Medical Transcription Schools
Medical transcription is a very important part of the medical field. As a medical transcriptionist you will be responsible for transcribe dictation in regards to patients’ progress, medical procedures, medical history, operative reports and autopsy reports for in a person’s medical records. Both doctors and therapists will provide this material to you.
The reason this job has become so popular is that it can be done in the office or from the comfort of your own home. If you choose to work from home, you can set your own hours. This is quite advantageous for a lot of people.
Before you can begin working as a medical transcriptionist you will need to be certified. In order to become certified, you will have to attend medical transcription school. Here is some information that you should know about these schools.
What To Look For In A School
The first thing you will want to look for in a medical transcription school is their accreditation from the AHDI (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity). Whenever you see this accreditation you will know that you are going to receive the best possible education. Employers also hold these accredited schools in high esteem. In fact, some employers will not even accept an application from someone who hasn’t attended an AHDI accredited program.
Of course, it is also important to make sure that the program offers a schedule that you are comfortable with. A lot of people find part-time to be the best but you can also find schools that will allow you to go at your own pace. If you are interested in the self-paced option, you will need to spend some time looking for a school that offers this option. Regardless of the schedule you ultimately opt for, you will definitely want to make sure that your financial and academic needs are met and that the program is convenient for you.
Online Transcription Schools
There are a lot of people who are opting to complete their certification online today. This will take between 9 and 12 months (600 – 700 hours). You will find a lot of great schools to attend here, including:
- Kaplan University
- The U.S. Career Institute
- The Michigan Community College Virtual Learning Collaborative
- Penn Foster Career School
What You Will Learn In Medical Transcription School
Regardless of whether you attend school in a traditional setting or online, you can expect to pay around $1,000 for the program. Herein you will learn:
- Medical terminology. As a medical transcriptionist you will need to be really well versed in medical roots and terminology.
- Human anatomy and physiology, including diagnostics and treatment modalities. You will need to have a working knowledge of all of the systems that are found within the human body. For this reason, you will take special classes about diseases, medical testing, procedures and more.
- English. In order to be a good transcriptionist you need to have good grammar and punctuation. You also need to be good at proofreading and editing.
- Word processing skills.
- Formatting medical reports. These classes will teach you about various reports – how to read and write them.
- Using transcription equipment.
Longer medical transcription courses will also include classes in writing and composition as well as legal terminology.
How Long And Hard You Will Need To Study
You can expect to have to study really hard in order to pass a medical transcription course. However, if you are really motivated, you will be able to work a regular job while doing so. Just expect to spend a minimum of 3 or 4 hours a night studying in order to do well. If you aren’t working another job, then you should try to study even more. This is important because there is a lot to learn (i.e. terminology, formatting, research skills, transcription skills, etc.).