resources available, and nearly every town offers GED classes.
2
Assess your typing speed. As a medical transcriptionist, most of your time will be spent listening to doctors' dictation and transcribing that information into written form. You'll need to be able to keep up a good typing speed as you transcribe. However, you don't need to be the fastest typist in the world. Forty-five words per minute is a speed that will allow you to transcribe quickly and accurately.
- You can test your typing speed on various websites.
- If you're a very slow typist, you should consider taking an online typing course to increase your speed.
Advertisement
3
Earn an Associates Degree or Certificate in medical transcription. You don't need more than a high school education to become a medical transcriptionist. However, further education in medical transcription will help you learn the medical terminology that is part of the job. It will also give you a competitive edge in the job market.
- The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity lists approved medical transcription programs.^[2]
4
Choose your credentials. This is not a necessary step, but getting credentialed will give you a competitive edge in the job market. There are two certifications available to medical transcriptionists: Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) and Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS). The RHDS certification is available to medical transcriptionists who are just starting out in their careers. Earning the CHDS certification requires two years of experience.^[3]
- Both certifications are offered through the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI).
5
Take the test. The RHDS and CHDS exams are offered at various centers throughout the United States. You can also take the test online.^[4]
- The RHDS exam will test your basic knowledge of medical terminology, as well as your English language abilities, including grammar and punctuation. The CHDS exam will test advanced knowledge of medical terminology, as well as your ability to make use of professional reference materials.^[5]
- AHDI offers preparation materials on their website.^[6]
Advertisement

1
Work in a physician's office. Hospitals, clinics, and physician's offices employee medical transcriptionists to work on-site. The best way to find job openings is to make a list of hospitals and physician's offices in your area and call them. You can also use job posting websites such as Craigslist and Monster.com.^[7]
- If you work in a physician's office, you may have additional administrative duties such as scheduling appointments and answering phones.
- Be professional when you call physician's offices. For example, you might say "I am a Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist and I wanted to offer my services to your office."
2
Work in a third-party transcription service office. Third-party transcription services are run off-site from hospitals and physician's offices. They tend to have a more traditional office-like atmosphere where you will work in a cubicle surrounded by other medical transcriptionists. If you like a structured nine-to-five environment, working for a third-party transcription service may be for you.^[8]
- This option will require you to be at work for specified hours every day.
- You can find transcription services job postings on websites like Craigslist, Monster.com, and Indeed.com.
3
Work from home. One of the benefits of becoming a medical transcriptionist is that many physician's and hospitals will allow you to work from home. This option will give you the most flexibility as you'll be able to make your own hours.^[9]
- Working from home will require you to purchase your own equipment. You'll need a good computer with an internet connection, a foot-pedal and transcription software, a place to work.
- Foot pedals allow you to start and stop the recordings you are transcribing without having to lift your hands off the keyboard. You can purchase foot pedals and the corresponding transcription software online at stores like Amazon.com, or you can find them at stores like OfficeMax.
- If your goal is to work from home, make sure to specify this when you call physician's offices. For example, you might say, "I'm a home-based medical transcriptionist and I'm looking to add to my client list."
4
Apply for positions. Whether you'll be working in a physician's office, for a third-party transcription service, or from home, you'll need to apply for the job. Most employers will ask for a copy of your resume, as well as proof of any training or certifications you may have.^[10]
- Make your resume more attractive to employers by emphasizing transcription-related skills from your previous jobs.
- If asked how your previous experience applies to the job of a medical transcriptionist, you might say, "I previously worked in customer service, where I spent a lot of time listening to people and typing notes on a computer. This work prepared me for the multitasking required of a medical transcriptionist."
Advertisement

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

About This Article

Article SummaryX

If you're interested in becoming a medical transcriptionist, make sure that you can type at least 45 words per minute in order to quickly and accurately transcribe a doctor's dictation. Additionally, be prepared to work with little to no supervision, since most medical transcription jobs are work from home positions. You'll also need to complete a certification program in medical transcription to learn the medical terminology used by doctors. Along with your certification, you'll be required to pass the RHDS and CHDS exams before you can apply for jobs. For more advice, including how to make your resume more attractive to prospective employers, keep reading!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 114,082 times.

Did this article help you?