Accredited Medical Transcription Training From Home

Online medical transcription can be completed in one to two years.

Medical transcription is a fast-growing field that is exploding with demand because of President Barack Obama's mandate for a national Electronic Health Record system. Many accredited programs are offered via the internet so that students can complete their training in the comfort of their homes. Upon completion of these internet courses, a student should be proficient in transcribing medical voice recordings into documents that become part of a patient's medical record.

Finding Right School

Many community colleges and vocational schools offer distant-learning courses in medical transcription. When shopping for a school, prospective students need to determine whether that institution is accredited by the Approval Committee for Certificate Programs, which is governed by the American Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) and the American Health Information Management Association. Accreditation is voluntary but can make all the difference when a new graduate is applying for her first transcription job.

Course Content

A typical online curriculum covers medical terminology and jargon, typing, English and document preparation. Students must be self-disciplined so they can study at home and focus on building their speed as well as their command of the medical language. Their at-home training will include learning to use foot pedals to stop, start and change the speed of dictation materials.

Equipment

Each student needs a computer with Internet access, headsets and an mp3 player as well as the foot pedal to control dictation speeds. Software will be purchased through the school.

Staying Focused

Maintaining self-discipline requires effort. A distance-learning student should designate a special place in his home for quiet study time. Adequate space is required for the transcription equipment. About 20 hours a week is recommended for at-home coursework. Because the medical transcription field offers many work-at-home opportunities, online students should select schools that offer classes on how to telecommute.

Time to Graduate

An associate degree program can be completed in two years and a certificate program requires one year. Medical transcriptionists can obtain additional professional certifications through the AHDI: Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) and Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT). RMT is for recent graduates as well as transcriptionists with less than two years experience. CMT is for more seasoned professionals. RMTs and CMTs require recertification every three years.

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 11 percent growth rate through 2018 in the medical transcription field. This demand is attributed to the American population that is growing older and requiring greater medical care. Transcriptionists can work in hospitals, private doctors' offices or medical transcription businesses. Overseas outsourcing is not expected to impact the job growth because documents transcribed outside the United States often require substantial rework to comply with this country's quality standards.

References

• Accredited Medical Transcription Schools in the U.S.
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Transcriptionists