If you want a position in the rapidly growing field of health care that does not involve direct patient care, consider medical transcription. Particularly for radiology and other specialties, medical transcription, allows many staffers to work from home.
Job Description
Medical transcription involves typing medical information dictated by doctors and other health-care professionals. Radiology transcription involves information related to X-rays, sonograms and chemotherapy treatments.
Accurately typed radiology reports are important because they are the official record of radiology treatments and tests the patient has received. They become part of his health history. They may also be used in legal and insurance claims.
Transcriptionists may also be needed for other reports and correspondence.
Education and Training
Most transcriptionists learn the trade at a community college or vocational school. They take courses in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology (including radiology terms), typing, dictation and report formatting. Transcription programs may be a one-year certificate program or a two-year associate's degree program. Transcriptionists may choose to receive designation as a registered medical transcriptionist (RMT) or certified medical transcriptionist (CMT), but these are voluntary.
Medical transcriptionists receive on-the-job training on the particular transcription equipment, formats and procedures. The first several transcriptions will be reviewed by a colleague familiar with the particular radiology practice and practitioners.
Salary
Medical transcriptionists earn about $15 per hour on average, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salary varies by employer--laboratories tend to pay slightly more than hospitals and doctors' offices--experience and education.
Advancement
With experience and education, radiology and other medical transcriptionists may be promoted to supervisory positions. They may go on to teach transcription skills or open their own transcription company. Some transcriptionists also learn medical billing and coding and other health information skills.
Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects radiology transcriptionist jobs and other medical transcription jobs will grow 14 percent by 2016, faster than average. This is because of an aging population and the growing need for accurate medical documentation.
Expert Insight
Radiology transcriptionists and other medical transcriptionists should have excellent hearing and be adept at discerning dictations that may be distorted by equipment issues. There may be difficulties in discerning the correct medical term used from among several similar-sounding words. Dictations may be difficult to discern because of accents, rapid speech or distracted speakers.
Transcription work must be quickly and accurately produced. Most clients require completed transcriptions within 24 hours.
Some transcriptionist work in office settings at hospitals, clinics and laboratories. Others work from home with equipment provided by the employer.
While many correspondence and online courses advertise, many of these are scams. It is best to take a course at an accredited community college or vocational school.
Tags: other medical, Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics, college vocational, college vocational school, community college, community college vocational
