How to Choose a Medical Transcription School

How to Choose a Medical Transcription Course of Study

After considering all the pros and cons of becoming a medical transcriptionist, perhaps the most important decision lying before you is that of choosing your course of study. The decision to pursue training in medical transcription represents a large investment of time and money. But the end result, as with any educational pursuit, is that you are investing in yourself.

A two-year course is the norm, and the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) also recommends that this include a 240 hour externship in an actual healthcare facility. This corresponds to 6 weeks of external study in addition to the formal training already received. In addition to community colleges, there are home study courses available both online and through the use of home study materials. A course that allows you ample access to the instructor for questions and assistance is essential. Likewise, access to fellow students allows opportunities for networking and support.

If you already know medical terminology and have good grammar skills, you are more than halfway there. Sometimes we recommend to these people to obtain practice tapes or CDs to measure their skill, and some are pleased to find that they are moving along just fine after a period of adjustment and heightened listening skills. Others find that they did not know as much terminology as they thought, and for them we recommend taking a course either at a community college or via home study.

Medical Transcriptionists must sometimes edit the words of the dictating physician and make corrections where appropriate. Courses in English grammar and punctuation, anatomy, physiology, terminology, and medical transcription are necessary. The AHDI recommends that the following course topics are included as part of your training: English grammar and punctuation, medical language, anatomy and physiology, disease processes, pharmacology and laboratory medicine, transcription technology, medical transcription practice, healthcare records, privacy, ethics, and other medicolegal issues

In addition, an effective course of study should be taught by qualified professionals, preferably Certified Medical Transcriptionists (CMTs) who are knowledgeable in their field. The ADHI recommends that at least 30 hours of real dictated physician reports be included in the formal training, plus an additional 10 hours of real dictated physician reports be included in the external practice module.

What about certification?
Watch out for schools that offer a "certificate". It should be clear that this is a certificate of completion of their course of study, NOT the designation "Certified Medical Transcriptionist". To learn more about Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) and Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) designation, click here.

Get references! Ask the course operators to provide you with contact information of graduated students, and follow through to see where they are today in terms of their medical transcription career. Ask them to provide you with a list of employers who have hired their graduates. This is part of your due diligence in preparing for your career in medical transcription. Contact as many schools and graduates as necessary so that you will be starting off your new career with the utmost confidence that you have made the right choice. We have heard many times from MT students who are already in a course of study who feel they should have spent more time checking out schools prior to making their choice, so don't let the excitement of entering a new field deter you from taking enough time to fully evaluate your options.

Lastly, but certainly not least, the medical transcription school that you choose should provide a job placement program. When you are contacting schools, ask them about their placement program and continued post-graduate assistance.

Are there accredited Medical Transcription Schools?
The Approval Committee for Certificate Programs (ACCP) is a joint committee that was established by The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and AHDI to approve medical transcription education programs. Ask if the school you're considering is ACCP-approved.

Melinda Decker began her medical transcription career in 1987. In 1997 she purchased and launched the domain MedicalTranscription.com for her business. In 2001, illness forced Melinda to discontinue transcribing but once recovered, she relaunched the website to assist other transcriptionists in finding jobs. The website uses a database to match the abilities of the transcriptionists to the physicians and medical facilities that hire them. In addition, the website provides information for new transcriptionists and medical practice managers, as well the the discussion forum MT Brainstorm.

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